Dr. Francisco “Cisco” Werner

Generationology, LLC.

Dr. Francisco (Cisco) Werner has been leading scientific efforts in the federal government, academia, and internationally for more than three decades. Presently, Cisco is the acting Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and performs the duties of NOAA Chief Scientist. He is responsible for NOAA’s research enterprise including a network of 10 research laboratories and six research programs.

In NOAA Fisheries, Cisco serves as Director of Scientific Programs and Chief Science Advisor and leads NOAA Fisheries' efforts to provide the science needed to support sustainable fisheries and ecosystems.

Prior to joining NOAA Fisheries, he was Professor and Director of the Institute of Marine and Coastal Studies at Rutgers University, and also held several positions at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Cisco’s own research has focused on the oceanic environment through development of numerical models of ocean circulation and marine ecosystems. He has studied the effects of climate and physical forcing on the structure, function and abundance of commercially and ecologically important species, and contributed to the development and implementation of ocean forecasting systems.

Originally from Maracaibo, Venezuela, Cisco earned his BSc in Mathematics, and his MSc and PhD in Oceanography, all from the University of Washington.

Panel Information

Wednesday, July 27

1:30 PM EST

Leading under deep uncertainty: the need for inclusive leadership

The changes we are witnessing are unprecedented in their magnitude and in the rate at which they are taking place. These include changes in our workplace, in our natural environment, in our society. These changes have led to conditions of “deep uncertainty”, i.e., situations where we are unable to make well-informed decisions based on our current understanding, as well as conditions where we are unable to reduce uncertainty by gathering additional information. Under deep uncertainty, leadership takes on added importance. However, more significantly, deliberate attention to diversity, inclusion and belonging, becomes essential. We will discuss how inclusive leadership is necessary to jointly define ways forward under deep uncertainty.