Lowell Smith’s life odyssey has been a persistent search for truth, first through scientific understanding, and subsequently through an application of this understanding to the promotion of fairness and justice in human affairs.
His search for scientific truth began as a plasma physicist employing his satellite-born instrumentation to study the relationship between the solar wind and the aurora Borealis/Australis. It matured as he managed research programs at EPA designed to provide sound science to inform political decision making in the public interest. Included was representing EPA on inter-agency working group’s that managed our national multi-billion-dollar acid rain and global climate change research programs and representing our nation’s environmental interests on delegations to international negotiations related to these issues.
Parallel to this striving to advance our formal scientific understanding of the natural and human-made world has been pursuing closeness with nature through high altitude expedition mountaineering to some of Earth’s highest summits, and an active role in leading national and regional environmental organizations in their efforts to protect and manage our important life-supporting resources. Currently, in retirement, he chairs the Conservation Committee of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and serves on the Steering Committee of the Blue Ridge Conservation Alliance.
