Editor's Note: Our southernmost correspondent, Patricia Ballou, continues with her letters from Antarctica series, where we get a rare glimpse into the lives and purposes of the people that head to one of the world's most inhospitable places.
Kenneth Mankoff’s story is unique in that he has shown you can make decisions in your life to further your personal goals without sacrificing an ideology. Starting from his college years and his decision to move to an elevation of 10,000 feet and live alone while attending the University of Colorado, Boulder to his current endeavors in Antarctica, Ken has made deliberate choices to ensure his belief in environmental issues is compatible with job, living and travel. He now works as the lead developer for the EdGCM project at the Center for Climate Systems Research, Columbia University, New York, (CCSR / NASA-GISS). With that being said the next segment just proves you can have your cake and eat it too.
Computer Climate Modeller, Kenneth Mankoff, at the South Pole
Patricia Ballou: Ken you’ve come a long way from a university student to being selected as an educator studying and working side-by-side some of the foremost scientists in Antarctica. What are the events that led up to your interests in climate modeling? 
Kenneth Mankoff: I have a bachelor’s degree in computer science. I attended the University of Colorado which is known in some circles as the “space university.” Most shuttle flights have an astronaut from the university. The famous words “Houston, we have a problem” were spoken by a former student. The U.S. space program has a connection with the university and the students. In 1998 the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics managed the Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE) the first satellite ever designed, built, and operated by students. I was 19 when I initially interviewed for a position with the program and a few months later I was asked to manage the database for SNOE. That is how I got my start. A professor mentioned something, I applied, and it led to where I am today. Being such a small project I got to try everything from operating the satellite, to interpreting the raw numbers, visualization and analysis, and then being part of a published work for Dr. Charles Barth, a renowned Mars scientist.
PB: How did you transition from satellite database management to climate modeling?
KM: I’m a general scientific programmer and started working for a robot company after college. From there I moved to a climate modeling laboratory as a programmer/data analyst. My knowledge base stayed the same but the application changed. Satellites, just like climate models, spit out a bunch of numbers and someone has to turn all those numbers into images so scientists can interpret the data. That means taking terra bytes and years worth of data and producing a fancy spinning globe with oceans and clouds, or maybe just a simple line plot.
PB: What is the climate modeling program that you are working on currently and who is using it? 
KM: Our main model is an educational model called Educational Global Climate Model (EdGCM). Here’s how we came up with the concept. Home computers and laptops have the capacity of a decade old super-computer. Our aim was to use a cutting edge, research quality model that could only be run from a super-computer in the 80s and 90s and make it run on Mac and Windows based home computers today. Until a couple of years ago if you wanted to run a climate model you needed two things: an advanced FORTRAN programmer and a super computer. By using an older (but real) model we removed the need for a supercomputer. By wrapping it in a graphical interface we removed the need for the programmer. If you want to turn the sun down by 2%, add CO2, rearrange the continents and come up with your own climate change scenarios there is a check box and a slider rather than hiring somebody like me to do it for you. Our target audience is high school students, college undergraduates and even researchers. You have to remember not all professional researchers have access or the resources to use a super-computer. Anyone can go to our website, download it for free and there is an online tutorial video, example lesson plans and homework assignments. Sometimes educators would like to use EdGCM but say they can’t because they have to teach to state standards. So, we have written our lesson plans to meet the standards of places like Wisconsin, New York and California.
PB: Is there an international audience using EdGCM model?
KM: We have an international audience with visitors from almost every country on the planet every month. It is exciting to see the expansion of the subject on an international level.
PB: So far you have used the words “stumble upon” to describe your ability to find jobs that promote and educate the public on environmental issues. How did you stumble upon The Climate Project?
KM: At one point I received an e-mail informing me Al Gore was going to be training people to present the slide show used in the movie “An Inconvenient Truth.” At the time I hadn’t even seen the movie because I already work in the climate field and most of the data he used was obtained from data and reports I have already seen. A friend of mine told me it doesn’t matter what you think you know or what you do know. You are morally obligated to see the movie. Those were strong words but it turned out to be true. Did it change me? No, not really. It was a good presentation but it didn’t affect me a whole lot because I’m already in the business. The e-mail came with a link to fill out an application to be part of The Climate Project. Apparently over 5,000 applications were submitted and 1,000 were selected. Al Gore stood in front of 200 of us from 7 am to 7 pm going over every slide in detail for an intensive weekend of training on climate change. The training covered not only the ideas behind the slides, but such minute details such as transitions and phraseology.
