John W. Firor

His interest in physics and astrophysics began while serving in the army, during which time he was assigned to the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

He moved from cosmic rays to radio astronomy (particularly of the Sun) when he began work at the Carnegie Institution of Washington's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism.

[3] Firor left the Carnegie Institution of Washington in 1961 to become director of the High Altitude Observatory (HAO), a position he occupied until 1968.

Later in his career, Firor took a keen interest in the intersection of science and society, and he became one of the earliest and most eloquent spokespeople on the dangers of human-induced climate change, testifying before Congressional committees and addressing a broad variety of audiences.

Firor and his second wife, Judith Jacobsen, co-authored The Crowded Greenhouse (2002), on the links between climate change and population growth.

John Firor was one of the first scientists hired by NCAR, arriving in 1961 to head the High Altitude Observatory just as HAO was being absorbed into the new center. From 1974 to 1980, Firor served as executive director of NCAR, after which he managed the Advanced Study Program up to his retirement in 1996. He mentored countless numbers of young scientists, maintaining his gentle sense of humor and his keen perspective. This image shows Firor lecturing in 1968.