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Earth from Space: Saharan dust plume
Jack Kaye Retires After a Storied Career at NASA
Jack Kaye [NASA HQ—Associate Director for Research, Earth Science Division (ESD)] has decided to retire on April 30, 2025, following 42 years of service to NASA – see Photo 1. Most recently, Kaye served as associate director for research of the Earth Science Division (ESD) within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD). In this position, he was responsible for the research and data analysis programs for Earth System Science that addressed the broad spectrum of scientific disciplines from the stratopause to the poles to the oceans.
Photo 1. Jack Kaye [NASA HQ—Associate Director for Research, Earth Science Division (ESD)] retired from NASA on April 30, 2025, after a 42-year career. Photo credit: Public Domain
A New York native, Kaye’s interest in space was piqued as a child watching early NASA manned space launches on television. He would often write to NASA to get pictures of the astronauts. In high school, he started an after school astronomy club. Despite a youthful interest in Earth science, as he explained in a 2014 “Maniac Talk” at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Kaye pursued a slightly different academic path. He obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in chemistry from Adelphi University in 1976 and a Ph.D. in theoretical physical chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1982. For his graduate studies, he focused on the quantum mechanics of chemical reactions with an aim toward being able to understand and calculate the activity.
Following graduate school, Kaye secured a post-doctoral position at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where he studied the chemistry of Earth’s atmosphere with a focus on stratospheric ozone. It was while working in a group of meteorologists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center that Kaye returned to his roots and refocused his scientific energy on studying Earth.
“NASA had a mandate to study stratospheric ozone,” Kaye said in an interview in 2009. “I got involved in looking at satellite observations and especially trying to interpret satellite observations of stratospheric composition and building models to simulate things, to look both ways, to use the models and use the data.”
Kaye has held numerous science and leadership positions at NASA. He began his career at GSFC as a researcher for the Stratospheric General Circulation and Chemistry Modeling Project (SGCCP) from 1983–1990 working on stratospheric modeling. In this role, he also worked on an Earth Observing System Interdisciplinary proposal. His first role at NASA HQ was managing as program scientist for the Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP), as well as numerous other missions. In this role, he was a project scientist for the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS) series of Shuttle missions. While managing ATLAS, Kaye oversaw the science carried out by a dozen instruments from several different countries. He also managed several other Earth Science missions during this time. See the link to Kaye’s “Maniac Talk.”
Kaye entered the Senior Executive Service in 1999, where he continued to contribute to the agency by managing NASA’s Earth Science Research Program. In addition, Kaye has held temporary acting positions as deputy director of ESD and deputy chief scientist for Earth Science within SMD. Throughout his career he has focused on helping early-career investigators secure their first awards to establish their career path—see Photo 2.
Photo 2. Throughout his career, Jack Kaye has been an advocate for young scientists, helping them get established in their careers. Here, Kaye speaks with the Climate Change Research Initiative cohort at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington, DC on August 7, 2024. The Earth Science Division’s Early Career Research Program’s Climate Change Research Initiative is a year-long STEM engagement and experiential learning opportunity for educators and students from high school to graduate level. Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
On numerous occasions, Kaye spoke to different groups emphasizing the agency’s unique role in both developing and utilizing cutting-edge technology, especially remote observations of Earth with different satellite platforms – see Photo 3. With the launch of five new NASA Earth science campaigns in 2020, Kaye stated, “These innovative investigations tackle difficult scientific questions that require detailed, targeted field observations combined with data collected by our fleet of Earth-observing satellites.”
Photo 3. Jack Kaye hands out eclipse posters and other outreach materials to attendees at Eclipse Fest 2024. Photo credit: GRC https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/earth-science/looking-back-on-looking-up-the-2024-total-solar-eclipse/
Kaye has also represented NASA in interagency and international activities and has been an active participant in the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), where he has served for many years as NASA principal of the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. He served as NASA’s representative to the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology and chaired the World Meteorological Organization Expert Team on Satellite Systems. Kaye was named an honorary member of the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society in 2015. He previously completed a six-year term as a member of the Steering Committee for the Global Climate Observing System and currently serves an ex officio member of the National Research Council’s Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability and the Chemical Sciences Roundtable, as well as a member of the Roundtable on Global Science Diplomacy.
