Curriculum Vitae
CURRICULUM VITAE: JOSEFINO C. COMISO
Senior Research Scientist, Emeritus, NASA/GSFC, Earth Sciences Division
Address: Cryospheric Sciences Laboratory, Code 615.0, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Tel: 301-614-5708, FAX: 301-614-5644, e-mail: josefino.c.comiso@nasa.gov
RESEARCH AREA OF INTEREST:
(a) detection of climate change signals from historical satellite data;
(b) role of Odden and polynyas in ocean convection and bottom water formation;
(c) air-sea-ice interactions and biological processes in the polar regions; and
(d) satellite algorithms and radiative transfer modeling studies for sea ice and ice sheets.
Expertise: Climate Change, Polar Oceanography, Sea Ice, Physics and Satellite Remote Sensing in the microwave, infrared, and visible regions.
EDUCATION:
1972 Ph.D. Physics, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
1966 M.S. Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
1962 B.S. Physics, University of the Philippines (UP), Quezon City, RP
PREVIOUS POSITIONS:
1998-2017 Senior Scientist, NASA/GSFC
1979-98 Physical Research Scientist, NASA/GSFC
1977-79 Senior Member of the Technical Staff, Computer Science Corporation
1973-77 Research Associate, Univ. of Virginia
1972-73 Assistant Research Physicist, UCLA
1963-64 Instructor, Physics Department, University of the Philippines
1962-63 Scientist, Philippine Atomic Research Center, Quezon City, Philippines
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS:
American Geophysical Union, American Meteorological Society,
American Physical Society, Oceanographic Society, PORSEC, IEEE, and International Glaciological Society.
HONORS AND AWARDS:
Hall of Fame Award, Phil-American Academy of Science and Engineering (2019)
Best Paper in 2018 Award, NASA/Hydrosphere, Biosphere and Geophysics Division (2018)
Elected Corresponding Member of the Philippine National Academy of Science & Tech. (2016)
NAST/DOST Outstanding Book of the Year Award (2015)
NASA/GSFC Career Achievement Award (2014)
NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal (2013)
Distinguished Achievement Medal in Science and Engineering (UP, Diliman, 2013)
NASA Group Achievement Awards (1982, 2003)
GSFC Group Achievement Awards (1991, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2003)
Performance or Special Service Awards, GSFC (1987, 91, 94, 96, 00, 04, 05, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12)
Award of Excellence in Science and Technology, PhilDevUSA, 2010
Outstanding Achievement in Science (Pan Oceanic Remote Sensing Conference, 2008)
Outstanding Achievement in Science and Medicine (Filipinas Magazine, October 2008)
Most Distinguished Alumnus (UP Alumni Association of America, 2007)
Fellow, Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (2006)
Electromagnetics Academy (1990)
Peer Award for Best Paper, Laboratory for Oceans, NASA/GSFC (1988)
Who's Who in the World, in Frontiers of Science & Technology, and in Electromagnetics
Google Scholar number of Citations: 36,000; h-index: 81; i10-index:163
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Coordinating-lead author of IPCC 2013 WG1/AR5 Report (Climate Change: Scientific Basis)
Contributing author in 2 chapters of IPCC 2007/WG1 Report and expert reviewer of WG3.
Chief Scientist: NASA Aircraft/Nuclear Submarine Arctic Sea Ice Project, 1987
Chief Scientist: NASA Aircraft Okhotsk Sea and Antarctic Campaigns, 2003 and 2004
Principal Investigator (PI) of the sea ice components of the following field projects:
1986, 1988, 1989, 1992 Antarctic Scientific Cruises
PI/Team member: EOS/Aqua AMSR-E facility instrument (2000-2018)
PI/Team member: Japanese JAXAADEOS-2 AMSR Satellite (2000-2004)
PI/Team member: JAXA GCOM-W AMSR2 AMSR2 instrument (2011-Present)
PI for JERS1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and ERS1 (and ERS2) SAR Polar Projects.
Chairman of Working Group on Cryosphere (WG Commission VIII/10), ISPRS, 2012-2016
Executive Board Member of the Pan Oceanic Remote Sensing Conference (PORSEC).
Member, IOCCG (International Ocean-Colour Coordinating Group (2013-2016).
Member, Networks for Centres of Excellence (NCE) Expert Panel for the Canadian Advanced Polar Science Network (CAPSNet), 2012
Member of US National Climate Assessment Evaluation Group, 2011.