PB: What were the dynamics of the 200 people you trained with? Can you put a face on those willing to educate the public on climate issues?
KM: I was one of the few professionals working in the field of climate science. Most were housewives, cabdrivers, architects, school teachers, military personnel, and regular people from all over. There were even big names such as Cameron Diaz in attendance 
but it was all about a grassroots campaign to reach everyone. That meant volunteers were needed from all walks of life so the message could be heard in small coffee shops or amongst jetsetters. Scientists have been talking about climate change for years but no one was listening. This act of volunteerism put the message into the hands of everyday people who are doing good things to aid in taking climate science out of the laboratory and into the communities. Attendees sacrificed and took time off work and there was a spirit of initiative and community. The energy was amazing, much like the community here in Antarctica.
PB: What next? After the weekend with Al Gore where was the message taken?
KM: In exchange for the training we were asked to give ten “talks.” Al Gore said all you have to do is arrange the first one and at the end of the presentation ask the audience if anyone would like this for their knitting club, office or other groups and it would snowball from there. It is simply bizarre what has become of this. January will be one year since my training and in that time I have given over 30 talks. I started off small and then somehow I met with a United Nations Youth Organization (ATHGO). I gave the talk in the general assembly room for over 1,200 people at the U.N.. I have also given the talk to a lot of high schools around New York.
PB: You have the distinction of being the first to give The Inconvenient Truth “talk” to the residence of McMurdo Station, Antarctica. How did you arrive at this junction and where does it go from here?
KM: I came here as one of the ARISE educators. ARISE is a subset of the ANDRILL Antarctic Drilling program that is taking teachers to Antarctica. My proposal was based on my current status as a climate modeler. A teacher can influence a couple of hundred students intensely every year because they have them every day, but I can’t do that. However, I can use the large community of the internet and EdGCM to reach many thousands of people.
PB: It is apparent you have used life’s adventures to steer your path and have taken leaps of faith, in some cases, in order to continue learning and contributing to the overall message of environmental responsibility. Has your time in Antarctica shifted your focus in anyway?
KM: On a personal level my time working in Antarctica has influenced the direction my education might take. Now I am more inclined to study or have a hand in polar science. My interests would be ice sheets and ice dynamics because there is so much field work that needs to be done. 
The EdGCM model doesn’t have a lot of ice sheet dynamics. You choose from fixed environments such as rainforests, deserts and so on. The model that is made to run on your home computer is considered basic in comparison with models made for super-computers. They have fully dynamic oceans, vegetation and other physics that make the results more refined and realistic but it is my understanding the current ice sheet models in GCMs could use some work. Taking the time to learn ice dynamics while earning an advanced degree and then pairing that knowledge with my programming background could improve ice sheet models. There are a lot of people who understand ice dynamics and there are a lot of modelers but they need to work together more. We need to produce a really good global climate model with dynamic polar ice. Maybe I will take on that challenge after being involved in polar science.
PB: Why have you made deliberate steps to ensure you are not just talking the talk but are walking the walk?
KM: I believe everyone is an environmentalist and that would include those who live in big houses or drive SUVs. Whether they are aware of it or not, they are environmentalist simply because they like, need and enjoy nature. Everyone needs clean water and fresh air. It is a matter of waking up that side of a person and having them realize they really do care. There are no words of wisdom I could leave you with. I have made choices about my career and the direction of my life based on a childlike way of looking at what is put in front of me. If the project didn’t leave me with a good feeling about myself or what the end results would be I moved to a project that did. I have done things that interest me and have been fortunate enough to stumble upon projects such as climate modeling that have been rewarding and helpful to our global community. Through EdGCM and The Climate Project I have a means to be involved in climate outreach and it has allowed me to explore and apply my knowledge to polar science.
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