[2] Schmidt has appeared on various occasions in the media, often he is asked about his expertise on climate related study findings, current events or gives lectures.

[2] Schmidt worked with the American Museum of Natural History, the College de France, and the New York Academy of Sciences for education and outreach.

[9] During the 2009-2010 Climatic Research Unit email controversy, he strongly defended the scientists involved, including Michael E. Mann and Phil Jones.

Journalist Fred Pearce noted, "Schmidt wrote that the emails merely showed how scientists interact in private", and that "Gravity isn't a useful theory because Newton was a nice man.

The award news release noted his outreach work including co-founding and contributing to the RealClimate blog.

[3][16] He is the co-author, with Joshua Wolfe, of Climate Change: Picturing the Science (2009), which has a foreword by Jeffrey D. Sachs.