Mentioned just now on Pharyngula’s blog, HERE. (Maybe it was publicized elsewhere, if so I missed it).

Phil Plait is moving to TV, Grothe will be taking over as JREF head.

On the JREF news HERE. It’s official.

Barry Karr has posted on FB that DJ will continue to do Point of Inquiry for the foreseeable future. I hope his crystal ball is better than mine in this case ...

This is good news all around. Good for D.J., good for Phil, good for the JREF, and good for CFI.  It was a hard decision, and even while D.J. is leaving CFI, this move will no doubt bring the two organizations closer and help advance the missions of both.

The JREF could not have found a better leader to take the helm and I am incredibly excited about the future of both organizations.

Thomas Donnelly - 07 December 2009 11:25 AM

This is good news all around. Good for D.J., good for Phil, good for the JREF, and good for CFI.  It was a hard decision, and even while D.J. is leaving CFI, this move will no doubt bring the two organizations closer and help advance the missions of both.

The JREF could not have found a better leader to take the helm and I am incredibly excited about the future of both organizations.

This is my hope and expectation as well, Thomas.

Do you know what Phil will be doing in TV?

Phil Plait on leaving the JREF, etc., on his blog HERE.

I only hope this doesn’t mean the end of Point of Inquiry.

Now that is interesting.  I hope it doesn’t interfere with PoI.

Mriana - 07 December 2009 05:41 PM

Now that is interesting.  I hope it doesn’t interfere with PoI.

Me too, but I do think it is a good choice.

As I suspected, it would appear that DJ will soon be replaced as host of Point of Inquiry. It’s unfortunate but understandable that CFI will want the podcast to be headed by an employee rather than the leader of an entirely separate organization.

I very much hope this transfer can be done amicably. CFI and the JREF could do a lot of good work together.

dougsmith - 08 December 2009 05:05 PM

As I suspected, it would appear that DJ will soon be replaced as host of Point of Inquiry.

George - 08 December 2009 05:27 PM

dougsmith - 08 December 2009 05:05 PM

As I suspected, it would appear that DJ will soon be replaced as host of Point of Inquiry.

That is an understandable development. I wish DJ all the best! The next host will have large shoes to fill!

Congrats all around.  To Phil for his new ventures and to D.J. for heading the JREF.

We’ll miss you here, D.J.  I hope you continue posting on FB—where I can continue to be jealous of your career that brings you in contact with interesting people.

—Linda

Very nice press release out from CFI and CSI HERE. Looks like Lauren Becker will be taking over for DJ within the organization, which is great news. No word about Point of Inquiry. I recall her amazing short pieces on PoI several years ago. Does she become the new host?

This part stuck out to me as particularly promising for the future: “CFI and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) have occasionally worked together with the JREF on various initiatives. We firmly believe both organizations would benefit from closer collaboration and we have high hopes that with a CFI alum at the helm, JREF will be open to joint projects in the future.”

Yes, I really enjoyed Ms. Becker’s essay pieces, so I think she might make a great host for POI.

And certainly any collaboration grops like CFI and JREF can make is likely to make the “movement” as a whole stronger and more effective.

CFI CEO Ron Lindsay weighs in in a very positive blog post HERE.

Truly, CSI and the JREF are complimentary organizations.

Doug,

FYI, neither of your last two links to CFI/CSI seem to work for me, though I can eventually get to the content by poking around.