Marcia McNutt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marcia McNutt
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Marcia McNutt in 2023
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| 22nd President of the National Academy of Sciences | |
| Assumed office July 1, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Ralph J. Cicerone |
| 15th Director of the United States Geological Survey | |
| In office 2010–2013 |
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| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Mark D. Myers |
| Succeeded by | Suzette Kimball |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Marcia Kemper McNutt
February 19, 1952 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Education | Colorado College (BA) Scripps Institution of Oceanography (MS, PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions |
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| Thesis | Continental and Oceanic Isostasy (1978) |
| Doctoral advisor | Henry William Menard |
Marcia Kemper McNutt (born February 19, 1952) is an American geophysicist. She studies the Earth's physical processes. She is the 22nd president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of the United States. This is a group of top scientists who advise the nation.
McNutt was also the 15th director of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). She was the first woman to lead the USGS. She served as a science adviser to the United States Secretary of the Interior from 2010 to 2013. Before this, she led the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). This is an important ocean research center. She was also a professor at several major universities. These include Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She was the editor-in-chief of the famous science journal Science from 2013 to 2016. She helps guide important discussions about Earth and life studies. She also works on open science, which means making research available to everyone.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Marcia McNutt's parents always encouraged her and her sisters to study hard. They believed that education was very important for women.
She graduated at the top of her class in high school in 1970. She earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Colorado College in 1973. Later, she studied geophysics at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She earned her PhD in Earth sciences in 1978. Her main research was about how the Earth's crust balances itself.
McNutt is also a certified scuba diver. She even trained with the United States Navy SEALs in underwater demolition.
Marcia McNutt has three daughters. She enjoys barrel racing with her horse, Lulu.
Ocean Research and Expeditions
McNutt has been on 15 major ocean trips to study the sea. She was the lead scientist on more than half of these trips. She has written about 100 scientific papers. Her research helped us understand volcanoes on ocean islands. She also studied how continents break apart. And she looked at how the Tibet plateau rose up.
Her work helped explain how strong the Earth's outer layer (the lithosphere) is. She showed that young volcanoes can bend this layer. This affects how high nearby volcanoes are. She also found a huge underwater feature called the South Pacific superswell.
Leading the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
McNutt was the president and CEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) from 1997 to 2009. During her time there, MBARI's research ship, the RV Western Flyer, explored many areas. These included the coasts from Canada to Baja California and the Hawaiian Islands. MBARI also built the Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS). This was the first deep-sea cabled observatory in the continental United States. It helps scientists study the ocean floor in real-time.
Leading the U.S. Geological Survey
Becoming Director
In 2009, President Obama chose Marcia McNutt to lead the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Senate quickly approved her. She was the first woman to ever lead the USGS since it started in 1879.
McNutt said that other countries were ahead of the U.S. in using clean energy. She wanted the U.S. to do more with wind and solar power. She also wanted to help people prepare for climate change.
Responding to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
During her first year at USGS, several big events happened. These included major earthquakes in Haiti and Chile. There was also a volcano eruption in Iceland. But the biggest event was the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
In May 2010, McNutt led a special team. This team worked to figure out how much oil was leaking. Their early reports showed the spill was much larger than first thought. Later estimates said about 4.9 million barrels of oil had leaked. This was the biggest accidental oil spill in ocean history.
Improving Science Review
McNutt helped change how USGS scientists share their work. Before, their research had to be reviewed internally twice. Now, scientists can have internal and external reviews at the same time. This helps speed up the process of sharing new discoveries.
Discovering Afghan Mineral Wealth
In 2011, a USGS team published an important report. It showed that Afghanistan has huge amounts of untapped minerals. These resources could be worth a lot of money. McNutt said that sharing this information helps lower the risk for companies. This encourages them to invest and help Afghanistan's economy.
Mapping Jupiter's Moon Io
In 2011, the USGS released a geologic map of Jupiter's moon Io. Io is the most volcanically active place in our solar system. It is 25 times more active than Earth! The map used images from NASA's Voyager and Galileo missions. McNutt said it was exciting to see USGS science reach so far into space. She noted that similar geologic processes shape other planets too.
Studying Animal Extinction and Disease
In 2012, USGS announced that the blue-tailed skink was extinct in the Hawaiian Islands. McNutt said that Hawaii has been greatly affected by species loss. She noted that this could have long-term effects on the ecosystem.
