MARK FINKENSTAEDT/NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCESScience advocate Ralph Cicerone, a leader in atmospheric chemistry and climate change, died unexpectedly over the weekend (November 5) in his home in Short Hills, New Jersey, of an undisclosed cause. He was 73.
More than his contributions to any one field, Cicerone was known as a true leader of science. For more than a decade, he served as president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), stepping down after his second term (the maximum allowed by the organization’s bylaws) this June. He was a regular voice in science policy debates as well as a vocal advocate for the use of scientific evidence “to inform government decision-making and public discourse,” according to an NAS statement.
“The entire scientific community is mourning the sudden and untimely loss of this great leader who has been unexpectedly removed from the forefront of the scientific issues that matter most to the future well-being of society,” Marcia McNutt, Cicerone’s successor as NAS president, said ...
