On behalf of all of us, I want to thank Dr. Yoram Kaufman, who dedicated his life to science and spent his last years studying global warming and the environment as a senior atmospheric scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
On Friday May 26th, Dr. Kaufman was struck by an SUV while riding his bicycle from one side of the Goddard campus to another. He was rushed to the hospital, unconscious upon arrival. He regained consciousness and thankfully was able to communicate with his family by squeezing their hands.
After an extensive effort to save his life, Dr. Kaufman passed away on May 31st, one day short of his 58th birthday.
In a fitting tribute, Yoram's NASA colleagues have arranged for a special memorial screening of "An Inconvenient Truth" to honor Yoram. The screening is open to the public, and will be this Saturday evening (June 17) at the Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema (in Bethesda, Maryland). His colleagues will say a few words in memory of Yoram and his work on global warming prior to the film.
One of his friends told me that he was an incredibly positive and kind person, a highly regarded scientist, and passionately concerned about the environment. In an outpouring of sincere recognition for Yoram's work, NASA and other scientific agencies around the world observed a moment of silence during his memorial service on Sunday. The tribute even extended into space, where data collection on two satellite spacecraft ceased for the moment of remembrance.
Thank you Yoram.