Gerald M. Stokes is the Director of the Joint Global Change Research Institute, a collaborative effort between the Pacific NW National Laboratory (PNNL) and the University of Maryland. Previously he has served as an Associate Laboratory Director of PNNL, responsible for the Environmental and Health Sciences Division, the basic research division of PNNL. He also has held a variety other scientific and management positions during his 28-year tenure at PNNL. He served as the Chief Scientist of the Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program from 1990-1998. He has served previously on the National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessment. He has also served on the NRC committee on “Support for Spatial Thinking: The incorporation of Geographic Information Science across the K-12 curriculum", and is currently serving on the committee on “Test Design for K-12 Achievement". He holds a BA in Physics from the University of California at Santa Cruz and both Ph D and master's in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of Chicago. His research interests include climate and the design of large-scale field research facilities. He has authored or co-authored more than 80 book chapters, journal articles, and reports on topics ranging from the interstellar medium, atmospheric spectroscopy, energy utilization and climate policy. He is Adjunct Professor in the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center at the University of Maryland.