WCRP/CliC Observational Products Panel (OPP) member, 1999-2005
Science Advisory Group Member of the MIMR instrument (ESA&NASA), 1992-1996
Member of AMS Committee on Polar Meteorology and Oceanography (1990-93)
Editorial Staff of an AGU Monograph, the Phil. Journal of Science, and Annals of Glaciology
Guest editor and Coordinator of an AGU/JGR-Oceans Special Section (2006 to 2008)
President (1987-1988) and Chairman of the Board of Directors (2001-2003) of the Philippine
American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE)
Adjunct Professor (2008-2020) Mariano Marcos State University, Univ. of the Philippines
Visiting Scientist/Professor at the Univ. of the Philippines (1995, 2008, 2016), University of
Tasmania (1996, 97), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (1998, 2000), Chiba Univ.
(2006), Mariano Marcos University (2009, 2012), Hadley Meteorological Institute (2009).
STX Evaluation Board (1992-2002); NASA Multicultural Diversity Committee (1995-96)
SUMMARY OF PUBLICATIONS:
Author or Co-author of:
o 7 books
o 22 book chapters
o More than 140 refereed publications
(See further details in list of publications)
SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS (1979-present):
o Completion of a book in 2021 on “Rediscovering Laguna de Bay: A Vital Natural Resource in crisis.”
o Published first satellite sea surface salinity in the Arctic and Antarctic in 2017 and 2019
o Development of the Bootstrap Algorithm for sea ice for passive microwave sensors.
o Publication of a book on “Changing Philippine Climate” in 2014- selected Outstanding Book in
Science in 2015
o Coordinating lead author of Chapter 4 (cryosphere observations) of IPCC WG1 AR5
(2010 to 2014) and publication of the Book in 2014.
o Publication of a book on “Polar Oceans from Space” in 2010
o Report on an accelerated decline of the Arctic ice cover in 2008
o Guest Editor of a special volume on sea ice in JGR-Oceans and publication of the volume
in 2008
o Contributing author of Chapter 4 and Chapter 11 of the IPCC Working Group Report 1 on
Climate Change: The physical science basis, Cambridge University Press, 2007. The report
won half the Nobel Peace Prize (the other half to former Vice President Al Gore) in 2007.
o PI of Antarctic Overflights in 2003 and 2004 and Sea of Okhotsk Overflight in 2003
o Observation of an accelerated warming trend in the Arctic in 2003
o Detection of a rapidly declining Arctic perennial sea ice cover in 2002
o First spatially detailed assessment of surface temperature changes in the polar regions in 1994
o Detailed study of the Odden in Greenland Sea in 2001
o Assessment of the variability of summer ice and coastal polynyas in the
Weddell Sea and possible impact on bottom water formation in 2001.
o Demonstration that the thickness distribution of sea ice can be derived from LIDARs in 2001
o Characterization of the Ross Sea Polynya, and other Coastal Polynyas in 1986 and 2001
o Assessment and study of Arctic Phytoplankton Distributions in 2000
o Documentation and Analysis of Ice Retreat and Climate Change in the Bellingshausen
Sea in 1998
o Discovery and Assessment of the Cosmonaut and the Maud Rise Polynyas in 1998
o First Assessment of large scale Phytoplankton Distributions in the Southern Ocean in 1998
o Detailed study of the large Weddell Deep Ocean Polynya (1974-76) in 1988
o Modeling Studies of Southern Ocean Productivity in 1988
o First Assessment of Summer Arctic Sea Ice Cover using SAR and SSM/I
o PI of an Arctic Overflight in May 1987 over a Nuclear Submarine
o Antarctic Cruises during Winter: 1986, 1988, 1989
o Radiative Transfer Modeling of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets in 1981
o Author or Co-author of 5 books and author or co-author of more than 130 refereed journal
publications and book chapters.
