'Cause a calving glacier indicates a growing (healthy) glacier.
Ice can extend only so far into ocean/sea before it is required to break off due to current forces and the force of the glacier pushing ice further into the ocean/sea.
I meant that the researcher was looking for work because he would be fired for not spouting the usual nonsense about global warming being the cause for all things perceived as bad. Personally I love the idea of glaciers floating around. I spend a lot of time on the beaches of New Hampshire and a glacier floating by would be quite scenic.