Nationally Recognized Climate Scientist to Lead New Climate Center
Dr. Dave Reidmiller joins the Gulf of Maine Research Institute as the organization's first Climate Center Director.
PORTLAND, Maine — August 31, 2020 — After conducting a national search, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) is announcing the hire of Dr. Dave Reidmiller as director of their climate center. Dr. Reidmiller is the first director of the institute’s new interdisciplinary center, which is focused on solutions to local, regional, and global challenges related to climate change.
“As a region, we have an opportunity to be global leaders, because the things we learn here are relevant around a warming planet,” said Dr. Reidmiller. “For example, what we learn about heatwaves in the Gulf of Maine is critical to our understanding of similar warming events and their impacts in other places.”
Dr. Reidmiller brings nearly two decades advancing climate science and policy at a national and international scale. Throughout his career, Dr. Reidmiller has:
- Served as Acting Director of the Northeast and Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASC) with the U.S. Geological Survey, investing in user-driven science to understand how climate change affects ecosystems.
- Directed the congressionally mandated Fourth National Climate Assessment — the nation’s most authoritative scientific report on the impacts of climate change in the U.S. — as part of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
- Served as the Chief Climate Scientist for the U.S. Department of State under the Obama Administration, forging consensus among the 197 member states of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to deliver the science and technology components of the Paris Agreement.
At GMRI, Dr. Reidmiller’s work will build on the institute’s recent globally-relevant research, which reflects the need for communities to make forward-looking decisions in the face of change. The climate center will also leverage the institute’s experience delivering high-impact education programs and convening diverse groups of marine stakeholders to solve complex problems. This integrated approach prepares us to play a leading role in tackling the challenge of supporting real-world climate decisions as part of this new center.
“As I considered the next step in my career, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute stood out because it isn’t just a place for top-notch scientific research,” said Dr. Reidmiller. “They deliver that information to people who can use it, whether that’s school-age kids, policymakers at all levels of government, seafood supply chain businesses, or fishermen. I want to be part of an organization that helps people understand, prepare for, and respond to climate-related change — including both risks and emerging opportunities.”
Dr. Reidmiller is a native of Rochester, New York and recently moved to South Portland, Maine. He is a graduate of Colgate University and holds a doctorate of Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington.
Media Contact:
Elijah Miller
Communications Manager
(207) 577-2886
[email protected]
About the Gulf of Maine Research Institute:
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute pioneers collaborative solutions to global ocean challenges. Located in Portland, ME, the institute is dedicated to the resilience of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. For more information, visit www.gmri.org
###