McNutt also spoke about white nose syndrome. This disease affects bats in North America. She said scientists were working hard to find a way to manage it. This disease could have big impacts on the environment.
Focus on Energy and Earthquakes
The USGS released new estimates of the world's oil and gas resources. This was the first update since 2000. McNutt also spoke about fracking. She said that less than 1% of wells used for wastewater disposal cause small earthquakes. She believed this problem could be solved with more information.
The USGS also developed a tool to map grasslands using satellites. This helps decide if these lands could grow crops for biofuel. Biofuels are an alternative to fossil fuels.
Earthquake Preparedness
The USGS works to help people prepare for earthquakes. They monitor buildings and help design safer hospitals. McNutt often participated in "ShakeOut" drills. These drills teach people to "drop, cover, and hold on" during an earthquake. Millions of people have learned these safety steps. The USGS also provides grants for earthquake research. This helps improve safety for communities.
Landsat Satellite Program
In 2013, NASA and USGS launched Landsat 8. This satellite continues a 40-year record of taking images of Earth. These images help us understand land use and climate change. McNutt said Landsat 8 helps USGS protect the land in the United States.
Leaving the USGS
McNutt left the USGS in 2013. She had led the agency for four years. She listed many achievements during her time there. These included new climate science centers and a national water census. She also mentioned a new earthquake early warning system for California.
Leading Science Journal
Open Access Publishing
As editor-in-chief of Science, McNutt helped the journal move into open access publishing. This means making research articles free for everyone to read online. In 2015, they launched Science Advances. This online journal publishes thousands of articles each year. It helps share scientific discoveries more widely.
Views on the Keystone XL Pipeline
McNutt first disagreed with the Keystone Pipeline project. But she later changed her mind and wrote an article supporting it. She explained that oil is already transported by trucks and trains. Pipelines use less fuel for transport. She also thought that approving the pipeline could lead to other benefits. For example, it could lead to limits on carbon emissions. And money saved by the pipeline could fund renewable energy.
Climate Engineering Discussions
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McNutt led a committee that studied climate engineering. This involves big ideas to change the climate, like reflecting sunlight. She said that we need to understand the impacts of these ideas. Even if we don't use them, other countries might.
Meeting with China's Premier
In 2014, McNutt met with Li Keqiang, the Premier of China. They talked about science, the economy, and the environment. They discussed space exploration, climate change, and education. This meeting showed how important science is for global discussions.
Improving Research Quality
McNutt wanted to make sure published research was reliable. In 2014, Science added statistical checks to its review process. They brought in experts to review articles. This helps ensure that scientific findings are accurate and can be repeated by others.
Supporting Science
McNutt believes that science is a way to understand the world. She said, "Science is not a body of facts. Science is a method for deciding whether what we choose to believe has a basis in the laws of nature or not." She supports making research strong and clear.
National Academy of Sciences Leadership
In 2015, McNutt was chosen to be the president of the National Academy of Sciences. Her six-year term began in July 2016.
Climate Intervention Reports
McNutt led a committee that studied how to deal with climate change. They published two reports in 2015. They decided to call the process "intervention" instead of "geoengineering." This means taking action to improve things. Their main recommendation was to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. They also said we need to adapt to climate change impacts. McNutt stressed that reducing emissions is the best way forward.
Working with Pope Francis
In 2014, McNutt met with Pope Francis and other experts. They discussed how rising seas affect people living near coasts. McNutt signed a report from the workshop. It called for Sustainable Development Goals for the United Nations. These goals aim to make the planet livable and sustainable for the future.
Awards and Honors
Marcia McNutt has received many awards and honors. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. She is also a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America. She was president of the American Geophysical Union from 2000 to 2002.
She has received honorary doctorates from several universities. These include Indiana University and Boston University. In 1988, she won the Macelwane Medal for outstanding research by a young scientist. In 2007, she won the Maurice Ewing Medal for her work in deep-sea exploration.
Discover magazine named her one of the top fifty women in science in 2002. The United States Coast Guard gave her a medal for her service during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She is also part of the "Nifty Fifty" group. These are influential scientists who inspire young people in science and engineering. In 2021, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. This was for her work on Earth's mechanics and leadership in Earth resources.
See also
