The biennial MAC URISA conference took place April 7-9, 2008 at the Enterprise Center, Burlington County, Mount Laurel, New Jersey.  The conference had a new format (two-day conference plus one day workshops) and a new venue.  I liked both, even though I had to travel farther.

Dr. David Robinson of Rutgers University gave the keynote address.  Dr. Robinson is also the New Jersey State climatologist, and was introduced by Seth Hackman (MAC URISA Treasurer and a former student of Dr. Robinson’s) as a Nobel Prize winner. 

Beginning his address, Dr. Robinson humbly refuted Seth’s introduction, stating that he was merely a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which shared the Nobel Prize with Al Gore.  Dr. Robinson proceeded to present a stimulating address on global climate change and GIS.

I had an opportunity to speak with Dr. Robinson after his address.  I asked his opinion about the statements of another State Climatologist (Alabama’s), who was also on the IPCC team.  Dr. John Christy from the University of Alabama-Huntsville confused plenty of folks, including me, with his statement that, among other things, Alabama is getting colder, not warmer, and the Antarctic ice cap is thickening.

Dr. Robinson told me that he knew Dr. Christy personally, has high regard for him as a scientist, and that Dr. Christy just “sees the data differently.”