A_AT1 clean_JJ slate_NN1 Nature_NN1 is_VBZ pleased_JJ to_TO name_VVI physicist_NN1 Steven_NP1 Chu_NP1 ,_, Nobel_NP1 laureate_NN1 and_CC the_AT US_NP1 Secretary_NN1 of_IO Energy_NN1 ,_, as_CSA its_APPGE Newsmaker_NN1 of_IO the_AT Year_NNT1 ._. 
Steven_NP1 Chu_NP1 made_VVD his_APPGE name_NN1 --_NN1 and_CC earned_VVD his_APPGE Nobel_NP1 prize_NN1 --_NN1 by_II developing_VVG an_AT1 ingenious_JJ laser_NN1 technique_NN1 for_IF capturing_VVG and_CC studying_VVG atoms_NN2 ._. 
He_PPHS1 is_VBZ an_AT1 extraordinary_JJ experimentalist_NN1 who_PNQS loves_VVZ the_AT challenges_NN2 of_IO the_AT lab_NN1 ._. 
But_CCB five_MC years_NNT2 ago_RA ,_, he_PPHS1 embraced_VVD a_AT1 much_RR bigger_JJR challenge_NN1 when_CS he_PPHS1 took_VVD the_AT helm_NN1 at_II Lawrence_NP1 Berkeley_NP1 National_JJ Laboratory_NN1 in_II California_NP1 and_CC dedicated_VVD it_PPH1 to_II clean-energy_JJ research_NN1 ._. 
Chu_NP1 was_VBDZ sworn_VVN in_RP as_CSA secretary_NN1 of_IO the_AT US_NP1 Department_NN1 of_IO Energy_NN1 this_DD1 January_NPM1 ,_, and_CC is_VBZ now_RT charged_VVN with_IW transforming_VVG the_AT way_NN1 the_AT world_NN1 's_GE largest_JJT economy_NN1 powers_VVZ itself_PPX1 ._. 
That_DD1 is_VBZ why_RRQ Nature_NN1 has_VHZ selected_VVN Chu_NP1 as_CSA its_APPGE Newsmaker_NN1 of_IO the_AT Year_NNT1 (_( see_VV0 page_NN1 978_MC )_) ._. 
Chu_NP1 has_VHZ already_RR had_VHN a_AT1 significant_JJ impact_NN1 ._. 
From_II his_APPGE position_NN1 near_II the_AT top_NN1 of_IO President_NNB Barack_NP1 Obama_NP1 's_GE administration_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 has_VHZ helped_VVN make_VVI the_AT case_NN1 that_CST the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 must_VM commit_VVI to_II reducing_VVG its_APPGE greenhouse-gas_JJ emissions_NN2 ,_, not_XX only_RR to_TO save_VVI the_AT planet_NN1 but_CCB also_RR to_TO ensure_VVI that_CST the_AT country_NN1 will_VM be_VBI able_JK to_TO compete_VVI with_IW China_NP1 ,_, India_NP1 and_CC Europe_NP1 in_II the_AT emerging_JJ green_JJ economy_NN1 ._. 
And_CC he_PPHS1 has_VHZ started_VVN to_TO commit_VVI the_AT energy_NN1 department_NN1 to_II doing_VDG more_RGR high-risk_JJ research_NN1 on_II clean_JJ energy_NN1 ._. 
This_DD1 is_VBZ the_AT proper_JJ role_NN1 of_IO governmental_JJ research_NN1 programmes_NN2 :_: to_TO develop_VVI promising_JJ technologies_NN2 that_CST are_VBR too_RG far_RR from_II the_AT market_NN1 to_TO draw_VVI the_AT support_NN1 of_IO industry_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ has_VHZ to_TO focus_VVI on_II near-term_JJ profits_NN2 ._. 
Nations_NN2 can_VM not_XX simply_RR regulate_VVI themselves_PPX2 out_II21 of_II22 the_AT global-warming_JJ problem_NN1 ;_; pledges_VVZ to_TO cut_VVI greenhouse_NN1 emissions_NN2 have_VH0 to_TO be_VBI made_VVN real_JJ by_II the_AT scientists_NN2 and_CC engineers_NN2 who_PNQS develop_VV0 cheaper_JJR ,_, cleaner_NN1 and_CC more_RGR efficient_JJ ways_NN2 to_TO produce_VVI and_CC distribute_VVI energy_NN1 ._. 
Chu_NP1 has_VHZ accordingly_RR made_VVN it_PPH1 his_APPGE mission_NN1 to_TO be_VBI a_AT1 public_JJ cheerleader_NN1 for_IF clean-energy_JJ research_NN1 ._. 
