President Donald Trump’s choice to lead NOAA has the scientific chops to run the nation’s primary climate and weather agency, say experts and longtime NOAA officials — in spite of the nominee’s ties to controversy during the first Trump administration. If confirmed by the Senate, Neil Jacobs will retake the top slot at NOAA, where he was acting administrator from 2019 to 2021. He’s currently the chief science adviser at the Unified Forecast System, a NOAA-funded research initiative housed at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. The nomination was first reported by Axios. Jacobs is regarded by many as a serious scientist, whose doctorate in numerical weather prediction and background in meteorology make him an asset to the agency.

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