In 1960, Walter Orr Roberts was chosen by trustees from the 14 founding universities to serve as UCAR's first president.

Today, the president is still chosen by the Board of Trustees and is given the responsibility for creating, promoting, and executing a shared community vision. Among the president's key responsibilities are providing strategic vision and leadership for UCAR, overseeing the management and operation of NSF NCAR, and broadening awareness of the many ways Earth system science benefits the nation. (Pictured above: Walter Orr Roberts, founding UCAR president and NSF NCAR director.)