20 June 2018
Combating Drought and Desertification to Preserve Human Health
Iris An, MPIA, MPH candidate, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and John Balbus, MD, MPH, Senior Advisor for Public Health Director, NIEHS-WHO Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health Sciences
On June 17, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) will observe its World Day to Combat Drought and Desertification. The devastating impacts of drought and desertification on people are highlighted this year, as the UNCCD has made the linkages between desertification and human migration its annual theme. As noted by the UN[i], one billion of the world’s poorest, most vulnerable people in over one hundred countries are at risk, …
19 June 2018
Bridging Communities: The First Centennial Project
Carol Finn, AGU Past-President and United States Geological Survey Geophysicist, and Raj Pandaya, AGU Thriving Earth Exchange Program Director
During the last century, discoveries in Earth and space science have changed society’s understanding of the world around us and improved economic security and public health and safety around the globe. And looking to the future, science can help society address the challenges – and take advantage of the opportunities – it faces. So, it’s no surprise that, in 2012, the AGU Council came together in Washington, D.C. to discuss …
100 Years of AGU: Our Building Legacy
By Janice Lachance, Executive Vice President of Strategic and Operational Excellence Editor’s Note: This blog post was originally shared on AGU’s building blog. While AGU will formally kick off our Centennial in December of this year, we are building excitement this week by sharing information on the many programs Centennial will touch during our 2019 celebration. AGU’s building renovation project is one of those. Our existing headquarters was built in …
18 June 2018
AGU Launches Its Centennial Celebration
When AGU was founded, nearly 100 years ago, the world was a very different place. However, despite the century’s worth of change between 1919 and today, the ability of Earth and space science to improve our society—and the desire of scientists to provide those benefits to humanity—has remained the same. That’s why, as we approach the celebration of our Centennial, we are using the energy of the past to start the …
12 June 2018
Tackling Harassment in the Sciences
Since AGU adopted its revised ethics policy in September 2017, and even prior to that time, we have seen a movement toward creating a safe, inclusive environment for science. As AGU President Eric Davidson, President-elect Robin Bell and Past President Margaret Leinen wrote, “We’ve seen and heard of too many instances, stories, and studies that show harassment in the sciences is happening and that the problem is significant.” We heard …
6 June 2018
Reflections on the 2018 Japan Geoscience Union Meeting
Earth and space science is a global endeavor that succeeds only when investigators work together, unselfishly share ideas and data, and honestly peer review each other’s findings. In a year that has seen isolationism rise in countries across the world, I was fortunate to travel with Eric Davidson, AGU President, and connect with colleagues from around the world at the 2018 Japan Geoscience Union Meeting, held this year from May …
31 May 2018
Following the FY19 Science Budget
With the federal spending bill process for FY19 well underway, AGU has been tracking how our federal science agencies are faring. The process has a long way to go yet, but with some preliminary numbers in for each of the science agencies, I wanted to let you know where things stand today. Currently, the House Appropriations Committee has considered two FY19 appropriations bills that relate to science – The Commerce, …
25 May 2018
Updates to AGU’s Master Privacy Policy
AGU is committed to safeguarding our members’ and users’ privacy and safety, and to updating our privacy policies and processes to keep pace with emerging best practice and the evolving body of law concerning privacy. The latest update to AGU policy is reflected in our Master Privacy Policy, which now includes a section concerning our commitment to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a new European Union (EU) law on …
24 May 2018
Encouraging Diversity and Support of Early Career Scientists at the 2018 Fall Meeting
Denis-Didier Rousseau, Fall Meeting Program Chair
Before you know it the 2018 Fall Meeting, the world’s largest Earth and Space scientists, will be here! Excitement about the meeting is apparent as more than 1300 session proposals have already been submitted for consideration and the Fall Meeting program committee is working hard to propose the best scientific program out of them. If you are one of those who submitted a session proposal, we are grateful for your …
8 May 2018
Brethren in Space: Two Geoscientists Aboard the International Space Station
By Michael Mischna, Secretary of the Planetary Sciences section and Deputy Chief Scientist of Solar System Exploration Directorate at JPL Science and discovery are, fundamentally, social activities. They have the greatest impact when conducted in the open with a free exchange of ideas. Even discoveries made in seclusion still need to be shared with the world. Archemides’ buoyant discovery in the privacy of his bathtub may have been the “Eureka” moment, …
From the Prow is a two-way conversation between AGU’s leaders and the broad Earth and space science community they serve. It features discussions on trends, Union programs and initiatives, and reflections on the strategic direction of the organization.