Filipino-American Activities and Citations/Awards (J. C. Comiso):
1995 Balik Scientist at DOST/University of the Philippines, Diliman
1999 Work on "Antarctic Polynyas" was chosen as part of the
Philippine Heritage Museum, in Taguig, Rizal
2000 One of those featured in a book by Prof. Qeena Lee-Chua of Ateneo
University entittled "Ten Outstanding Filipino Scientists"
2000 Plenary speaker of the Philippine National Academy of Science and
Technology (NAST)
2002 Selected as one of "Twenty Outstanding Filipino-American (TOFA)" by
Filipino Image Magazine (27 April 2002)
2002 Selected as the "2002 Founder's Lectureship Awardee" by the Philippine-
American Academy for Science and Technology
2003 Featured in Philippine News
2004 Featured by Filipinas Magazine (October)
2004 Article published in Philippine Star (Science Section)
2005 Plenary Speaker at the PAASE Symposium in Cebu, Philippines
Interviewed by Jessica Soho's Group/GMA News on "Antarctica"
2006 Featured in a Pinoy Blog by San Francisco Chronicle
2006 Article published in Philippines Star (Science Section)
2007 Plenary speaker at the PAASE Symposium in Manila, Philippines,
De la Salle University, 16 February, 2007, Manila, Philippines.
2007 Article Published in Forestry Journal (Filipino-American)
2007 Featured in the front page of the Asian Journal in August 2007.
2007 Awarded the "Most Distinguished Alumnus for 2007" - by the
University of the Philippines Alumni Association of America on 2 September 2007.
2007 Article published in Philippine Star (Science Section)
2008 Participated as expert in the GM7 Climate Change TV Program at Luneta, Philippines
2008 “Adopted Son” of Quezon Province by the Governor
2008 Balik Scientist at UP Los Banos
2008 Citation in Philippine Senate for work on climate change by Senator Legarda
2008 Awarded “Outstanding Achievement in Science and Medicine” (Filipinas Magazine)
2009 Balik Scientist at Mariano Marcos State University and UP Los Banos
2010 Award of Excellence in Science and Engineering, PhilDevUSA, Banatao, Fairmont, CA
2011 Awarded “Narvacaneo Outstanding Achievement in Science” (Narvacan, Ilocos Sur)
2012 Awarded Padre Burgos 2012 Oustanding Scientist Award (Vigan, Ilocos Sur)
2013 Awarded UP Alumni “2013 Ourstanding Achievement in Science and Engineering”
2014 Lead author of “Changing Philippine Climate: Impacts on Agriculture and Natural
Resources.”
2015 The “Changing Philippine Climate: Impacts on Agriculture and Natural Resources”
was selected “Outstanding Book in 2015 by NAST and DOST
2016 Selected “Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Science and Technology,”
2018 Selected to the Hall of Fame, Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering.
2019 Participated in the Balik Scientist Program, Host: Dr. Gay Perez, IESM.
2020 Participant in the Balik Scientist Program, Host: Dr. Gay Perez, IESM.
Web Addresses of interest:
https://mail01.ndc.nasa.gov/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=36736
https://mail01.ndc.nasa.gov/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/science/earth/22climate.html?ref=science
https://mail01.ndc.nasa.gov/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-01-21-antarctica-warming_N.htm
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091301817
earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ArcticIce/.html
www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/14/eveningnews/main2011009.shtml
www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/Arctic_Warming_ESU.html
www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2003/1023esuice.html
earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/ArcticIce/
earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2002/2002112710960.html
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14818649/
WEBCAST Presentations:
DBO/IARPC Special Webinar, Changing Arctic Sea Ice Cover and Primary Productivity,
20 November 2014, Sponsored by NASA, NOAA and NSF.
NASA IPY Series: Webtalk on: “Climate Change in the Arctic as observed from Space,”
16 October 2008, Coordinated with Stephanie Shipp, USRA/Lunar and Planetary Institute,
Houston, Texas.
PSHS Global Forum, Philippine Science High School, “Climate Change and Mitigation Strategies,
27 September 2008, Coordinated by Joseph Hong
Television, Radio and Newspaper Interviews:
Philippine Press Interview about BSP at Sulo Hotel, March 26, 2019
TV Interview at ABS/CBN, March 15, 2019
TV interview with National Geographics, April 2014, Segment of the interview
Appeared in the program National Geographics Atlas in June 2014.
TV interview with IPCC reporters in Stockholm, Sweden in September 2013.
Segment appeared in the IPCC video about climate change released in December
2013.
Radio interview, Ilocos Radio, December 2012
TV interview through Skype: December 2009
TV interview with Jefferson Beck at the NASA Visualization Center, 2pm, 28 August 2008.
Radio Interviews in 2008: Knight Broadcasting (KNIF/KUHL) with Robin Ruerstenberg
National Public Radio with Steve Inskeep and Tracy Wahl
ABC News interview with Tuan Nguyen in 2008
Interview with Discovery Channel International on Friday, 12 October 2007.
