| Josefino "Joey" C. Comiso, Ph. D. Dayton, Ohio The Pride of Filipinos Outstanding Filipino Scientist at NASA |
Anyone who meets Dr. Josefino C. Comiso for the first time would
also certainly be taken by his unassuming, relaxed, and totally
approachable manner. For a scientist of his rank and caliber, one
might have expected a rather stiff academic with a professional
air about him, but not our man at NASA. WHAT is almost
impressive about Dr. Comiso, or Joey to family, friends and
colleagues, is his agility in translating a scientific study into a
story with a beginning and an end, allowing even the most
unscientific mind to come away with an appreciation not only of
the value of the work being discussed but also of the man
himself. His explanation on how global warming and its effects
are being studied in on such story which reveals both the
scientist and the teacher in him.
Joey is currently a senior research scientist in NASA's Earth
Sciences Directorate. He is recognized as one of the world's
leading experts on sea ice, polar processes, and satellite remote
sensing. His studies have been documented in more than 80
referred publications, three books, and several chapters. He has
also been asked to give plenary and invited talks in numerous
conferences, meetings and workshops around the world. He
served as the chief scientist during a NASA aircraft mission in the
also certainly be taken by his unassuming, relaxed, and totally
approachable manner. For a scientist of his rank and caliber, one
might have expected a rather stiff academic with a professional
air about him, but not our man at NASA. WHAT is almost
impressive about Dr. Comiso, or Joey to family, friends and
colleagues, is his agility in translating a scientific study into a
story with a beginning and an end, allowing even the most
unscientific mind to come away with an appreciation not only of
the value of the work being discussed but also of the man
himself. His explanation on how global warming and its effects
are being studied in on such story which reveals both the
scientist and the teacher in him.
Joey is currently a senior research scientist in NASA's Earth
Sciences Directorate. He is recognized as one of the world's
leading experts on sea ice, polar processes, and satellite remote
sensing. His studies have been documented in more than 80
referred publications, three books, and several chapters. He has
also been asked to give plenary and invited talks in numerous
conferences, meetings and workshops around the world. He
served as the chief scientist during a NASA aircraft mission in the
Arctic that included coincident measurements with a nuclear submarine. He was also a principal investigator
in several Antarctic field programs and is the chief scientist of an upcoming NASA aircraft program in the
region. He has received many awards, including NASA's group achievement award, GSFC's best ocean
paper award, and numerous NASA special awards.
It was at NASA that the focus of his career in research changed drastically from very basic studies in physics
such as time reversal violation (or non-violation) in electromagnetic interactions, charge exchange
phenomena, and pion-capture processes into studies on climate change, polar processes and southern
ocean oceanography. A brief look at his background takes us back to the University of the Philippines, where
he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics. Since graduation in 1962, Joey Comiso's search for
academic and professional excellence has never abated.
As one of the early junior scientists to be hired at the then newly established Philippine Atomic Research
Center, he immediately got immersed in research in the area of "neutron diffraction scattering." After a brieif
teaching stint at the University of the Philippines, he started graduate studies at Florida State University where
he completed his master's degree in Physics in 1966. He went on to receive a PhD in experimental
elementary particle physics in 1972 from the Universiity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
After holding a research associate physics position at UCLA, he was offered a similar post-doctoral position
at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. While at UVA, he was involved with top scientists in "pion-
capture experiments" that provided insights into "nucleon charge exchanges processes". These significant
discoveries were also conducted at the then newly constructed Los Alamos Meson Facility and NASA's Space
Radiation Effects Laboratory in Virginia. Likewise, while using the conducted at the then newly constructed
Los Alamos Meson Facility and NASA's Space Radiation Effects Laboratory in Virginia. Likewise, while using
the facilities of the nuclear engineering laboratory at UVA and during a special research project, he co-
discovered with the university's top physicist, Prof. K. Ziock, the unique unfolding technique for measuring the
stopping power of nucleons.
