Obama Energy Pick a Nobel Physicist

Chu was an early advocate for climate change solutions

By Ambreen Ali, Newser User

Posted Dec 10, 2008 5:15 PM CST

(Newser) – Nobel laureate Steven Chu is Barack Obama's nominee for energy secretary, the Wall Street Journal reports. The acclaimed physicist, director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, was an early advocate for finding scientific solutions to climate change, and his lab is doing groundbreaking work in developing carbon-neutral sources of energy, Reuters adds. Chu would work closely Obama's current energy adviser, Carol Browner, who will coordinate energy policy in the new post of "energy czar."

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Steve Chu, director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize, is Obama's energy secretary pick. (BerkeleyLab)

Chu was an early advocate for scientific solutions to climate change. (uctelevision)

Chu shared the Nobel Prize in physics in 1997. (Nobel Foundation)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Chu tells the presidential candidates to devote more funding to science education so American can compete globally. (ucberkeleyevents)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Gore-Obama Meeting Fuels Job Rumors

But former veep says he wants to keep working from 'outside'

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama and Joe Biden will meet today with Al Gore just as the transition team is set to choose the key environmental appointments of energy secretary and EPA chief, CNN reports. The meeting in Chicago has triggered speculation that Obama may be considering Gore for a slot in his administration, but Politico reports that Gore is dismissing any talk of a formal role. More»

A Look at Obama's Energy Blueprint

Going green will help bring US out of crisis: Klein

(NEWSER) - Detroit's looking for a bailout. China just announced a massive stimulus package, including big investments in transportation and energy. What’s a president-elect to do? Barack Obama would be best served by making good on his promise to create an alternative energy economy, writes Joe Klein in Time. Thankfully, the head of Obama’s transition team runs a think tank-with a proposal for just that. More»

Green Energy Jobs: Will They Save the Economy?

Obama's plans for investment in renewable energy turn cost into benefit

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama's ambitious plans to use green energy investment to rev up the economy are igniting fierce debate over the math behind them, the Wall Street Journal writes. The president-elect says $150 billion in investment will create five million jobs over the next decade, in construction and installation. Critics charge that the plan doesn’t take into account jobs lost elsewhere in the energy industry. More»

Obama to Tap Energy Exec for Commerce

Former energy CEO John Bryson picked to head Dept. of Commerce

(AP) - President Obama will nominate businessman John Bryson to lead the Commerce Department, a White House official said today. Bryson's appointment brings another private sector player into an administration that has been making a concerted effort to improve its relationship with the business community. Bryson is a former chairman and chief executive officer of Edison International, a California-based energy company. He also has an extensive background in environmental issues, having co-founded the Natural Resources Defense Council and served on a United Nations advisory group on energy and climate change. More»

Obama Eyes William Daley as Rahm Replacement

The JPMorgan Chase exec has pro-business reputation

(NEWSER) - President Obama is considering bringing on Clinton-era Commerce Secretary William Daley as his new chief of staff, or slotting him into some other high-level White House job, sources tell the Wall Street Journal . The appointment would send a powerful message to the business world, where Daley, a champion of free trade, is seen as an ally. Daley was a close adviser to Obama during his presidential campaign, and has long been considered a potential hire for him. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Obama Energy Pick a Nobel Physicist