Renowned Science Historian
Naomi Oreskes Appointed Provost
of UC San Diego's Sixth College

February 5, 2008

By Dolores Davies

Science historian Naomi Oreskes, whose work has played a critical role in establishing that there is a clear consensus about global warming among scientists, has been appointed to serve as provost of the University of California, San Diego’s Sixth College. Her appointment becomes effective July 1, 2008.

Naomi Oreskes

“Professor Oreskes’ extensive interdisciplinary research and teaching on issues related to science, technology, and culture, along with her administrative experience and strong commitment to undergraduate education, make her exceptionally well-suited to lead Sixth College,” said Paul Drake, UC San Diego’s Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “I am delighted that she has accepted this important and challenging position.”

Sixth College is the University of California, San Diego’s sixth and youngest college in its unique family of undergraduate colleges. Established in 2002, Sixth College focuses on the intersection of culture, art and technology, and seeks to prepare students to become effective global citizens who engage creatively and ethically with the complex issues facing the world in the 21st century.

“I am very pleased and excited to be named provost of Sixth College,” said Oreskes. “It's a privilege to be associated with a college that is so young and fresh, and the college's theme of culture, art, and technology resonates with the issues I've been concerned with throughout my academic career. I hope to build on the strong foundation laid by Gabriele Wienhausen, by working to improve the undergraduate experience, both in terms of academic and residential life. I am also especially excited about building bridges to the community through our practicum program, which encourages learning beyond the classroom, and by bringing community leaders into the college in diverse ways.”

A professor of History and Science Studies and a member of the UC San Diego faculty since 1998, Oreskes is known for her seminal work dealing with the science of climate change, specifically on the societal framing and reception of the scientific consensus on global warming. Her 2004 study, "The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change," which appeared in the journal Science, led to numerous citations in a variety of national and international news media outlets. Her research, which was also referenced in the academy-award winning film, "An Inconvenient Truth," documented a scholarly consensus on two points: The earth is warming and humans are the cause.

Oreskes’research focuses on the historical development of scientific knowledge, methods, and practices in the earth and environmental sciences. She has held grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Philosophical Society, and is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in Science and Engineering.

From 2003-2006, Oreskes served as director of UC San Diego’s Science Studies Program.  She has also served as co-chair of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on the Status of Women and is a member of the UCSD Center for the Humanities Executive Committee and the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation.

Oreskes has published numerous journal articles, opinion pieces and books. Currently, she is nearing completion on “Science on a Mission: American Oceanography in the Cold War and Beyond” and is at work on a new book, “Challenging Knowledge: How the American People Have Been Misled about Global Warming.”She is also the author of “The Rejection of Continental Drift: Theory and Method in American Earth Science (Oxford University Press, 1999).  Her edited volume, “Plate Tectonics: An Insider’s History of the Modern Theory of the Earth (with Homer Le Grand, Westview Press, 2001) was cited by Library Journal as one of the best science and technology books of 2002 and by Choice as an outstanding academic title of 2003.

Prior to joining UC San Diego, Oreskes held professorships at Dartmouth College and New York University. In 2001, she was a visiting professor in the History of Science Department at Harvard University. She has also worked as a consultant to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Oreskes received her Ph.D. in Geological Research and History of Science from Stanford University and a B.Sc. in Mining Geology from The Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, at the University of London.

As provost of Sixth College, Oreskes will succeed UCSD biologist Gabriele Wienhausen, who stepped down in fall 2007 and had, since 2002, served as Sixth College’s founding provost. Former Warren College Provost David Jordan served as interim provost since fall of 2007, and will continue his service through winter quarter. Professor Richard Moore is slated to serve as interim provost during spring quarter 2008.

Media Contact: Dolores Davies, 858-858-534-5994