Steven Chu: Physicists Cheer New Energy Secretary

Science Insider reports on the major shift that will occur at the Department of Energy when Steven Chu takes over:

Steve Chu could be a groundbreaking energy secretary for the energy research efforts of President-elect Barack Obama's Administration in several ways. It's not just that Chu will be the first life-long scientist-- and a Nobel prize-winning physicist at that--to run a department which spends more than $15 billion a year on physical science research, including weapons work. (Previous energy secretaries have usually been political allies of the president, which Chu isn't; a Naval Admiral and a power industry official have previously held the post.) But his selection, and new clues from Obama's transition team, could signal some big changes in the way that the United States conducts science to tackle the energy challenge.

Physicists are especially happy:

Physicists in particular are elated; at last a genuine scientist will head the agency that funds the majority of physics research in the US. The position had usually been filled by political insiders. Chu shared the 1997 Nobel Prize with Bill Phillips for laser-cooling of atoms, and is currently the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Under Chu the lab is a center of research into biofuels and solar energy. He is a member of the Copenhagen Climate Council. Alas, there will be pressure worldwide to abandon carbon reduction to ameliorate the economic downturn.

Read more about Steven Chu here.

Comments

[reliant1]

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/obama-energy-duo-boost-alternatives/story.aspx?guid=%7BA79ABCA8-01B4-4A8D-A942-6E13697E4A1C%7D&dist=msr_1


While managing a budget of $1.6 billion and a staff of 8,000 as director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Chu changed the focus of the operation to solving energy issues from historical tasks tied to physics and chemistry.
"He believes that a portfolio approach to alternative energy is necessary to address what he sees as a looming energy crisis," Lazard Capital Markets analyst Sanjay Shrestha said. He "firmly believes that we are in an energy crisis and that the single most important issue is controlling carbon dioxide emissions."

[reliant1]

Too bad Obama picked this guy - he's sooo not progressive enough.

[Trina44]

Well, look on the bright side at least he's not Brownie.

[rogue xxxxx]

Finally a scientist as energy secretary, not a political appointee who doesn't even know what an atom is!!!!!!!!!!!

[goddess1871]

Regardless, it will be nice to have someone in the office who doesn't think that hurricanes are caused by people who don't take Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

[pt380]

Chu's ideas about 'alternative energy' also need some reflection. Alternative can mean a lot of things, including nuclear power plants.

There are also important questions about biofuels that Chu has not addressed sufficiently, including impacts on the environment and food prices, as well as access to land by farmers in developing countries.

[alanwootton]

I think Dr. Chu said 'non food based' biofuel (I'd have to look it up).

[pt380]

Without wanting to get into the biofuels debate too deeply, even non-food biofuels can use up land and inputs and thereby reduce food supply and drive up food prices.

[pt380]

For those who think Steven Chu is a neutral scientist, please note that he was involved with Gov Blagojevich in putting together the BP deal.

He was also part of a scandal involving UC compensation practices that lead to the resignation of the President of the University of California, Robert Dynes, who worked with Chu at Bell Labs.

Chu may not be an oil exec, but he sure seems to be good friends with at least one.

Scientists and nobel winners can be great, but we need more critical examination and less knee-jerk cheerleading.

We should HOPE for someone better.

[Scarllatti]

Guilt by association. I am sure you are not even qualified to be seen among women because your "wife" must have done a few things that are anti-female.

Hmmm, what about that? Do you people want Jesus in the Obama cabinet? "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone".

I want efficiency, not some "moral" version of Carl Rove.

[reliant1]

4 universities submitted requests to BP - for a bio fuel research lab consortium.

Chu won. He can't help that Blago was Gov when the grants were awarded anymore than he can help that the Gov of Calif was too.

Knee jerk cheerleading is as bad as knee jerk disparagement.

Think right thoughts...think them on command. There are plenty of templates to use.

[pt380]

This is not knee-jerk disparagement. The compensation scandal was actually quite significant in California, and I think it is legitimate to be concerned.

There has been considerable controversy over the BP deal and Chu's role in it (including relations with Blago, Arnold, and BP's Malone).

[MossyOak]

Guilt by association...it didn't stick the last fifty times either.

[batbird]

Wow. Some people would bitch even if a god descended from the heavens and volunteered to run the energy program.

Would you rather have another political appointee? Jeesh!

This is way better than Bush.

[Zhonni]

You are such a loser!

The best in a long time at this post is not good enough for you. The funny thing is that the best would never be enough because you would criticize everything Dems do. Go play...with yourself.

[pt380]

I do have high standards, and hope for the best for our country. 'Better than a Bush appointee' is not sufficient qualification. The essence of democracy is engagement and accountability.

[nogimmicks]

Steve Chu is a cute appointment, but it would be much more important to deal with the financial crisis by giving power to Dennis Kusinich and Ron Paul to fix the Fed and 40 years of destructive and dangerous legislation.

[BarackstarObama]

Cute? ... this dude is the real deal.

