Who’s Who in Green: Dr. Heidi Cullen

“If a meteorologist can’t speak to the fundamental science of climate change, then maybe the AMS (American Meteorological Society) shouldn’t give them a Seal of Approval.” That’s the statement that climate scientist Dr. Heidi Cullen dared to make on her Weather Channel blog in December of 2006 that stirred up a firestorm over global warming science vs. politics.

It sounds like common sense to most, but Cullen – former host of Forecast Earth – quickly became a punching bag for angry conservatives who felt that she was disseminating liberal propaganda from what they said should be a politically neutral platform. However, Cullen feels strongly that global warming isn’t a political issue, it’s a scientific one. She was just doing her job.

Cullen, who was a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado before joining The Weather Channel in 2003 as a climate expert, is also a scientist with the Climate Central at Princeton University.

Cullen explained the controversy in a 2007 interview with The New York Times:

Last December, I wrote a blog about how reticent some broadcast meteorologists are about reporting on climate change. Meteorologists — they are the forecasters — have training in atmospheric science. Many are certified by the American Meteorological Society. I suggested there’s a disconnect when they use their A.M.S. seal for on-camera credibility and refuse to give viewers accurate information on climate. The society has a very clear statement saying that global warming is largely due to the burning of fossil fuels.

The next thing I knew, I was being denounced on the Web sites of Senator James Inhofe, Matt Drudge and Rush Limbaugh. The Weather Channel’s own Web site got about 4,000 e-mails in one day, mostly angry. Some went, ‘Listen here, weather girl, just give me my five-day forecast and shut up.’

Dr. Cullen’s stance took bravery and dedication, and we applaud her for standing her ground. This climate scientist knows her stuff, and she has certainly made an impact on the discussion about global warming’s role in our world.

Link [The New York Times]

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