NASA has honored Kaye with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal in 2022 and the Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service in 2004, 2010, and 2021. In 2024 he was awarded the NASA-USGS Pecora Individual Award honoring excellence in Earth Observation. He was named a Fellow by the American Meteorological Society in 2010 and by the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2014. Kaye was elected to serve as an office of the Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Science section of the AAAS (2015–2018). AGU has recognized him on two occasions with a Citation for Excellence in Refereeing.
Over the course of his career Kaye has published more than 50 papers, contributed to numerous reports, books, and encyclopedias, and edited the book Isotope Effects in Gas-Phase Chemistry for the American Chemical Society. In addition, he has attended the Leadership for Democratic Society program at the Federal Executive Institute and the Harvard Senior Managers in Government Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
“The vantage point of space provides a way to look at the Earth globally, with the ability to observe Earth’s interacting components of air, water, land and ice, and both naturally occurring and human-induced processes,” Kaye said in a November 2024 article published by Penn State University. “It lets us look at variability on a broad range of spatial and temporal scales and given the decades of accomplishments, has allowed us to characterize and document Earth system variability on time scales from minutes to decades.”
Jack Kaye Retires After a Storied Career at NASA
Jack Kaye [NASA HQ—Associate Director for Research, Earth Science Division (ESD)] has decided to retire on April 30, 2025, following 42 years of service to NASA – see Photo 1. Most recently, Kaye served as associate director for research of the Earth Science Division (ESD) within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD). In this position, he was responsible for the research and data analysis programs for Earth System Science that addressed the broad spectrum of scientific disciplines from the stratopause to the poles to the oceans.
Photo 1. Jack Kaye [NASA HQ—Associate Director for Research, Earth Science Division (ESD)] retired from NASA on April 30, 2025, after a 42-year career. Photo credit: Public DomainA New York native, Kaye’s interest in space was piqued as a child watching early NASA manned space launches on television. He would often write to NASA to get pictures of the astronauts. In high school, he started an after school astronomy club. Despite a youthful interest in Earth science, as he explained in a 2014 “Maniac Talk” at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Kaye pursued a slightly different academic path. He obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in chemistry from Adelphi University in 1976 and a Ph.D. in theoretical physical chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1982. For his graduate studies, he focused on the quantum mechanics of chemical reactions with an aim toward being able to understand and calculate the activity.
Following graduate school, Kaye secured a post-doctoral position at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, where he studied the chemistry of Earth’s atmosphere with a focus on stratospheric ozone. It was while working in a group of meteorologists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center that Kaye returned to his roots and refocused his scientific energy on studying Earth.
“NASA had a mandate to study stratospheric ozone,” Kaye said in an interview in 2009. “I got involved in looking at satellite observations and especially trying to interpret satellite observations of stratospheric composition and building models to simulate things, to look both ways, to use the models and use the data.”
Kaye has held numerous science and leadership positions at NASA. He began his career at GSFC as a researcher for the Stratospheric General Circulation and Chemistry Modeling Project (SGCCP) from 1983–1990 working on stratospheric modeling. In this role, he also worked on an Earth Observing System Interdisciplinary proposal. His first role at NASA HQ was managing as program scientist for the Atmospheric Chemistry Modeling and Analysis Program (ACMAP), as well as numerous other missions. In this role, he was a project scientist for the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS) series of Shuttle missions. While managing ATLAS, Kaye oversaw the science carried out by a dozen instruments from several different countries. He also managed several other Earth Science missions during this time. See the link to Kaye’s “Maniac Talk.”
Kaye entered the Senior Executive Service in 1999, where he continued to contribute to the agency by managing NASA’s Earth Science Research Program. In addition, Kaye has held temporary acting positions as deputy director of ESD and deputy chief scientist for Earth Science within SMD. Throughout his career he has focused on helping early-career investigators secure their first awards to establish their career path—see Photo 2.
