After two years as President of the American Geophysical Union, from 2014 to 2016, Margaret Leinen, Vice Chancellor for Marine Science at UC San Diego and Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, looks back upon her tenure leading the organization during a period of extended growth and evolution. American Geophysical Union (AGU): How did your … Read more
I wanted to let you know that Susan Avery has resigned from the AGU Board of Directors. She is joining the ExxonMobil Board of Directors on 2 February. Given that there could be a perceived conflict of interest, she offered to resign from her AGU Board position. While we were excited that she was elected … Read more
The implications of the elections were an undercurrent at our Board and Council meetings, and a topic of conversations throughout the Moscone Center. AGU has already taken steps to address our changing landscape, and our approach is evolving. If I had a chance as of today, based on what I’ve heard and assimilated, this is … Read more
UPDATE, 22 November: I’m happy to tell you that AGU has launched the first element in our post-election efforts to galvanize our community and our friends and supporters to be advocates for science, scientists, and scientific integrity. Yesterday, we launched a petition to President-elect Donald Trump asking him to make appointing a Science Advisor a … Read more
On behalf of the Governance Committee, I am pleased to announce the newly elected members of the AGU Board and Council. As I said in my September post, these individuals will play an essential role within and outside the AGU community. They will collaborate with committees, task forces, other volunteers and staff to achieve our … Read more
Did you know that every 2 years, AGU members elect the people who will lead the organization for the next 4 or more years? That process has launched for this cycle, and we want you to vote. You have until 27 September to cast your votes! The leaders you elect play an essential role in … Read more
Late last Friday afternoon, we received a letter and supporting information from Senator Whitehouse (D-RI) and Congressman Lieu (D-Cal), asking the AGU Board to reconsider its recent decision to maintain a relationship with ExxonMobil. Earlier this year, I informed you about a letter AGU had received from a group of members and other scientists calling for … Read more
As you know from my previous messages, the question of AGU’s relationship with ExxonMobil (and our relationship with the larger oil and gas industry) has been a topic of great discussion for the last few months. When the most recent request to end ExxonMobil sponsorship and address questions about how our community should respond to … Read more
With the journey to progress started by the Omnibus last year, the scientific community breathed a collective – albeit small – sigh of relief. The agreement signaled that science-related agencies would be relieved from the disruption of damaging cutbacks, program delays, and costly shutdowns, allowing them to carry on with their important work. And … Read more
By David Sibeck (NASA/GSFC), President, Space Physics and Aeronomy Section While the effects of most space-weather events are not as immediately recognizable as floods, hurricanes, or tsunamis, they can be just as detrimental. Extreme space-weather events could cause prolonged losses of electrical power that would be incredibly destructive to the lives and livelihoods of millions … Read more