For Immediate Release
July 26th, 2012
Contacts: Brian Compere, brian@essic.umd.edu
Berbery steps in as new CICS-MD director
COLLEGE PARK, MD – ESSIC Research Professor Dr. Hugo Berbery officially started as the director of CICS-MD on July 1 after serving as associate director of CICS-MD since July 1, 2011.
Berbery took the position previously held by ESSIC Deputy Director Dr. Phil Arkin. However, Akin remains the CICS executive director, a position that he held simultaneously with the CICS-MD director position.
“I am very grateful to Hugo for his excellent work as associate director of CICS-MD over the past year, and I have complete confidence that he will continue that level of performance as director in the future,” Arkin said in an email. “I am also grateful to everyone in CICS-MD, as well as our NOAA colleagues in SCSB, STAR and elsewhere, for making my time as Director rewarding and productive, and for putting up with me as I tried to figure out how to make the whole thing work.”
Berbery was a part of the University of Maryland’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science for 19 years before moving down Paint Branch Parkway to ESSIC.
While he continues to do research – he has been working on projects related to climate variability on regional scales and interactions between land surface and atmosphere and how that may affect regional climate – he wanted the opportunity to do other things, he said.
“I’ve been doing research all my life. I thought it would be natural to work on a different level contributing to science not just doing research but also helping others to do research and promoting what other people are doing,” Berbery said.
There was an understanding from the time that he was hired as associate director that he could potentially become director if he performed well and was happy with the type of work involved, Berbery said. He added that both aspects held true and the transition to director became a “natural evolution.”
In the short term, Berbery wants to organize the development structure of CICS so that it can operate more efficiently. In the long term, he said he has an interest in making science done by CICS better known for specific contributions to NOAA’s mission, such as the development of satellite products for climate science.
Berbery said there will be a meeting in September for all CICS-MD scientists to present and discuss research in order to help the CICS community to interact and develop in a more connected way and “draw it all together.”
“I appreciate Phil’s help throughout this whole process,” Berbery said. “He’s been very supportive of me. His advice throughout this year has been critical for me to have a successful year here working with CICS.”
Media Contacts
Brian Compere
brian@essic.umd.edu
Earth System Interdisciplinary Center