[Scarllatti]

Those two rascals you just mentioned will cripple America, not help it. Most times, these so-called "social crusaders" are more words than meat.

[DoloresMay]

When I said earlier that Chu was no Edward Teller, I should have added that he is no Amory Lovins, either. My point was NOT to rain on the parade: I, too am overjoyed that we have entered the Era of Competency, and each day I give thanks. But that means we can now have rational discussions about the choices being made. I don't doubt either Chu's brilliance (hooray & thank goodness!), and his experience suggests strong managerial and political skills. But it doesn't hurt to be aware of his long association with BP and the influence it might have on his perspective. We're not children (as Bush would have us); we can know everything and talk about everything; we can weigh pros and cons. Obama's not running for office anymore.

I do get the strategic value of appointing people who are not divisive. Maybe it's all necessary jujitsu. Maybe. But it's not our job as citizens to play Obama's game for him. It's our job to get engaged and have a real discussion. Let the air in!

Obama has all the wind at his back that he needs if what he really wants is to take energy policy out of the hands of oil companies. But perhaps he instead seeks compromise - half for us, half for oil - to create a more politically stable situation. Who knows? But I do know that we're in a much better game now. So let's play it!

[reliant1]

But it doesn't hurt to be aware of his long association with BP and the influence it might have on his perspective.

How long?

[Chip W]

I'm concerned that the pendulum will swing too far the other way, that the government will make decisions too much on science, and not enough on faith. Like energy, the environment, and of course, going to war.

[Megan97401]

I can only hope this is sarcasm. Please don't scare me like this!

[rmetz74]

I don't think faith has any place in those kinds of decisions.

Principle? Yes. Values? Yes. Faith - NO.

[XME]

Oh how I hope you're kidding!

[Chip W]

I guess I'll have to modify my tongue-in-cheek.approach. What is clearly absurd to me doesn't necessarily appear so to the reader.
My intent was to make a very sharp jab at Bush's faith-before-science, even to the point of rejecting science. And how one man's delusional view of the world set the tone for the entire administration.
Too bad, I really enjoy tongue-in-cheek.

[Beninn]

Where is the French nuclear power plant waste going?

The US.

http://cleantech.com/news/2162/french-nuclear-waste-being-stored-in-the-u-s

[reliant1]

You cite other blogs?

Well, if that's all you've got I guess you have to go with it.

You have no cogent arguments. You just spew the canned drivel you learned from others and that means you're just another trollzz out chumming.

[Beninn]

What do you think you're writing on? A BLOG!

A prominent researcher shared a nuclear secret today that he said not even everyone in the U.S. Department of Energy knows. Is the U.S., in fact, storing a large amount of nuclear waste produced by France's nuclear reactors?

That was the suggestion in a keynote today at the ThinkEquity ThinkGreen conference in San Francisco by Dr. Yogi Goswami, former President of the International Solar Energy Society, and prolific author and University of Florida professor.

"One small bit of information that most people don’t know, even in our Department of Energy: a large majority of the nuclear waste from France is actually shipped to the U.S.," Goswami said.

"It’s stored in South Carolina. That’s because when initially the French started building nuclear reactors, the U.S. was suspicious of the French, and said ‘hey, you don’t need to keep that nuclear waste over there, we’ll store it for you.’"

It's here, too -

http://www.state.nv.us/nucwaste/whatsnew.htm

Illegal French nuclear waste dump must be removed and decontaminated
Greenpeace files legal challenge against AREVA
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/illegal-french-nuclear-waste-d

France's Nuclear Waste Heads to Russia -

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=31466

[alanwootton]

You make that sound like some kind of evil conspiracy. You miss the fact that 'power plant waste' is undefined in this context, and that the article is contradictory. Are we all supposed to just assume that nuclear waste is all that bad? Exactly which isotope to you object to?

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Look I know you are a one trick pony about hating nuclear power but nuclear power is a moot point because it's just too expensive to play a major part in a long term solution right now. But this is still not a reason to stop researching nuclear power which could be made much safer with technological advances.

The disingenuous part is wrapping Chu's career like all wants to promote is nuclear power which is a flat out lie.

That fact that Chu is not a politics first pawn of big oil is the real story in this case.

[Beninn]

Life after Chernobyl -

http://www.blainekendall.com/uploads/blog/chernobyl.jpg

Enjoy!

[alanwootton]

I assume that some sort of 'cause and effect' is implied here.

[pvo]

beninn,

Let's be rational and just stick to the facts:

1. We do not know for sure which approach Dr. Chu's going to take. There are now numerous collaborations among scientists and engineers to solve the energy crisis. Given his background, he should command enough knowledge to embark upon the most efficient route.

2. Controlling and disposing nuclear wastes are what current nuclear energy researchers are devoting their time most extensively on. Your assuming that the newly designed nuclear plants will generate the same kind of efficiency and wastes encountered in France or Russia years ago is similar to saying the computer is a fancy typewriter for the 21st century.

