AGU Expands into Geohealth, Starting with New Journal

Originally posted on Eos.org

I’m so pleased to share news of a project that has finally come to fruition after much hard work and support from the leaders of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). Today, our organization formally embraces the emerging field of geohealth, which encompasses Earth, atmospheric, ocean, and environmental sciences; ecology; agriculture; and health.

AGU enters into this emerging field with the launch of a new journal, entitled GeoHealth. We take this step together with our long-time publishing partner Wiley.

The new journal will provide an outlet for members of the scientific community who conduct research that relates Earth and environmental sciences to human, agricultural, and environmental health. Content will include original research, reviews, policy discussions, and commentaries about this new discipline.

A mock-up of the GeoHealth journal cover

As I noted in a From the Prow post last November, since 2009, we’ve seen almost a 37% increase in published geohealth research as our understanding has grown regarding how Earth and space science provides deeper insight into health and disease in both people and ecosystems. Geohealth research and the collaboration of geoscientists, ecologists, health professionals, and other allied researchers play a critical role in protecting both public and environmental health and safety.

I’m excited to announce that the distinguished Dr. Rita R. Colwell will serve as founding editor of GeoHealth. Colwell previously served as the 11th director of the National Science Foundation and is a former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society for Microbiology. She will lead the initial launch of the journal. We will also start the search for two editors in chief to serve 4-year terms; one editor will focus on the geosciences, and the other will focus on health. We expect to start accepting submissions this fall, and the journal’s first articles will publish around the time of Fall Meeting.

Fostering and facilitating new geohealth research and partnerships among scientists is something we feel will be incredibly beneficial to society worldwide.  This new journal is just the first step for AGU as we expand the breadth of our science to formally include geohealth. Expect to see future AGU programming around how Earth and space sciences contribute to human, agricultural, and environmental health.

I want to personally thank those on the Board of Directors, Council, and Publications Committee who helped make this vision a reality. I hope the Earth and space science community will join me in embracing geohealth and demonstrating our sciences’ contributions to the health of our planet and society.