Neil Jacobs quietly began his job as NOAA administrator this week, completing a long journey that began in February when the atmospheric scientist agreed to return to the agency he led during the final years of Trump’s first administration.
His first term as NOAA administrator, from 2019 to 2021, became mired in controversy over President Donald Trump’s contortion of scientific facts to meet political ends, culminating in what became known as “Sharpiegate,” a public embarrassment for both Jacobs and the agency.
But those who know Jacobs, 51, from his prior NOAA tenure say his scientific knowledge and experience in both the public and private sector make him highly qualified to lead the agency. He is widely recognized as a leader in advanced numerical weather prediction and spent the last five years at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, where he was chief science adviser to NOAA’s Unified Forecast System.
Jacob’s second time leading the agency could prove even more challenging, according to four former senior NOAA officials, including the two administrators who preceded and succeeded him in the executive office.
