Keynote Speaker - dr James R. Irons

James R. (Jim) Irons is a Goddard Space Flight Center Emeritus following his January 01, 2022 retirement as the Director of the Earth Sciences Division. As Director he managed a staff of over 1400 scientists and support personnel, all dedicated to studying the Earth as an integrated system that includes the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, cryosphere, and geosphere. Jim was also the NASA Landsat 8 Project Scientist beginning in 1999. Prior to 2007, Jim worked 28 years as a physical scientist in the Biospheric Sciences Branch where he served as the Landsat 7 Deputy Project Scientist beginning in 1992. He then served as the Associate Deputy Director for Atmospheres from 2007 to 2013, as the Deputy Director for Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences in 2014, and as the Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Earth Sciences Division from 2015 to 2017. Jim received his B.Sc. degree in environmental resources management in 1976 and the M.Sc. degree in agronomy in 1979 from the Pennsylvania State University. He received his Ph.D. degree in agronomy in 1993 from the University of Maryland College Park. As an Emeritus Jim donates service as a mentor and shares legacy knowledge of science and flight projects for the benefit of the Center.