Rumoured Energy Secretary Nobel Physicist, Global Warming Activist

[Shiver]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/10/steven-chu-energy-secreta_n_150006.html">Steven Chu, Energy Secretary?

From The Huffington Post:

Physicist Steven Chu is rumored to be the top choice for President-elect Barack Obama's Energy Secretary:

O]fficials close to the transition team privately say that Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize winning physicist, appears to be increasingly on track to become energy secretary.


A Chinese-American, Chu is a professor of physics and molecular and cell biology at the University of California-Berkeley and has been the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory since 2004, where he has pushed aggressively for research into alternative energy as a way to combat global warming.

It is the oldest of the Energy Department's national laboratories, but does only unclassified work and in recent years under Chu has been at the center of research into biofuels and solar technologies. Chu has been a strong advocate for the need to engage scientists in the search for ways to combat global warming by replacing fossil fuels with other energy sources such as biofuels and the sun.

*****

I'm foreseeing Secretary of Energy is going to be a very important position in the near future.

...

We all cool with a Nobel Prize-winning global warming activist, University Professor, and scientist being appointed Secretary of Energy? Kick if so, mostly because good nes shouldn't sink...

[PVnRT]

1. It would be nice to have a qualified person in that role

[Aloha Spirit]

2. Wow, really? someone who understands thermodynamics will steer energy policy? Pinch me!

Please keep us updated in this.

[Shiver]

5. As I understan it, Chu is at the top of the list.

These appointments, as well as other environmental posts are supposed to be announced sometime this week. Could be wrong on that though.

[cooolandrew]

3. Everything seems to be going perfectly so far great things ahead.

[AllentownJake]

4. Does he have management experience?

The idea is to manage the department of Energy and the people working on the technology. Not develop a new fuel yourself.

[gcomeau]

6. From the OP...

"has been the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory since 2004, "

Lawrence Berkeley has a staff of like 4000 people.

[AllentownJake]

8. Than I'm super cool with this

:-)

[Shiver]

10. Yeah

This is possibly the only rumoured appointment so far that I will be really upset about if the man doesn't get it.

...

Unless it goes to someone like Al Gore. :P

[Shiver]

7. Unsure as to his management experience.

But he's also a global warming researcher, and is incredibly well-versed on the issues that the Department of Energy should handle.

A little more info: http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2008/12/06/steven-chu-beautiful-planet/

*Edit: Post right above mine mentions management experience I was unaware of. :D

[Aloha Spirit]

9. And it will be a huge change from Bodman, who abruptly ended clean coal funding the day after

Bush's last State of the Union-when Bush said that he was committed to clean coal technology.
I think the main point of the post was that this will be a huge positive shift in policy.
As a side point, I also agree that Chu's management skills will determine how effective the policy shift is, but even if he's a so-so manager, the fact that he is steeped in alternative energy and climate change research means that the policies themselves will be a million times more effective than what we have now.

[Oak2004]

11. A scientist? Does that mean we can go back to using "science" in American government?

No more Middle Ages?

Damn, I was hoping I'd at least get a cathedral out of all this before I'd have to return to the 21st century :sarcasm:

[AllentownJake]

12. Wonder if he'll get any Scopes Monkey Trial questions

[Shiver]

27. ....

:rofl:

*goes off to find his copy of Inherit The Wind*

[Ichingcarpenter]

13. I willing to say this is a Gore choice too, who used him as an advisor

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Short Scientific
Biography Media, Speeches/
Talks, Op-Eds

Steve Chu, Sixth Director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Steve Chu has been Director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory since August, 2004. Chu, an early advocate for finding scientific solutions to climate change, has guided Berkeley Lab on a new mission to become the world leader in alternative and renewable energy research, particularly the development of carbon-neutral sources of energy.

On Chu’s initiative, Lab staffers from many divisions have joined with partners from other Department of Energy labs, universities, and industry to organize the Joint BioEnergy Institute and the Energy Biosciences Institute. Chu has also been the driving force behind a multidisciplinary energy science center known as Helios, slated to begin construction on the Berkeley Lab site in 2010.

At the heart of each institute and proposal is the belief that biological engineering of non-food plants, combined with nanoscience, can create liquid fuels and electricity from sunlight.

Chu has also reinvigorated Berkeley Lab’s existing programs for energy-efficient buildings, more powerful batteries, and monitoring greenhouse gases. He has made Berkeley Lab a center for powerful new climate models based on fundamental carbon science. Meanwhile he has worked to insure Berkeley Lab’s continued preeminence in fields like cancer research, photon science, astrophysics, materials science, and high-performance computing.

http://www.lbl.gov/Publications/Director/


http://climateprogress.org/2008/12/10/a-nobelist-for-energy-secretary-who-gets-both-climate-and-energy-efficiency/


This pick makes me very happy, I'm very familiar with this guy's work and reputation

[Aloha Spirit]

15. Between Chu hopefully at DOE and Orszag at the head of the Office of Mgmt and Budget: Brain Trust.

In the best sense of the phrase, Obama may be setting our country up for a dramatic swing of brain activity in the White House.

[Shiver]

16. Thanks for the links!

I was just Googling for more information about the man. Energy is one of my 'big deal' issues (along with education and civil rights) so I'm thrilled about this. I'm going to be rather upset if this doesn't turn out to happen.

[glitch]

14. This is the change we are waiting for :) K & R nt

:applause:

[polichick]

17. Both Chu and Browner show Gore's influence - great stuff!

[Ichingcarpenter]

18. Video of Dr. Steven Chu at the National Energy Summit

You should hear this speech plus some other interviews I listed at this post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x248900

[JimWis]

23. Wow. This is really fascinating stuff. Thanks for posting the link.

Now I can put a face to the name.

[TheWraith]

19. Kickety rec. nt

[Shiver]

20. HOT DAMN!

No longer rumoured! http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7970788

[MoonRiver]

21. OMG!! This is the most wonderful appointment he's made!!!!!!!!!!

And, yes, that includes Hillary!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, PE Obama! :yourock:

[starroute]

22. I didn't know that lab was focused on alternative energy now

When I was a kid, we learned in high school physics about elements like Lawrencium (#103), Berkelium (#97) and Californium (#98) -- all named for that lab, back in the days when it was a center of research into radioactivity.

I'm thrilled to learn it's doing unclassified research into solar and biofuels now -- that's decidedly a change for the better.

[Teaser]

31. I don't research into synthetic elements is a bad thing, though

.

[JimWis]

24. Kick. This guy sounds great. A good choice if he is selected.

Thanks for the info.

[Shiver]

25. He has been selected, actually

If this story is true then the next Secretary of Energy is Steven Chu. :headbang:

[JimWis]

26. Yea, right after I posted that, I saw that he had been selected.

Like you say - if it is true.

[Uzybone]

28. This is a great pick

kicking.

[Shiver]

29. Very much so!

I wish I could rec my own thread... :headbang:

[Greyskye]

30. Change you can believe in

I :blush: to admit that I got misty eyed reading this.

Smart people in charge, what a concept!

[Jennicut]

32. Science is back in the executive branch. Everyone jump for joy!