William Happer | |
|---|---|
 Happer in 2018 | |
| Born | July 27, 1939 |
| Education | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BS) Princeton University (MS, PhD) |
| Awards | Davisson–Germer Prize in Atomic or Surface Physics |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Optical pumping Atomic physics |
| Institutions | Princeton University |
| Thesis | Frequency shifts in atomic beams resonances (1964) |
| Doctoral students | John Farley |
| Other notable students | Julia Hsu |
William Happer (born July 27, 1939[1]) is an American physicist who has specialized in the study of atomic physics, optics and spectroscopy.[2] He is the Cyrus Fogg Brackett[3] Professor of Physics, emeritus, at Princeton University,[2] and a long-term member of the JASON advisory group,[1] where he pioneered the development of adaptive optics. From 1991 to 1993, Happer served as director of the Department of Energy's Office of Science as part of the George H.W. Bush administration. He was dismissed from the Department of Energy in 1993 by the Clinton Administration after disagreements on the ozone hole.[4]
Happer, who is not a climate scientist, rejects the scientific consensus on climate change. In 2018, Donald Trump appointed him to the National Security Council to counter evidence linking carbon dioxide emissions to global warming.[5][6] He resigned from the council in 2019.[7]
- ^ a b "William Happer". Array of Contemporary American Physicists. American Institute of Physics. Archived from the original on 2017-01-24. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
- ^ a b Alan Shaw (2004), University research centers of excellence for homeland security, National Academies Press, doi:10.17226/10984, ISBN 978-0-309-09236-4
- ^ Brackett, Cyrus Fogg (1833-1915), first Joseph Henry Professor of Physics and founder of the Electrical Engineering Department at Princeton
- ^ Goodwin, Irwin (1993), "Happer Leaves DOE Under Ozone Cloud for Violating Political Correctness", Physics Today, 46 (6): 89–91, Bibcode:1993PhT....46f..89G, doi:10.1063/1.2808934
- ^ "White House readies panel to assess if climate change poses a national security threat". The Washington Post. February 20, 2019.
- ^ Niina Farah and Robin Bravender, Emails reveal behind-the-scenes plans for climate debate, ClimateWire, May 10, 2018.
- ^ Waldman, Scott (2019). "Why a high-profile climate science opponent quit Trump's White House". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aaz4845.