22 August 2019
We Have Your Backs: Supporting the Work of Brazilian Earth Scientists
By AGU Past President and Director/Professor at the Appalachian Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Where scientific findings have not conveniently fit into the ideological preferences of political leaders around the world, science and scientists are increasingly under attack. In a symposium on human rights threats to scientists at the 2018 AGU Fall Meeting in Washington, DC, an Iranian environmental scientist shared a chilling story about learning of his imminent arrest if he were to return home from an international trip. Other participants shared stories …
2 August 2019
AGU Commends the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2019
This week, the United States Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2019, which was signed by President Trump. On behalf of the global AGU community of 60,000 Earth and space scientists, I’d like to thank the champions for science on Capitol Hill, as well as the leadership in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, for passing a budget that puts non-defense spending, which includes funding …
22 July 2019
Convergence: A Call for More Robust Global Science Collaboration
At AGU, we often say that science has no borders and takes no political sides. Science has the powerful ability to make profound impacts on nations, economies, and local communities. However, a tide of nationalism across the globe — manifested in the form of incendiary social media posts, trade wars, reactionary protectionism, and even overt violence — is on the rise. And often hand-in-hand with nationalism comes scientific disinformation campaigns …
9 July 2019
Scientists Tackle Grand Challenges In the Earth and Space Sciences In New Special Centennial-Themed Collection
By AGU President Robin Bell and AGU Executive Director/CEO Chris McEntee
One hundred years ago when AGU was founded there were still large unmapped places on our planet and the idea of a person stepping on the moon was a dream. Discovery and wonder have characterized the last 100 years of science as we learned the plates shift, the climate changes, and scientists are studying the Moon, Mars, and beyond in detail. Our species now has a global view of how …
3 July 2019
Protecting Science at the State and Federal Level
News coming out of Alaska right now reminds me how strongly science depends not just on federal but also state financial support. And it’s disheartening to hear that this crucial science funding is facing challenges at all levels. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy recently vetoed the state’s budget, which would mean huge cuts for the state – including a $130 million—or 41 percent—cut to the University of Alaska system’s funding from …
25 June 2019
AGU Calls Upon the U.S. Senate to Support Federal Funding for Earth and Space Science
In this short video message from AGU CEO/Executive Director Chris McEntee, she heralds the U.S. House of Representatives’ recent passage of a FY20 budget supporting federal Earth and space scientific agencies and calls upon the Senate Appropriations Committee to follow the House’s lead in order to ensure that the American scientific enterprise remains robust. For more information, please visit: actioncenter.agu.org
14 June 2019
Building AGU: Achieving Sustainability and Leading by Example
This post was originally published on the Getting to Zero Forum blog. As AGU, a global community of 60,000 Earth and space scientists, celebrates its Centennial year, we don’t just reflect on past accomplishments. Instead, we’re also looking to the future to transform and improve our world. This spirit is what drove AGU’s decision to renovate its headquarters building in Washington, D.C. When AGU’s original building and infrastructure began to …
28 May 2019
Join the Effort to Improve the Health of Our Oceans
Susan Lozier, AGU’s President-elect, encapsulated the forward-looking spirit and dialogue of global ocean experts earlier this month: As an oceanographer, I view the upcoming United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development as an incredibly important opportunity for the global community to focus on the health of Earth’s oceans. Many recent studies have revealed the negative effects humans have had on the oceans, from the sea surface to the …
15 May 2019
April 25th AGU Board Meeting Summary
Dr. Jenny Riker, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK and Member of AGU Board of Directors
On April 25th, AGU’s Board met at the recently renovated headquarters in Washington, DC. Over the course of several days, the Board covered a lot of ground. Here are some of the highlights: Diversity, Ethics, and Inclusion AGU Vice President of Ethics Billy Williams presented an update about AGU‘s recent diversity, ethics, and inclusion efforts including the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine report; the joint Earth Science Woman …
13 May 2019
AGU’s Latest Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts
AGU President Robin Bell, President-Elect Susan Lozier, and CEO/Executive Director Chris McEntee
As one of the first scientific societies to define bullying and harassment as a form of scientific misconduct, and now with our updated Talent Pool Strategy, the new AGU Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, the selection of a committee chair and members, the recently launched AGU Ethics and Equity Center, biennial Diversity and Inclusion training for all Board and Council members, and the 2018 Annual Ethics Summary Report, AGU continues …
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.