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By John P. Holdren1 and Marcia K. McNutt2
Ask which university in the United States does the most to improve ca- reer outcomes for low-income stu- dents, and the University of California (UC), Irvine, comes out on top, based on surveys. This is the fertile environment for teaching and research that Ralph J.
Cicerone, as chancellor (1998–2005), brought
to international prominence. Walk around
the National Academy of Sciences in
Washington, DC, and hear the echoes
of more than a century and a half of
lofty debate among the nation’s most
respected scientists. This is the sanctuary for science that Cicerone, as
president (2005–2016), lovingly nurtured and enhanced.
Ralph Cicerone left his indelible
fingerprints on these institutions and
on the people within them. First and
foremost, his emphasis was on excellence. He never compromised quality
in any of the aspects of the institutions
he led, whether in teaching, research,
or engagement with policy-makers
and the public.
His promotion of women in science
had an impact. He showed, at UC Irvine, that departments with gender
diversity could top the national rankings. At the National Academy of Sciences, he put into place new processes
to help identify and promote worthy female
candidates for election to the membership.
And during his time as president, the proportion of women in the National Academy
of Sciences grew from less than 10% to more
than 15%; even more tellingly, the percentage
of women among the new cohort of elected
members skyrocketed to more than 26%.
Ralph started the transformation of the
Irvine campus into a model of sustain-
ability, such that it is now considered one
of the “greenest” (most sustainable) cam-
puses nationwide. Similarly, he oversaw
the installation of solar panels on the roof
of the east and west galleries of the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences building. He
would personally check the energy output
each day, alerting the building engineer if
anything looked awry.
For a scientist who lived life on the cutting edge of discovery and innovation, Cicerone was paradoxically “old school” in
aspects of his professional life: paper, pen,
dictation. His “filing system,” at least from
what could be gleaned from surveying the
state of organization of his office at the National Academy, depended on stratigraphic
horizons of paper in various geographic
locations on a very large desk and an even
larger table. Nonetheless, his system was
flawless, as he could put his hand on any
document as fast as a search of a hard drive
might, and his recall was perfect.
Always soft-spoken, Ralph Cicerone, along
with his wife Carol (herself an expert in cognitive science), brought a degree of civility
and a personal touch to scientific leadership,
qualities that are too often lacking in the nation’s capital. They were ever gracious hosts
at all Academy events, whether the guests
were members, staff, volunteers, or honorees.
Cicerone would take extra time to remember
personal bits about the background of each
of his guests to make them feel at home, in
his home, the home for science in America.
As a scientist, Ralph Cicerone had be-
come deeply engaged professionally in the
causes and consequences of global climate
change, as well as in interdisciplinary edu-
cation and advising around science, tech-
nology, and public policy. His own research
in atmospheric chemistry made seminal
contributions to understanding the role of
chlorofluorocarbons in destroying the ozone
layer. His work was cited in awarding the
1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Paul J.
Crutzen, Mario J. Molina, and F. Sherwood
Rowland. This effort ultimately led to the
adoption of the 1987 Montreal Protocol, a
global treaty that banned chlorofluorocar-
bons and other ozone-depleting chemicals.
It was therefore no surprise that Ralph
spurred the National Academies to produce
the series of reports, America’s Climate
Choices, laying out possible strategies for
mitigation and adaptation as well as for re-
search investments, monitoring, and interna-
tional cooperation to address the risks
from changing climate. Another of
Ralph’s major accomplishments while
president of the National Academy was
securing the Gulf Research Program, a
$500 million, 30-year wasting endow-
ment funded through penalties levied
against the parties responsible for the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Ralph’s career—with its awards
and recognitions far more numerous
than can be detailed here—was a testament to the power of the American
dream. A native of New Castle, Pennsylvania, he was the grandson of Italian immigrants and the first from his
family to attend college. He graduated
from the Massachusetts Institute of
After graduating from MIT, Ralph earned
both masters and doctoral degrees from the
University of Illinois. He then distinguished
himself in a series of appointments at the
University of Michigan, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research, before joining
UC Irvine in 1989. There he built the Earth
System Science Department and rose to the
positions of Dean of Physical Sciences and
ultimately Chancellor, before being elected
president of the National Academy.
Ralph J. Cicerone—who retired from the
National Academy of Sciences presidency
this past June—passed away at age 73 at his
home in Short Hills, New Jersey, on 5 November 2016, surrounded by his family. j
10.1126/science.aal4054
RETROSPECTIVE
Ralph J. Cicerone (1943–2016)
A leader in science and policy championed efforts
to understand and tackle climate change
1John P. Holdren is Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science
and Technology Policy. 2Marcia K. McNutt is the President
of the United States National Academy of Sciences.
