McCarthy appointed as director 
of Walter Orr Roberts Institute

by Robert Henson
UCAR Outreach 

John McCarthy, director of NCAR's Research Applications Program 
(RAP), has been named UCAR vice president and director of the 
Walter Orr Roberts Institute.  UCAR president Richard Anthes 
announced the appointment on 18 March; McCarthy assumed the post 
on 
1 April.  He succeeds the institute's initial director, Radford Byerly, 
who served during the latter half of 1993, and interim director Harriet 
Barker.

Founded shortly after the death of Roberts, UCAR and NCAR's first 
president and director, the institute's goal has been to further the 
application of atmospheric and related science in the service of society 
and to help translate the goals and products of that research for 
policymakers, students, and the public.  As a UCAR vice president, 
McCarthy also will oversee the Corporate Affiliates Program, the Office 
of Government Affairs, and the Development Office.

"Walt Roberts helped me to understand that it is possible and desirable 
. . . to bridge the gap between fundamental research and the viable 
integration of that research into society," says McCarthy.  "While many 
research problems remain unresolved and immature for such a 
transfer, many domains are ready for this all-important passage."  
McCarthy has, he says,  "a deeply held view" that scientists and 
engineers have an obligation to transfer their knowledge to those that 
need it. 

"As director of the institute, I will be addressing outreach and advocacy 
on weather and climate issues that have the potential to significantly 
alter life on the planet, from severe storms--such as hurricanes, 
tornadoes, blizzards, and flooding rains--to ozone depletion, pollution, 
global warming, and other aspects of global change.  The institute will 
establish focused programs in education and outreach, applied 
research, and technology transfer to address the needs of the public, 
including students of all ages, decision-makers and policymakers at all 
levels of government, and the private sector worldwide.  The institute 
will be directed toward the highest level of advocacy and education 
with respect to how we, as an institution, as a nation, and as a member 
of the world community, address the total environment in which we 
live--today, next year, in the year 2050, 
and beyond."

The vision of the institute, McCarthy continues, "is ambitious, but 
manageable and achievable.  It addresses elements of storm-scale 
weather, climate and global change, strong support for the further 
evolution of fundamental scientific research, and most importantly, 
education and training.  It is the interaction and synergy of each 
component that is important." 

Some of McCarthy's specific goals for the institute include

--Pursuing opportunities in the private sector.  "In our emerging world 
economy, business endeavors will play a pivotal role in helping make 
the world a better, more sustainable one," says McCarthy.  "To listen to 
and work with industry is key to the success of the institute."

--Demonstrating societal benefits of mesoscale weather forecasting and 
warnings and assessing the costs and benefits of the U.S. Weather 
Research Program (USWRP), in collaboration with entities such as 
NCAR's Environmental and Societal Impacts Group.  USWRP is 
drawing renewed interest among researchers and the federal 
government.

--Developing international opportunities, particularly in Asia.  
McCarthy recently spent four months on sabbatical in Asia, at the Hong 
Kong University of Science and Technology.  NCAR and UCAR are 
involved in research supporting the new Hong Kong airport and 
associated weather warning system.  "China has the fastest-growing 
aviation sector in the world," he says.  "There are enormous issues in 
environmental quality throughout Asia, yet environmental 
consciousness is low.  The opportunities for contribution from our 
institute are substantial."

--Building a small permanent staff, to be supplemented by prominent 
visiting researchers.  

McCarthy has directed RAP since its inception.  From 1981 to 1985, he 
directed the Joint Airport Weather Studies and the Classify, Locate, and 
Avoid Wind Shear projects, whose discoveries on wind shear and 
related phenomena led to the creation of RAP to devise and 
implement detection and warning systems for airports.  He received a 
bachelor's degree in physics from Grinnell College and a master's in 
meteorology from the University of Oklahoma (OU) before completing 
his doctorate at the University of Chicago in 1973.  He taught at OU 
from 1973 to 1980.