James Hansen, courtesy NASA

James Hansen, known for his climate research and his Congressional testimony on climate change that raised awareness of global warming, will deliver a featured talk on climate change, moderated by AAG President Glen MacDonald, at the AAG annual meeting in Boston on April 7, 2017.

Hansen received a B.A. in physics and mathematics, an M.S. in astronomy and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Iowa. From 1981 to 2013, he was the head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City. Currently, he directs the Program on Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions at Columbia University’s Earth Institute.

Hansen is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, received the Heinz Award in the Environment for his global warming research, and was listed as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2006. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) selected him for its Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility.

He will also be honored as the 2017 AAG Honorary Geographer during the AAG awards luncheon in Boston on April 9, 2017.