2008 Medals & Awards

GSA Public Service to public service through education; beyond where exactly will the volcano erupt, so we the 1,000 students who enroll each semester, don’t need to evacuate a minute too early. Award his informative and accessible online course Prove that the water pollution caused the Presented to Richard B. Alley is available throughout the world, regardless cancer. And don’t address the climate and the of ability to pay. If you haven’t seen it, I composition of the atmosphere until you’re strongly recommend Richard’s musical turn absolutely sure that we’re causing it. as Johnny Cash explaining seismology— A few of you may have already heard singing, “So you’re not dyin’, we watch the my next story, but I hope it bears repeating. line” (http://streaming.ems.psu.edu/geosc10/ During grad school, I was in , watchtheline_medST.mov). being questioned by a rather imposing Global may be the military airlift commander about the greatest challenge ever faced by humanity. probability of encountering a crevasse at the In awarding the Public Service Award summit of the . After I to Alley, GSA recognizes not only the explained the several reasons why a crevasse significant scientific contributions of an was highly unlikely there, he emphasized his individual member, but also the significance concern, suggesting that if his plane fell in to humankind of the global climate change a crevasse after my advice, he would return, research that Alley has embraced as his life’s lock my private parts in a vise, set the table work. on fire, and give me a butcher knife. I then suggested a bit of insurance (which he surely Richard B. Alley already knew)—reconnaissance, followed by Pennsylvania State University Response by Richard B. Alley a “ski drag” (flying while dragging the skis to Thank you, Dave, and GSA, for this break any snow bridges over crevasses), then honor. I am humbled. surveying the snow condition again before Almost all of us learned long ago that landing in the dragged region. No crevasses Citation by David M. Diodato scientific certainty, like economic certainty were encountered, as expected, but to the best of my knowledge the ski drag was conducted It is fitting that on the day I called or political certainty, is an oxymoron. We can before landing. at Penn State to congratulate be certain only if we’re allowed to make up As public servants, we face a steep him for receiving the GSA Public Service all of the rules, and I know of no mortals who and challenging task—to explore with Award, he was up on Capitol Hill engaging have been granted that power over the real policymakers and the general public the with decision makers discussing global world. reality that we scientists are neither godlike climate change. It was for his work on global And yet, somehow, life goes on. Laws nor stupid or conniving, that insurance is climate change that Alley and the other are passed, budgets enacted, judgments often cheap but rarely free, and that further members of the Intergovernmental Panel on handed down, houses built, marriages research can narrow the uncertainties notably Climate Change shared the Nobel Peace Prize pledged and births celebrated. When faced and bring the cost of insurance closely with in 2007. Alley demonstrates by with the great unknown, almost all of us get into line with the risks but cannot entirely his actions the profound insight that science out of bed, just to see. Besides, even though eliminate -the probabilistic nature of the by itself is necessary but not sufficient to we know nothing with complete certainty, situation. And we must do so knowing that inform public policy decision making. Also we still know a whole lot with really high our measured discussion will be interrupted required is clear, credible, and effective confidence. The sun will rise, the wind will by people from many sides with agendas communication. Over more than two decades blow, the taxes will be collected, and at least and sound bites that often appear more of expanding the frontiers of knowledge most of our friends will be there when we compelling than we do. about global climate change through leading- need them, perhaps with a few friends we I believe that few of us entered science edge science, Alley, as a citizen-scientist, has didn’t even know we had. with any idea of facing this task—I know recognized the imperative to communicate As geoscientists, we know a lot of more- I didn’t! And I believe that most of us his scientific understanding in language that specialized things with high confidence, too. enter the public discussion hesitantly—the is clear and understandable to the public and Poisons dumped on the ground will get into endless frontier of science is more fun to those empowered by the public to make someone’s water, volcanoes and floods and than the seemingly endless fighting decisions for society. earthquakes and tsunamis will occur, Earth around some issues where science meets In his book, The Two-Mile Time resources recovered at existing prices with politics. Furthermore, the great remaining Machine: Ice Cores, , existing technology will run out, changing the uncertainties, the great prospects from further and Our Future, Alley clearly communicates concentration of radiatively active gases in research, require that we as a community the significance of global climate change the atmosphere will change the climate, and continue to pursue the endless frontier of preserved in ice cores collected in Greenland. water pollution, natural disasters, resource science. But the widening circle of light For that publication, Alley was awarded the depletion, and climate change will influence from research illuminates a longer and 2001 Phi Beta Kappa Book Award in Science. us. longer perimeter of people who seek help Since then, Alley has maintained a vigorous And yet, something odd sometimes in understanding what they can suddenly schedule of public communications. His happens when our uncertain-but-confident see. These are the people who pay for us, so contributions to the open courseware initiative knowledge meets public discussion— we must respond. We must assess science, further demonstrate his strong commitment participants may demand certainty. When and

The Geological Society of America 2008 Medals & Awards not just do it, and we must communicate the Academy of Sciences, the are honoring our joint efforts. I thank many, results of those assessments clearly, honestly, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, many colleagues, mentors and students, and and respectfully. the US Climate Change Science Program, especially my family—you know who you I have been privileged to play a and in other ways including teaching a lot of are, because I spend so much time leaning small role in this effort, with the National bright students at Penn State, and today you on you.

The Geological Society of America