In 1972, Joey was introduced to the use of remote sensing techniques for Earth science studies by former
Berkeley physics friends. This involvement led to an appointment with the Computer Science Corporation as
a senior analyst where he studied aircraft and spacebased remote-sensing techniques. Soon enough, his
work experience led him to realize that these powerful techniques would eventually revolutionize the way the
Earth's climate system was being studied. The following year, he applied to be a physical scientist at
Goddard Space Flight Center, which was then just beginning to be known as a world-class center for Earth
science studies. In 1979, he became a staff member at Godard where he immedately assumed a key role in
the production of the first atlas on sea ice cover observed by satellite microwave radiometer, published in
1983. He was subsequently involved in the production of a second atlas published in 1987 and a third one in
1992.
Joey has also been active with the Philippine-American Community. He has been president and is currently
the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Philippine American Academy of Scientists and Engineers, an
organization with more than a hundred members, mostly in the PhD level, engaged n research in various
areas: medicine, physics, biology, mathematics, chemistry, different aspects of technology as well as
economics. He has been a visiting scentist at the University of the Philippines on the invitation of the
Department of Science an Technology. He has also attended several scientific meetings in the Philippines
and was a plenary speaker in a recent annual science meeting sponsored by the Philippine Academy of
Science and Technology. Recently, he was featured as one of the "Ten Outstanding Filipino Scientists" in a
book by Qeena Lee Chua, a professor at the Ateneo University.
Asked about future plans, Joey says "I hope to work for another 10 years before retirement... I will be flying to
the Antarctic to do more studies. I look forward to working on even more comprehensive global data sets that
will be made available with the launch of new and sophisticated satellite systems by NASA's Earth Science
Enterprise Project." He hopes to be able to establish with more confidence the effect of human actiivities on
global warming and the impact of the current warming trends to the quality of human life. He also looks
forward to more interactions with scientists and engineers in the Philippines and some means in which
Filipino-American scientists in the US and Canada could help facilitate the transfer of new technologies and
scientific know-how into the country. Highlights of his life's work are found below.
On a lighter note, Joey says," One thing I like in being a scientist is that you are given a chance to do your
thinking in the most relaxed time period. We are given a lot of freedom in doing our research. Some scientists
are more productive outside the office. I can work at home, with my laptop." When not working, Joey takes to
photography, the piano and by self-admission, is quite a good ukelele player.
All in all, it is obvious that our man at NASA is happy where he is. His partner in life, wife Diana, is currently
Director of Nursing at Washington Nursing Facility and was President of the Philippine Nurses Association for
four years. They have three children: sons Glen, 31 and David, 27 and daughter Melissa, 25.
Highlights of research efforts by J. Comiso during the last 20 years:
in several Antarctic field programs and is the chief scientist of an upcoming NASA aircraft program in the
region. He has received many awards, including NASA's group achievement award, GSFC's best ocean
paper award, and numerous NASA special awards.
It was at NASA that the focus of his career in research changed drastically from very basic studies in physics
such as time reversal violation (or non-violation) in electromagnetic interactions, charge exchange
phenomena, and pion-capture processes into studies on climate change, polar processes and southern
ocean oceanography. A brief look at his background takes us back to the University of the Philippines, where
he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics. Since graduation in 1962, Joey Comiso's search for
academic and professional excellence has never abated.
As one of the early junior scientists to be hired at the then newly established Philippine Atomic Research
Center, he immediately got immersed in research in the area of "neutron diffraction scattering." After a brieif
teaching stint at the University of the Philippines, he started graduate studies at Florida State University where
he completed his master's degree in Physics in 1966. He went on to receive a PhD in experimental
elementary particle physics in 1972 from the Universiity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
After holding a research associate physics position at UCLA, he was offered a similar post-doctoral position
at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. While at UVA, he was involved with top scientists in "pion-
capture experiments" that provided insights into "nucleon charge exchanges processes". These significant
discoveries were also conducted at the then newly constructed Los Alamos Meson Facility and NASA's Space
Radiation Effects Laboratory in Virginia. Likewise, while using the conducted at the then newly constructed
Los Alamos Meson Facility and NASA's Space Radiation Effects Laboratory in Virginia. Likewise, while using
the facilities of the nuclear engineering laboratory at UVA and during a special research project, he co-
discovered with the university's top physicist, Prof. K. Ziock, the unique unfolding technique for measuring the
stopping power of nucleons.
