An Oregon State University professor has been tapped by the Biden Administration to head up NOAA 鈥� the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Rick Spinrad is an ocean scientist and former administrator at Oregon State. In recent years, he鈥檚 been involved with the university鈥檚 groundbreaking wave energy testing facility project that鈥檚 expected to start construction this summer.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Spinrad would oversee several marine and climate research offices, as well as the National Weather Service and National Marine Fisheries Service. The agency hasn鈥檛 had a confirmed administrator since President Obama left office in 2017, after two nominees of President Donald Trump鈥檚 failed to garner enough support in the Senate.
President Biden has made climate action a central focus of his administration, and has proposed the largest budget in NOAA鈥檚 history. If confirmed, Spinrad would be the third NOAA administrator to be affiliated with Oregon State University.
Prior to his current role at Oregon State University, Spinrad served as NOAA鈥檚 top scientist under President Obama and the U.S. representative to the United Nations鈥� Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
If confirmed, Spinrad will lead a 12,000-person agency charged with a diverse portfolio that spans daily weather forecasts, climate monitoring, fisheries management and coastal restoration.
In , the Environmental Defense Fund鈥檚 Eric Schwaab applauded Spinrad鈥檚 nomination, saying that NOAA鈥檚 workers 鈥渃ouldn鈥檛 ask for a better leader to restore scientific integrity and honor the agency鈥檚 mission.鈥�
Biden, whose administration has made climate action a central focus, has proposed the largest budget in NOAA鈥檚 history 鈥� $6.9 billion, a $1.5 billion increase over the 2021 budget allocated by Congress. It remains to be seen whether Congress will agree to the increase.
NPR contributed to this report.
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