Photo 2. Throughout his career, Jack Kaye has been an advocate for young scientists, helping them get established in their careers. Here, Kaye speaks with the Climate Change Research Initiative cohort at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington, DC on August 7, 2024. The Earth Science Division’s Early Career Research Program’s Climate Change Research Initiative is a year-long STEM engagement and experiential learning opportunity for educators and students from high school to graduate level. Photo Credit: NASA/Joel KowskyOn numerous occasions, Kaye spoke to different groups emphasizing the agency’s unique role in both developing and utilizing cutting-edge technology, especially remote observations of Earth with different satellite platforms – see Photo 3. With the launch of five new NASA Earth science campaigns in 2020, Kaye stated, “These innovative investigations tackle difficult scientific questions that require detailed, targeted field observations combined with data collected by our fleet of Earth-observing satellites.”
Photo 3. Jack Kaye hands out eclipse posters and other outreach materials to attendees at Eclipse Fest 2024. Photo credit: GRC https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/earth-science/looking-back-on-looking-up-the-2024-total-solar-eclipse/Kaye has also represented NASA in interagency and international activities and has been an active participant in the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), where he has served for many years as NASA principal of the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. He served as NASA’s representative to the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology and chaired the World Meteorological Organization Expert Team on Satellite Systems. Kaye was named an honorary member of the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society in 2015. He previously completed a six-year term as a member of the Steering Committee for the Global Climate Observing System and currently serves an ex officio member of the National Research Council’s Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability and the Chemical Sciences Roundtable, as well as a member of the Roundtable on Global Science Diplomacy.
NASA has honored Kaye with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal in 2022 and the Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service in 2004, 2010, and 2021. In 2024 he was awarded the NASA-USGS Pecora Individual Award honoring excellence in Earth Observation. He was named a Fellow by the American Meteorological Society in 2010 and by the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2014. Kaye was elected to serve as an office of the Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Science section of the AAAS (2015–2018). AGU has recognized him on two occasions with a Citation for Excellence in Refereeing.
Over the course of his career Kaye has published more than 50 papers, contributed to numerous reports, books, and encyclopedias, and edited the book Isotope Effects in Gas-Phase Chemistry for the American Chemical Society. In addition, he has attended the Leadership for Democratic Society program at the Federal Executive Institute and the Harvard Senior Managers in Government Program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
“The vantage point of space provides a way to look at the Earth globally, with the ability to observe Earth’s interacting components of air, water, land and ice, and both naturally occurring and human-induced processes,” Kaye said in a November 2024 article published by Penn State University. “It lets us look at variability on a broad range of spatial and temporal scales and given the decades of accomplishments, has allowed us to characterize and document Earth system variability on time scales from minutes to decades.”
In Memoriam: Dr. Stanley Sander
3 min read
In Memoriam: Dr. Stanley Sander
Dr. Stanley Sander dedicated more than five decades to atmospheric science at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, beginning his JPL career as a graduate research assistant in 1971. A leading figure in atmospheric chemistry, Stan made foundational contributions to our understanding of stratospheric ozone depletion, tropospheric air pollution, and climate science related to greenhouse gases.
His pioneering work in laboratory measurements—particularly of reaction rate constants, spectroscopy, and photochemistry—was designed to forge consensus among often disparate measurements. His steadfast application of the scientific method was essential for furthering scientific research, as well as for providing sound advice for use in air quality management and environmental policies. His expertise extended beyond Earth’s atmosphere, with studies of methane chemistry on Mars, halogens on Venus, and hydrocarbons in Titan’s atmosphere.
Stan’s scientific output was vast. He authored over 180 peer-reviewed publications, beginning with his 1976 paper on sulfur dioxide oxidation. His work spans major aspects of atmospheric chemistry—from chlorine, bromine, and nitrogen oxides to sulfur compounds and peroxides. The rate constants, cross-sections, and photochemical data produced in his lab form the cornerstone of atmospheric modeling crucial to the scientific foundation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. He played a central role in the widely used JPL Chemical Kinetics and Photochemical Data for Use in Atmospheric Studies reports, which have collectively garnered over 10,000 citations. His spectroscopic research, which included development of novel spectrometers and polarimeters, resulted in insightful data from sites at JPL, the Table Mountain Facility as well as the California Laboratory for Remote sensing (CLARS). These activities have contributed significantly to the calibration and validation of satellite missions like TES, OCO, OMI, and SAGE, helped advance remote sensing technologies, and informed local air quality metrics.