In 1972, Joey was introduced to the use of remote sensing techniques for Earth science studies by former
Berkeley physics friends. This involvement led to an appointment with the Computer Science Corporation as
a senior analyst where he studied aircraft and spacebased remote-sensing techniques. Soon enough, his
work experience led him to realize that these powerful techniques would eventually revolutionize the way the
Earth's climate system was being studied. The following year, he applied to be a physical scientist at
Goddard Space Flight Center, which was then just beginning to be known as a world-class center for Earth
science studies. In 1979, he became a staff member at Godard where he immedately assumed a key role in
the production of the first atlas on sea ice cover observed by satellite microwave radiometer, published in
1983. He was subsequently involved in the production of a second atlas published in 1987 and a third one in
1992.
Joey has also been active with the Philippine-American Community. He has been president and is currently
the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Philippine American Academy of Scientists and Engineers, an
organization with more than a hundred members, mostly in the PhD level, engaged n research in various
areas: medicine, physics, biology, mathematics, chemistry, different aspects of technology as well as
economics. He has been a visiting scentist at the University of the Philippines on the invitation of the
Department of Science an Technology. He has also attended several scientific meetings in the Philippines
and was a plenary speaker in a recent annual science meeting sponsored by the Philippine Academy of
Science and Technology. Recently, he was featured as one of the "Ten Outstanding Filipino Scientists" in a
book by Qeena Lee Chua, a professor at the Ateneo University.
Asked about future plans, Joey says "I hope to work for another 10 years before retirement... I will be flying to
the Antarctic to do more studies. I look forward to working on even more comprehensive global data sets that
will be made available with the launch of new and sophisticated satellite systems by NASA's Earth Science
Enterprise Project." He hopes to be able to establish with more confidence the effect of human actiivities on
global warming and the impact of the current warming trends to the quality of human life. He also looks
forward to more interactions with scientists and engineers in the Philippines and some means in which
Filipino-American scientists in the US and Canada could help facilitate the transfer of new technologies and
scientific know-how into the country. Highlights of his life's work are found below.
On a lighter note, Joey says," One thing I like in being a scientist is that you are given a chance to do your
thinking in the most relaxed time period. We are given a lot of freedom in doing our research. Some scientists
are more productive outside the office. I can work at home, with my laptop." When not working, Joey takes to
photography, the piano and by self-admission, is quite a good ukelele player.
All in all, it is obvious that our man at NASA is happy where he is. His partner in life, wife Diana, is currently
Director of Nursing at Washington Nursing Facility and was President of the Philippine Nurses Association for
four years. They have three children: sons Glen, 31 and David, 27 and daughter Melissa, 25.
Highlights of research efforts by J. Comiso during the last 20 years:
- 1. He develped the Bookstrap Algorithm for the retrieval of sea ice parameters from satellite data that
is now being used worldwide and adapted for new satellite systems.
2. He made important contributions on studies of Polynyas and the Odden, including
a. the discovery of an theory behind the Cosmonaut Polynya;
b. the role of coastal polynyas in bottom water formation and thermohaline circulation in the Ocean;
c. new insights into the large Weddell and Maud Rise polynyas;
d. detailed characterization of the Ross Sea Polynya; and
e. the role of the Odden as one of 4 convection areas in the world's ocean leading to deep
water formation.
3. He has provided useful insights into the global climate change phenomenon with the discovery of:
a. an unexpected cooling in Antarctica during the last two decades;
b. hemispheric asymmetry in the trends of the sea ice cover;
c. Effects of El Nino in the Antarctic and a changing climate in the Bellingshausen Sea;
d. rapidly declining perennial ice cover; and an accelerated warming in the Arctic.
4. He is first to put together and analyze a long term and co-registered satellite data set on sea ice,
surface temperature, cloud statistics, and albedo in the polar regions. This data set is now used for
climate studies in many centers around the world. #
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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