Burton Richter about Burton Richter

I am a relative latecomer to the climate and energy field. My career has been in physics. I received my PhD in 1956 and my Nobel Prize in 1976 at the young age (for Nobel Prizes) of 45. Many Nobel Laureates continue research, but some look for other mountains to climb, and I was one of those. I took on the job of directing a large Department of Energy scientific laboratory at Stanford University in 1984; its mission is to build and operate unique, large-scale research tools for the national scientific community. During my 15 years as Director we expanded opportunities in many areas; the number of users from outside Stanford that came to the laboratory rose from about 1000 to nearly 3000, and the facilities that we pioneered were reproduced in many parts of the world.

Like many scientists, I had followed the growing debate on climate change from a distance, though I did have some peripheral involvement in related areas having to do with energy options. I became seriously interested in climate and energy issues in the mid-1990s, partly because it was clear that this would be a critical issue for the future and partly because, once again, of the lure of another mountain range. Since stepping down as a laboratory director in 1999, I have devoted most of my time to various aspects of the issue.

Having a Nobel Prize is a great advantage when moving into a new area. Besides being one of the highest scientific honors, it is a great door opener. Nobel Laureate Richter had a much easier time getting appointments with high-level officials in government and industry in the U.S. and abroad than would scientist Richter. I have served on many review committees both national and international ranging from the U.S. government’s analysis of the effects of climate change on the economy, to the nuclear energy programs of both the U.S. and France, to the role of efficiency in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.