| James L. Green | |
|---|---|
| Born | Burlington, Iowa |
| Nationality | USA |
| Fields | Astronomy Physics |
| Institutions | National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Science Mission Directorate - Planetary Science Division |
| Alma mater | University of Iowa |
| Doctoral advisor | Don Gurnett |
| Other academic advisors | James Van Allen |
| Known for | Developed and managed the Space Physics Analysis Network; Director of the National Space Science Data Center; Director, Planetary Science Division, NASA |
| Notable awards | Arthur S. Flemming Award (1988); Japan's Kotani Prize (1996) |
James Lauer Green is an American space physicist born in Burlington, Iowa. After receiving a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Iowa, Green began his professional career working in the Magnetospheric Physics Branch at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). He developed and managed the Space Physics Analysis Network (SPAN) that provided international scientists with rapid access to data and colleagues.[1][2] He also served as the safety diver in the Neutral Buoyancy Tank making over 150 dives before he left MFSC in 1985.
From 1985 to 1992, Green was the Director of the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). In 1992, he became the Chief of the Space Science Data Operations Office until 2005, when he became the Chief of the Science Proposal Support Office. Green also served as the co-investigator and Deputy Project Scientist on the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) mission.[3]
In August 2006, Green was appointed the Director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA's Science Mission Directorate.[4] Along with Deputy Director of Planetary Science W. James Adams, he is responsible for Solar System exploration at NASA including astrobiology research.[5] He has published over 100 scientific papers on the magnetosphere of Earth and Jupiter. He has also contributed over 50 technical articles on various aspects of data systems and networks.[6]
Green's knowledge of aeronautics and his study of the American Civil War come together in his personal interest in Civil War ballooning. During the war, balloons played an important role in map-making, artillery-spotting, and the observation and reporting of troop movement. Green, a Civil War Trust member, has studied this subject for over 30 years and is a Civil War ballooning authority. He has written about Civil War ballooning[7] and has spoken at a number of events including the 150th anniversary of the first tether balloon ascension.[8]
Green was featured in the October 2011 issue of the Iowa Alumni Magazine[9] and appears in the PBS NOVA special Finding Life Beyond Earth.[10]
Throughout his career Green has received numerous awards including the Arthur S. Flemming Award in 1988.[11] In 1996 he received Kotani Prize from Japan in recognition for his international efforts in science data management. As executive producer of the video "Blackout! Solar Storms and Their Effects on Planet Earth," Green and team won two Crystal Communicator Awards in 1999 in the Education and Animation/Special Effects category and two Telly Awards in 2000 in the Education and Animation categories. "Blackout!" is part of the "Event Based Science" series developed by NASA.[12]