Icebreakers, bikes, and muffins
CU Boulder ATOC, NSIDC
Icebreakers, bikes, and muffins
CU Boulder ATOC, NSIDC
CIRES Fellow John Cassano is the lead scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and a professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences who studies polar weather and climate through fieldwork and modeling. In early 2020, Cassano spent 3 months traversing the Arctic Ocean aboard 2 different ice breakers. His journey north coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made his return home “much more difficult than originally expected.” Cassano is an avid cyclist — he’s biked on all 7 continents. He loves spending time with his wife, Liz, and daughter, Sabrina. And the title of his autobiography would be “Fortunately I had a backup muffin.”
Humans of CIRES Q&A
Q: What is your role at CIRES?
I am a CIRES fellow, the lead scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), and a professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. I study polar weather and climate by doing fieldwork and making observations and through the development and use of weather and climate models.
Q: Where is the most exciting place you’ve traveled to for your research/job?
I spent 3 months on two different icebreakers in the middle of the Arctic Ocean from January to April 2020. During this time, I experienced a month of polar darkness as the Russian ice breaker I was on navigated from northern Norway to almost the North Pole. At the same time, the world was plunged into the chaos of the COVID pandemic which made my return from the Arctic much more difficult than originally expected.
Q: What would the title of your autobiography be?
My family and I often joke about what the title of our autobiographies would be. Mine would be "Fortunately I had a backup muffin" which reflects both my love of muffins as a breakfast food and my tendency to always be well prepared with a backup plan in place most of the time.
Q: Tell us about a hobby of yours.
I am an avid cyclist. I have ridden at least 10,000 miles every year since 2013 and ride almost every day. I have biked on all seven continents and in 25 different countries. My favorite riding is on quiet gravel roads in the desert.
Q: Share a story about your family.
I love spending time and traveling with my wife Liz, who is an associate scientist at CIRES, and my daughter Sabrina, who is currently a sophomore in high school. The three of us relocated to Tucson, Arizona for 3 months in the winter of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic since we were all working/going to school remotely. It was a wonderful change, and I never got tired of the amazing food in Tucson.
