The Start of the New Academic Year in an Age of “Alternative Facts”

It’s that time of year in the U.S. where geoscientists are back from the field with new data, new experiences, and a new academic year lies ahead of us. Many students may have just gone into the field for the first time, conducting research on volcanoes, deserts, streams, oceans, or any other of our natural … Read more

“Eggos rock…Iggy Azalea rocks…IG-KNEE-US rocks?”- In Celebration of International Youth Day

When you’ve been a student for longer than you’ve been able to tie your shoes, and when you’ve been uttering words that would be considered a gem on a Scrabble board for at least a quarter of your life, you gain special powers of scientific enunciation and they should be used for good. That thought … Read more

World’s Indigenous Peoples Day – How Indigenous Knowledge-Holders Can Improve Our Understanding of the Earth

This International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, August 9, 2018, I ask all AGU members to take a moment to reflect on the rich Earth knowledges Indigenous Peoples possess and this year’s World Indigenous Peoples’ Day theme of migration and movement. Established in 1994 by the UN General Assembly, this annual celebration of Indigenous … Read more

Solidarity Among Scientists Across the Globe Is Needed Now More Than Ever

Frustration is mounting over nationalist policies in the U.S. and other countries, which are obstructing the free exchange of ideas and effective collaboration among scientists. These policies have multiple impacts. The most immediate and visible human tragedies are borne by refugees and immigrants. At the same time, several academics have lost their jobs or their … Read more

How the Cryosphere Sciences Section Will Celebrate 100 Years of AGU

AGU’s Centennial is just around the corner, officially kicking off at the 2018 Fall Meeting in Washington, D. C., and running through the 2019 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, Calif. I look forward to a celebration marked by a variety of elements that will highlight the talents and drive of both our scientific sections and … Read more

Brethren in Space: Two Geoscientists Aboard the International Space Station

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. … Read more

AGU Speaks Out Against Dismantling of Puerto Rican Statistics Agency

Headshot of Chris McEntee

Earlier this week, AGU signed onto a letter to Puerto Rico’s governor and leaders of its House and Senate. The letter voices concern over Governor Ricardo Rosselló’s efforts, and now an approved plan by the Puerto Rican legislature, to overhaul the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (PRIS), an independent government statistics agency. The plan would … Read more