Radio interviews: 18 September 2006, CBS radio Stan and Jerry Show (1pm); 19 September 2006, WWRL1600, Sam Greenfield and Austen Williams Show (7am); 21 September, KPFA Radio, Kris Welch Show at 3pm.
Interview with CNN on 15 September 2006
CBS Evening News with Katie Couric on 14 September 2006
Major US and World Newspapers including NY times, Washington Post, LA Times, SF Chronicle
Press Telecom with Many Newspaper Reporters on 13 September 2006
Tokyo Broadcasting Service (TBS/TV), Interview about Arctic Warming and Ice and
Productivity in the Gulf of St Lawrence, 26 February 2006
Also cited in NHK/TV on 18-19 February 2006
GMA-TV/Channel 7, Interview about Antarctica, July 2005
NASA/AGU Press Review, San Francisco Convention Center, December 2004
Newspaper articles worldwide about J Comiso and his research on Arctic Warming
NASA/TV Press Review, NASA Headquarters, October 2003
Newspaper articles worldwide about J Comiso and his research on Arctic perennial ice decline
Interview by CNN/TV 2002
Interview with Jill Colgan of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) at the GSFC studio
in 2002 (jillcolgan@yahoo.com)
Frontpage article in Daily Miner, Fairbanks, Alaska, IGS Sea Ice Symposium, 2000
Proposals Funded (2014)
a. NASA-NRA (ROSES)
PI: Roy Spencer (Co-Is include J. Comiso)
Title: Algorithm Development and Processing of AMSR-2 data
Funding for 2014-2015: $20K
b. NASA-NRA-A.8 (ROSES-07/Cryospheric Sciences).
PI: J. C. Comiso
Title: Studies of Arctic Ice Cover Decline and Environmental Connections
Funding for 2014-2015: $100K ( including 0.25 for J Comiso)
c. NASA-NRA (ROSES-11/Land Cover/Land Use)
PI- Donald Walker, Co-I: J. Comiso and others
Title: Application of Space Based Technology to Examine Land Cover/Land Use
at the Yamal Peninsula and Novaya Zemlya, Russia
Funding for 2014-2015: $25K
d. NASA ROSES 2012 NNH12ZDA001N-IDS/IDS
Project Title: Observing and understanding the impacts of a thinning and retreating sea ice
cover on a light propagation, primary productivity, and biogeochemistry in the Pacific
Arctic Region
Co-PIs: Karen Frey, D. Perovich, B. Light, and J. Comiso
Source of Support: NASA
Funding for 2014-2015: $148K
e. NASA-NRA-A.28 (ROSES-The Science of Terra and Aqua) (to be submitted, May 2013)
Project Title: Assessing the Magnitude of Change in the Arctic using Multisensor Satellite Data
PI: J. Comiso, Co-PIs: D. K. Hall, W. Meier and J. Stroeve
Source of Support: NASA
Funding for 2014-2015: $150K + 0.50 FTE
Period: 2013-2016
Previously Funded Proposals:
NASA NRA-00-OES-05 (Extended from a three year proposal)
PI: J. C. Comiso
Title: "Response of Sea Ice and Marine Ecosystem to the Observed Warming
Trends in the Arctic"
Funding for 2005-06: $280K (0.4 FTE for JCC)
NASA-NRA-03-OES-02 (Earth System Science Research using Data and Products from Terra,
Aqua, and ACRIM satellites),
PI - J. C. Comiso,
Title: "Maintenance of the Bootstrap Algorithm and Optimizing its Performance"
Funding for 2005-06: $375K (0.5 FTE for JCC)
Earth Science Enterprise and Related Activities:
Member of the NASA EOS-PM/AMSR and NASDA ADEOS-2/AMSR Teams and involved in
validating the Bootstrap (Comiso) sea ice algorithms which has been chosen to derive standard
product for the science community.