I do hope that Dr. Chu's approaches (whatever those might be) will be carried out with the safety of future generations and the global environment in balanced perspectives.

[alanwootton]

Pvo:

1) yes.
2) Yes. kudos.

Dr. Chu at least 'speaks the language' of scientists and engineers. That's major, in fact I would say that the simple ability to personally read a hot research paper sets him ahead of all his predecessors.

[XME]

Progressives may not like some of Obama's picks, but some have been stellar. His goal seems to be to select people who will make different groups feel he's listiening to them, not just one group. I wish more Progressives could recognize this and get that not everything he does will be about making THEM happy.

Getting America beyond Bush's severe politics of division and starting to unite will involves some give and take, and all groups need to realize that it means Obama is working to do things to that will give something to different groups of people to allow them to feel he is their president too...unlike Bush, who only cared about one group of people. Obama doing that, but focusing only on a different group would be just as bad!

[pvo]

Well said,

and let's not forget that many scientists (myself included) are human beings with families and we deeply care about our environment and future generations too. We are trained to make conclusions based on facts, not under the influence of any political agenda. ...Deviations do occur, but very infrequently, especially in the academia world.

[indypete]

Conclusions based on fact? What're ya... some kinda commie?

(Seriously.... I have the deepest respect for scientists and wish I had the smarts to be among your number).

[sunbeltvoter]

Ahh, but Bush cronies did not make decisions "under the influence of any political agenda". They made scientific decisions that only agreed with their evangelical creationist agenda. A junkier level of junk science, as it were.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

The fact is that Obama first chose his Economic and National Security team that always tends to be Centrist because of the parts of the government they must administer.

Obama's picks for climate, HUD and health care have been much more progressive because that's where we have fallen so far behind.

[Shieldmaiden]

What is the big deal about n uclear energy? I lived in F rance for two years and they've had n uclear power for decades. Trust me, they are miles ahead of us because of it.

[Tyrione]

Great questions. If we move ahead with US technology barred by the formation of the Atomic Energy Commission's formation we'll be safe and happy during the transition to more alternative fuel options:

http://www.memagazine.org/contents/current/features/pebbles/pebbles.html

Read it. The fact it doesn't have military applications is clearly the reason for it's initial barring.

[alanwootton]

I've read about pebble bed reactors and it's an awesome idea. Personally, I also like the new designs for a 'molten salt reactor'. I'm sure Steven Chu can sort it all out.

[FreedomAgain]

I agree, it has its issues, but overall seems to be very efficient.

[indypete]

Shieldmaiden.... I want you to know you got me on another thread and I shot first and checked profiles later! Well done... I usually catch the ironic and satirical ones!

On topic, though, much as nukes are something I personally agree with, they are a tad on the expensive side and in the un-regulated and max-profit-at-all-cost atmosphere of the US, I'd be awfully worried about the ... er... atmosphere.

[Telemachus]

Where does the waste go? Who guards it? How long will it need to be secured?

4,000 years ago, the kings of Egypt built storage vaults for their remains, which were supposed to last for eternity. They were hidden by secret passages, booby-traps, and a race of priests whose sole function was to maintain the holy sites. Their belief in the power of the god-kings was at least as strong as our belief in the danger of plutonium ... and yet the Pyramids are ruined now, looted, the priests scattered, the rituals forgotten.

The nuclear waste already generated by the plants operating today will be deadly for many millennia. To think that France or any other country even last that long, much less maintain a perfect record of keeping those poisons safely isolated the whole time, is ... optimistic.

[reliant1]

we'll invent a way to launch the spent fuel into the sun.

[alanwootton]

Who guards it? Who would want it? It's poisonous trash. It's not treasure. Do you assume that the waste will 'escape' and pollute the whole biosphere? Do the math.

[Beninn]

Do you ever wonder what you selfishness begats?

Life with nuclear waste and fallout -

http://www.blainekendall.com/uploads/blog/chernobyl.jpg

Enjoy!

[swift goat pet for truth]

As a comparision, there are many people who think that GM was a better company when it was run by engineers (when it had 50% marketshare) that when it was run by accountants (now).

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

True dat!

I worked in R&D for over 20 years and when the bean counters took control all innovation is trampled because all bean counters care about is the next quarter while engineers and scientists care about making viable products for years down the road (no pun intended).

The last R&D position I had before I became disabled they actually wanted weekly reports from researchers. I just refused to do them out of principle. I said I will supply monthly summaries and quarterly reports but weekly reports on R&D projects was just a was of time. My management grumbled but it did not prevent me from getting promoted and having all positive reviews. More importantly I developed over two dozen products that sold in the market place and was awarded two patents in less than 5 years.

[Donnat]

How sad that we haven't had thinkers in this position before....we're surely paying for it now.

[CaliforniaJake]

As a Berkeley alum, I couldn't be more pleased. America needs real energy solutions. Under Bush, we've tried the business route and it hasn't worked. It's time to give someone outside the business world the chance to solve our energy needs. An excellent pick.