Stan was not only a brilliant scientist but a deeply respected mentor and leader. He guided 40 postdocs at JPL, 14 graduate students at Caltech, and 14 undergraduate researchers. At JPL, he held key leadership roles including Supervisor of the Laboratory Studies and Modeling Group, Chief Engineer and Acting Chief Technologist in the Science Division, and Senior Research Scientist. Those of us lucky enough to be fostered by Stan in this capacity will always remember his kindness first approach and steadfast resolve in the face of challenges.
Stan’s contributions were recognized with numerous honors, including two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals, a NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and elected as a fellow for both the American Geophysical Union (2021) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2024). Although the announcement of his AAAS Fellowship came posthumously, he was informed of this honor before his passing.
Stan was a rare combination of scientific brilliance, humility, and kindness. He was not only a leader in his field, but also a generous collaborator and cherished mentor. His loss is profoundly felt by the scientific community and by all who had the privilege of working with him. His legacy, however, will endure in those he mentored and the substantial contributions he made to scientific knowledge.
In Memoriam: Dr. Stanley Sander
3 min read
In Memoriam: Dr. Stanley SanderDr. Stanley Sander dedicated more than five decades to atmospheric science at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, beginning his JPL career as a graduate research assistant in 1971. A leading figure in atmospheric chemistry, Stan made foundational contributions to our understanding of stratospheric ozone depletion, tropospheric air pollution, and climate science related to greenhouse gases.
His pioneering work in laboratory measurements—particularly of reaction rate constants, spectroscopy, and photochemistry—was designed to forge consensus among often disparate measurements. His steadfast application of the scientific method was essential for furthering scientific research, as well as for providing sound advice for use in air quality management and environmental policies. His expertise extended beyond Earth’s atmosphere, with studies of methane chemistry on Mars, halogens on Venus, and hydrocarbons in Titan’s atmosphere.
Stan’s scientific output was vast. He authored over 180 peer-reviewed publications, beginning with his 1976 paper on sulfur dioxide oxidation. His work spans major aspects of atmospheric chemistry—from chlorine, bromine, and nitrogen oxides to sulfur compounds and peroxides. The rate constants, cross-sections, and photochemical data produced in his lab form the cornerstone of atmospheric modeling crucial to the scientific foundation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. He played a central role in the widely used JPL Chemical Kinetics and Photochemical Data for Use in Atmospheric Studies reports, which have collectively garnered over 10,000 citations. His spectroscopic research, which included development of novel spectrometers and polarimeters, resulted in insightful data from sites at JPL, the Table Mountain Facility as well as the California Laboratory for Remote sensing (CLARS). These activities have contributed significantly to the calibration and validation of satellite missions like TES, OCO, OMI, and SAGE, helped advance remote sensing technologies, and informed local air quality metrics.
Stan was not only a brilliant scientist but a deeply respected mentor and leader. He guided 40 postdocs at JPL, 14 graduate students at Caltech, and 14 undergraduate researchers. At JPL, he held key leadership roles including Supervisor of the Laboratory Studies and Modeling Group, Chief Engineer and Acting Chief Technologist in the Science Division, and Senior Research Scientist. Those of us lucky enough to be fostered by Stan in this capacity will always remember his kindness first approach and steadfast resolve in the face of challenges.
Stan’s contributions were recognized with numerous honors, including two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals, a NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and elected as a fellow for both the American Geophysical Union (2021) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2024). Although the announcement of his AAAS Fellowship came posthumously, he was informed of this honor before his passing.
Stan was a rare combination of scientific brilliance, humility, and kindness. He was not only a leader in his field, but also a generous collaborator and cherished mentor. His loss is profoundly felt by the scientific community and by all who had the privilege of working with him. His legacy, however, will endure in those he mentored and the substantial contributions he made to scientific knowledge.
The Blue Danube Waltz sent into the stars
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