As_CSA he_PPHS1 travels_VVZ around_II the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 ,_, he_PPHS1 trumpets_VVZ the_AT need_NN1 for_IF the_AT best_JJT minds_NN2 of_IO this_DD1 generation_NN1 to_TO tackle_VVI perhaps_RR the_AT largest_JJT problem_NN1 that_CST society_NN1 now_RT faces_VVZ ._. 
He_PPHS1 has_VHZ already_RR recruited_VVN some_DD top_JJ scientists_NN2 to_TO leave_VVI their_APPGE chosen_JJ fields_NN2 of_IO research_NN1 and_CC --_NN1 just_RR as_CSA he_PPHS1 did_VDD --_JJ focus_NN1 on_II the_AT energy_NN1 issue_NN1 ._. 
"_" Steven_NP1 Chu_NP1 has_VHZ made_VVN it_PPH1 his_APPGE mission_NN1 to_TO be_VBI a_AT1 public_JJ cheerleader_NN1 for_IF clean-energy_JJ research_NN1 ._. "_" 
Such_DA commitment_NN1 to_II public_JJ service_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT1 long_JJ and_CC honourable_JJ tradition_NN1 among_II scientists_NN2 ._. 
Thus_RR ,_, Nature_NN1 's_GE selection_NN1 of_IO Chu_NP1 as_CSA Newsmaker_NP1 is_VBZ also_RR a_AT1 tribute_NN1 to_II the_AT legions_NN2 of_IO scientists_NN2 around_II the_AT world_NN1 who_PNQS step_VV0 away_II21 from_II22 research_NN1 ,_, sometimes_RT for_IF life_NN1 ,_, to_TO tackle_VVI the_AT larger_JJR problems_NN2 of_IO society_NN1 ._. 
There_EX have_VH0 been_VBN times_II when_RRQ Chu_NP1 has_VHZ struggled_VVN during_II his_APPGE first_MD year_NNT1 of_IO tenure_NN1 ._. 
Scientists_NN2 who_PNQS take_VV0 leading_JJ roles_NN2 in_II government_NN1 are_VBR often_RR selected_VVN because_CS they_PPHS2 ,_, like_II Chu_NP1 ,_, are_VBR outstanding_JJ researchers_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB the_AT skills_NN2 that_CST matter_VV0 most_RRT in_II a_AT1 laboratory_NN1 are_VBR not_XX enough_RR to_TO ensure_VVI success_NN1 in_II the_AT arena_NN1 of_IO public_JJ policy_NN1 and_CC politics_NN1 ,_, where_CS building_NN1 consensus_NN1 and_CC finding_VVG acceptable_JJ compromises_NN2 are_VBR key_JJ ._. 
As_CSA Chu_NP1 is_VBZ learning_VVG ,_, researchers_NN2 entering_VVG government_NN1 need_NN1 to_TO adapt_VVI and_CC learn_VVI from_II political_JJ leaders_NN2 ._. 
At_II the_AT same_DA time_NNT1 ,_, scientists_NN2 can_VM help_VVI politicians_NN2 to_TO think_VVI more_RGR scientifically_RR --_JJ encouraging_VVG them_PPHO2 to_TO examine_VVI the_AT results_NN2 of_IO research_NN1 carefully_RR rather_CS21 than_CS22 just_RR follow_VVI ideology_NN1 and_CC political_JJ expediency_NN1 ._. 
Chu_NP1 has_VHZ taken_VVN it_PPH1 upon_II himself_PPX1 to_TO meet_VVI with_IW legislators_NN2 ,_, particularly_RR those_DD2 who_PNQS do_VD0 not_XX believe_VVI that_DD1 global_JJ warming_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT1 problem_NN1 ._. 
He_PPHS1 walks_VVZ them_PPHO2 through_II the_AT science_NN1 of_IO climate_NN1 change_NN1 and_CC the_AT consequences_NN2 of_IO ignoring_VVG it_PPH1 ,_, all_DB with_IW the_AT aim_NN1 of_IO helping_VVG to_TO win_VVI passage_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 climate_NN1 bill_NN1 that_CST will_VM clean_VVI up_RP the_AT US_NP1 energy_NN1 sector_NN1 ._. 
Although_CS it_PPH1 would_VM be_VBI naive_JJ to_TO think_VVI that_CST one_MC1 scientist_NN1 can_VM move_VVI politicians_NN2 with_IW long-standing_JJ opposition_NN1 to_II climate_NN1 legislation_NN1 ,_, Chu_NP1 's_GE efforts_NN2 may_VM help_VVI tilt_VVI the_AT balance_NN1 towards_II the_AT passage_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 bill_NN1 and_CC the_AT eventual_JJ ratification_NN1 of_IO an_AT1 international_JJ climate_NN1 treaty_NN1 ._. 
Those_DD2 who_PNQS stand_VV0 on_II the_AT side_NN1 of_IO logic_NN1 and_CC data_NN should_VM vigorously_RR support_VVI his_APPGE efforts_NN2 ._. 
