On January 1, 1995, following a two-year appointment as director of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Division of Environmental Biology, Dr. James R. Gosz officially assumed his new duties as elected chair of the U.S. Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network Coordinating Committee and director of the LTER Network Office at the University of Washington in Seattle.
The NSF has funded the LTER Program since 1980 to conduct research on long-term ecological phenomena in the United States in a collaborative effort involving over 800 scientists and students conducting work at 18 diverse sites. The Network extends the opportunities and capabilities of the individual sites to promote synthesis and comparative research across sites and ecosystems.
Dr. Gosz will be working closely with outgoing chair Jerry Franklin over the next year to ensure a smooth transition in leadership and the functions of the coordination office. “We believe that LTER is very fortunate to have someone with James Gosz’ experience, ability and dedication who is willing to take on the responsibilities of the Chair,” said Dr. Franklin, who has held the position for 12 of the Program’s 15 years of existence. Franklin will continue to be involved in the LTER Program, providing administrative assistance to Gosz and chairing international LTER (ILTER) activities during 1995. His eventual goal is to shift back into major scientific involvement in intersite LTER projects and to produce a book on the LTER sites and program for general audiences.
Dr. Gosz studied tree physiology and soil chemistry at Michigan Tech University (B.S. 1963) and earned his Ph.D. in forest science at the University of Idaho in 1968. He held research associate positions at Dartmouth and Cornell before joining the Biology Department at the University of New Mexico, where he currently is Professor of Biology.
Over the past two decades, Dr. Gosz has participated in many federal agency program reviews, sat on interagency committees and advisory boards on energy, technology and radioactive waste disposal issues, and has held several elected positions and significant appointments in the ecological research community, including the executive directorship of the Sustainable Biosphere Initiative Office for the Ecological Society of America. His research presently focuses on nutrient dynamics, species interactions and landscape ecology in semiarid regions.
During 1995, Dr. Gosz will be on sabbatical from his University of New Mexico faculty position allowing him to concentrate on the new responsibilities of the LTER position. As LTER Chair, he will seek to build expanded relationships between LTER and other agencies, societies and government on the values and scientific advancements of long-term research programs and dedicated research sites, including comparisons with non-LTER sites and research efforts. Gosz also hopes to oversee the development of additional communication infrastructure and enhanced national and international networkwide computational abilities, as well as expanded public education programs.
Since assuming the position of LTER Chair, Dr. Gosz has met with Network Office staff and Jerry Franklin to plan the transition and has already been very active in identifying and developing new international LTER (ILTER) partnerships in Iberia and Eastern Europe.