Max Boykoff

@maxboykoff.bsky.social

4140 Followers 31 Following

I research climate change thru several projects; Prof in Environmental Studies and CIRES Fellow at CU Boulder, IPCC AR6 WGIII Contributing Author. Born at 328 ppm. drawings credit: John Cook [big], Cal Brackin [small]

On Friday, Jan. 23, the United States National Science Foundation posted (NSF) a “Dear Colleague Letter” on its website stating that NSF “invites concepts for efficient and cost-effective operations and management of atmospheric observational platforms, cyberinfrastructure and computing capabilities, and community training on weather and space weather modeling and forecasting.” This brazen message requests expressions of interest in and/or concepts of operation for National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) space weather activities, weather modeling and atmospheric observing capabilities and specifically “ownership of the NSF NCAR Mesa Lab (located in Boulder, Colorado) for public or private use.”

"Plans to shutter NCAR are misguided. Through this call to destruction, we effectively squander opportunities here in the U.S. for security, prosperity and positive change. Execution of this action will threaten habitability, water and air quality, environmental and public health, as well as national security and prosperity. We must instead re-commit ourselves to collective, just and resilient futures and stop this special-interest sabotage"

'Dear National Science Foundation" is my latest sustainability & environment column in the local Boulder Daily Camera (Feb 28 2026 print edition) with open-access gift link here https://lnkd.in/gayhdfhN

There is a letter-writing period now open until March 13. Submitted documents must be limited to “2-3 pages in length per topic addressed.” Responses can be sent to NSF_NCAR@nsf.gov.

I welcome you to weigh in with your views. For potential guidance, here is my letter:

Dear National Science Foundation,

I write as an individual private citizen of this country. My views expressed here are personal views and should not be considered as representing organizations at this time.

I reject the premise of this call for the breakup and breakdown of these platforms, activities, capabilities and collaborations in these challenging time…