World-leading Australian climate scientist reportedly sacked while at sea
He is a world-leading climate scientist, but even his impressive bona fides did not stop John Church from getting a dreaded phone call while at sea Thursday.
According to Fairfax Media, the expert on climate change-related sea level rise was told he could be made "potentially redundant" from the Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia's peak science body, while on a research voyage somewhere between Antarctica and New Zealand.
"I was OK during the call but it is certainly not a nice feeling to have what you have worked for -- for so many years -- thrown on the scrapheap," he told the publication.
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A multi-award winning scientist, Church has been an employee of the CSIRO since the 1970s. Under its new chief executive, Larry R. Marshall, however, the CSIRO has been thrown into turmoil over staffing cuts, which are expected to hit climate researchers. It is believed around 70 jobs from its Oceans and Atmosphere division will be on the chopping block.
While Marshall has suggested that as climate change is proven, it will need less funding going forward, many scientists insist research must continue. Without it, they say, Australia and its neighbours will be unable to anticipate and adapt to its impacts, including sea level rise and longer bushfire seasons.
Scientists around the world have condemned the move, with more than 2,800 people signing a letter that called the move "devastating." Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore also said the decision should be revisited. "Further development of climate modeling and observations by CSIRO and colleague scientific organizations is essential to planning for climate mitigation and adaptation to global warming," he said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the CSIRO said it would not be commenting on the details of staff changes. "All of the talks and negotiations at present have the same goal of ensuring the excellent science and the long-tern future of CSIRO is maintained," he said.
While he hadn't yet spoken with Church, Anthony Keenan, CSIRO Staff Association spokesperson, told Mashable Australia any redundancy process could take several months. "The people who are identified as being potentially redundant can make a case for why they should stay or present mitigating factors," he explained.
Church, who he called a "superstar in his field," potentially leaving the CSIRO is tragic but not unexpected, Keenan said. "Hearing that John Church, someone of his stature, is being told he's no longer needed, doesn't surprise me. The last three months haven't really made a lot of sense to me in general," he said.
Church has been an outspoken figurehead in the fight against the CSIRO cuts. "Australia, as the leading nation in the Southern Hemisphere and as part of the international community, must continue to observe the climate system," he said in testimony to the Select Committee into the Scrutiny of Government Budget Measures in March.
"The proposed cuts would directly undercut these efforts and would detrimentally impact adaptation to climate change in Australia and our neighbours."
Church also noted in his March remarks that he did "not expect to be working in this organisation in more than a few months."
"I do not know if I was targeted because I was prepared to think for myself and to speak out ... Personally, that is what I think the taxpayer expects from their scientists," he told Fairfax Media on Saturday.
The impact of these cuts extend well beyond the loss of such well known scientists, Keenan suggested. "John has been very brave and courageous in terms of standing up for CSIRO jobs and for climate research in Australia," he said. "Someone of his standing and his stature is probably going to be able to find work if he wants to continue. The ones that he's worried about is the younger scientists who are starting in their careers."
Church's treatment gives the CSIRO Staff Association extra determination and resolve to stop the cuts, Keenan added. "At the end of the day, it means Australia will lose out," he explained. "In terms of talent, in terms of capacity, and we're letting down our half of the world when it comes to trying to understand climate change."
Church has been approached for comment.
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Ariel Bogle was an associate editor with Mashable in Australia covering technology. Previously, Ariel was associate editor at Future Tense in Washington DC, an editorial initiative between Slate and New America.
