NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)

The NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) is a laboratory in the Earth Sciences Division (ESD) of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The ESD is part of GSFC's Sciences and Exploration Directorate.

Following approval by NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan in December 1960, the institute was established by Dr. Robert Jastrow in May 1961 (originally as the New York City office of GSFC's Theoretical Division) to do basic research in space sciences in support of GSFC programs. Research areas included the structure of Earth, Moon, and other planetary bodies; the atmospheres of Earth and the other planets; the origin and evolution of the solar system; the properties of interplanetary plasma; Sun-Earth relations; and the structure and evolution of stars. The institute was sited in New York on the premise that conducting theoretical research in the space sciences would be facilitated by being near the leading universities in the greater metropolitan area. Further, it was thought that the location would promote interest at the universities in NASA programs.

The institute's early study of the Earth and planetary atmospheres using data collected by satellites and space probes eventually led to GISS becoming a leading center of atmospheric modeling and of climate change. Led by Dr. James E. Hansen from 1981 to 2013, research at GISS emphasized a broad study of global change, which is an interdisciplinary initiative addressing natural and man-made changes in our environment that occur on various time scales — from one-time forcings such as volcanic explosions, to seasonal/annual effects such as El Niño, and on up to the millennia of ice ages — and that affect the habitability of our planet. In 2014, Dr. Gavin A. Schmidt was named chief of GISS.

UNIT HEAD(S)

 

TEAM

Name Title Email
Ruane, Alexander Adjunct Research Scientist ar2732@columbia.edu
LeGrande, Allegra Adjunct Associate Research Scientist allegra.n.legrande@columbia.edu
Romanou, Anastasia Adjunct Associate Professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics ar2235@columbia.edu
Lacis, Andrew andrew.a.lacis@nasa.gov
Wasilewski, Andrzej andrzei.p.wasilewski@nasa.gov
Suarez, Angel angel.l.suarez@nasa.gov
Leboissetier, Anthony anthony.leboissetier@nasa.gov
Howard, Armando armando.m.howard@nasa.gov
Cairns, Brian Adjunct Associate Professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics bc25@columbia.edu
Paurowski, Carolyn carolyn.j.paurowski@nasa.gov
Naud, Catherine Research Scientist, Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics cn2140@columbia.edu
Colose, Christopher c.m.colose@nasa.gov
Orbe, Clara clara.orbe@nasa.gov
Rosenzweig, Cynthia Senior Research Scientist crosenzweig@giss.nasa.gov
Bithi, De Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics bd2529@columbia.edu
Tropf, Derek derek.tropf@nasa.gov
Peteet, Dorothy Adjunct Professor peteet@ldeo.columbia.edu
Michaud, Emily emily.m.michaud@nasa.gov
Russell, Gary gary.l.russell@nasa.gov
Schmidt, Gavin Director gschmidt@giss.nasa.gov
Ito, Gen gen.ito@nasa.gov
Tselioudis, George Adjunct Professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics gtselioudis@giss.nasa.gov
Elsaesser, Gregory Associate Research Scientist, Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics gregory.elsaesser@columbia.edu
Cesana, Gregory Associate Research Scientist gc2748@columbia.edu
Faluvegi, Gregory Systems Analyst/Programmer Intermediate gsf2101@columbia.edu
Matsos, Helen helen.c.matsos@nasa.gov
Aleinov, Igor Associate Research Scientist ia81@columbia.edu
Geogdzhayev, Igor Research Scientist in Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics ig117@columbia.edu
Chowdhary, Jacek Research Scientist in Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics jc84@columbia.edu
Hosein, Jameel jh2196@columbia.edu
Booth , James james.f.booth@nasa.gov
Williams, James james.e.williams-3@nasa.gov
Hansen, James Director jeh1@columbia.edu
Perlwitz, Jan jan.p.perlwitz@nasa.gov
Jonas, Jeffrey Systems Analyst Senior jjonas@giss.nasa.gov
Wu, Jingbo Associate Research Scientist, Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics jingbo.wu@nasa.gov
Barbara , John john.m.barbara@nasa.gov
Jägermeyr, Jonas Associate Research Scientist jonas.jaegermeyr@columbia.edu
Hickman, Jonathan Research Scientist jeh2179@columbia.edu
Mora, Josefina josefina.mora@nasa.gov
Ferrier , Joseph joseph.j.ferrier@nasa.gov
Bell, Kenneth kenneth.l.bell@nasa.gov
Sinclair, Kenneth Associate Research Scientist kenneth.sinclair@nasa.gov
Mezuman, Keren Associate Research Scientist km2961@columbia.edu
Tsigaridis, Kostas Research Scientist kt2347@columbia.edu
Lo, Kwok-Wai Ken kwok-wai.lo@nasa.gov
Nazarenko, Larissa Staff Associate lsn5@columbia.edu
Travis, Larry larry.d.travis@nasa.gov
Del Valle, Lilly lilly.delvalle@nasa.gov
Sohl, Linda Senior Staff Associate les14@columbia.edu
DeLessio, Maegan Graduate Student md3345@columbia.edu
Sato, Makiko Senior Staff Associate III mhs119@columbia.edu
Yao, Mao mao-sung.yao@nasa.gov
Tedesco, Marco Lamont Research Professor mt3102@columbia.edu
Chandler, Mark Associate Research Scientist mac59@columbia.edu
Ottaviani, Matteo matteo.ottaviani@nasa.gov
Pearce, Matthew Education Program Specialist matthew.d.pearce@nasa.gov
Kelley, Maxwell maxwell.kelley@nasa.gov
Bauer, Michael Associate Research Scientist, Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics mpb20@columbia.edu
Hendrickson, Michael michael.hendrickson@nasa.gov
Mishchenko, Michael michael.i.mishchenko@nasa.gov
Way, Michael michael.j.way@nasa.gov
Alexandrov, Mikhail Associate Research Scientist, Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics mda14@columbia.edu
Nielsen, Miriam Graduate Student mn2812@columbia.edu
Zakharova, Nadia nadezhda.zakharova@nasa.gov
Kiang, Nancy Adjunct Research Scientist nyk2101@columbia.edu
Sofge, Neal neal.sofge@nasa.gov
Torres, Nestor nestor.a.torres@nasa.gov
Tausnev, Nikolai nikolai.l.tausnev@nasa.gov
Lerner, Paul paul.lerner@nasa.gov
Ma, Qiancheng qiancheng.ma@nasa.gov
Johannes, Quaas johannes.quaas@uni-leipzig.de
Ruedy, Reto reto.a.ruedy@nasa.gov
Field, Robert Associate Research Scientist, Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics rf2426@columbia.edu
Schmunk, Robert robert.b.schmunk@nasa.gov
Giarratanoy, Rosalba rosalba.n.giarratano@nasa.gov
Worrell, Ruben ruben.worrell@nasa.gov
Hosein, Sabrina sabrina.hosein@nasa.gov
Dhungel, Shradda shradda.dhungel@nasa.gov
Brown, Til-Shona tilshona.m.brown@nasa.gov
Cowan, Tyler tyler.g.cowan@nasa.gov
Canuto, Vittorio Adjunct Professor of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics vmc13@columbia.edu
Gornitz, Vivien Special Research Scientist (retired) vmg1@columbia.edu
Shaikh, Wasim wasim.shaikh@nasa.gov
Zhang, Yuanchong yuanchong.zhang@nasa.gov
Wai, Z. zwai@nasa.gov
Jin, Zhonghai zhonghai.jin@nasa.gov