Member of WCRP/CliC/OPP panel
Member of the Science Advisory Team for the ESA-MIMR Instrument
Member of the Goddard DAAC Science Advisory Team (1990s)
Member of the Goddard Multicultural Diversity Committee (1980s)
Member of the NASA/Goddard Raytheon STX Evaluation Board (1990s)
Co-organizer of the AVHRR 1992 workshop at the University of Colorado
Co-organizer of the SSMI 1993 Sea Ice Algorithm Workshop at GSFC
Member of the Editorial Board: AGU Monograph on Microwave Remote Sensing (1992)
IGS Annals of Glaciology (1999-present)
Philippine Journal of Science (1999-present)
Field Compaigns:
Antarctic AMSR-E Sea Ice (AASI) Validation Campaign (2004)
Antarctic AMSR-E Sea Ice (AASI) Validation Campaign (2003)
Sea of Okhotsk AMSR Validation Compaign (2003)
FIRE-3 & SHEBA Project (1998)
Mertz Polynya Experiment (1998)*
Submarine Sea Ice Experiment (1997-Present)*
The Greenland Sea/Odden Experiments (1993, 1996)*
Bellingshausen & Amundsen Seas Experiments (1993, 1994, 1995)*
The Weddell Gyre Experiments (1986, 1989, 1992, 1994)
The Arctic Submarine Overflight Experiment (1987)
Active Participant in Several Planning Workshops:
Antarctic Slope Front Workshop, Lamont-Doherty, September, 1999
Southern Variability Workshop, British Antarctic Survey, August, 1999
WRCP/ACSYS OPP Workshop, Koblenz, Germany, June, 1999.
FIRE-3/SHEBA Workshop - University of Colorado, January 1998
ANZONE-2/ASPECT Workshop - Oracle, Arizona, December 1997
Arctic Ice Thickness Workshop - Monterey, California, May 1997
Sea of Okhotsk Workshop, Tokyo, Japan, February 1996
GLOBEC Workshops: San Diego, CA, 1991 & Norfolk, VA, 1993
Role of Social Scientists in EOS, Goddard, 1993
ANZONE - 1, Bremerhaven, Germany, 1990 & Palisades, NY, 1991
Educational and Other Academic Activities:
Science Adviser to the following post-doctoral fellows under NRC-RRA
and other programs:
Dr. Nathan Allibuyog (2014), MMSU
Dr. Mark Chan (2011-2012), GE
Dr. Gay Jan Perez (2010-2011), University of the Philippines
Dr. Agnes Pasco (2001-2002), Marymount University, Arlington, VA
Dr. Anthony Worby (2000-2001)- now at the Antarctic CRC, Australia
Dr. Kostas Stephanidis (1997 -1999)- now with GSFC, Code 923/SSAI
Dr. Rob Massom (1992-1994) - now at the Antarctic CRC, Australia
Dr. Kevin Arrigo (1992, jointly with Chuck McClain) - now at Stanford University, CA
Ph. D. Thesis Adviser and/or Consultant to the following Graduate Students:
Jennifer Wurtzel, Brookhaven Laboratory, Brookhaven, NY
Erin Burke, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Agnes Pasco, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Rizal, Philippines (1996-2000)
Jeremy Cotton, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Austrialia (1996)
Mihr Kumar Dash, Department of Physics, Gujarat University, India (2004)
Robert Massom, Scott Polar Institute, Cambridge University, U. K. (1987-1990)
Adviser/Consultant to the following thesis students:
Michael Dawson, University of Texas, Ph. D. Student - graduated in 1997
Donna Haverkemp, University of Kansas, MS in 1996, Ph. D. 2000
J. Esquera, University of the Philippines, MS student
Deron Coles, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Bob Moore, Princeton University
Roosevelt High School Students - Two won first prizes in county wide
science fair competition, while a third won honorable mention
Several SPARK high school students
High School Student: Ryan Gomez, Springbrook High School, Maryland
Other Activities:
Judge of Science Fairs at Roosevelt High School
Member of the AMS committee on Polar, Meteorology, and Oceanography
Reviewer of numerous journal papers and proposals
Organizer of a session on Polar Remote Sensing for PIERS'95 Conference
Co-Organizer of PAASE/DOST Meeting in Manila, Philippines in 1993
Visiting Scientist in the following institutions:
Advanced Science and Technology Institute of the Department of
Science and Technology & the Univ. of the Philippines, January 1995
Antarctic CRC, University of Tasmania, Australia, February - March 1996
Antarctic CRC, University of Tasmania, Australia, June-July 1997
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, October 1998, March 2000
Consultant:
Ross Sea ANSLOPE Experiment (2004)
Bellingshausen Sea Ice Experiment (1993, 1994)
Winter Weddell Experiment/ANZONE (1992, 1994)
Department of Science and Technology, Tanguig, Manila, Philippines