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
“It’s ok to be gay – just don’t tell anyone.” That was the advice that a senior administrator gave me as I started my career as an assistant professor. My would-be mentor didn’t feel she needed to name the consequences of being out as they were obvious. As women we were already sorely underrepresented in … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
By Robin Bell, Eric Davidson, and Chris McEntee Roughly six months ago, AGU leadership adopted a revised ethics policy that took a noticeably stronger stance on workplace climate issues by including harassment, bullying, and discrimination in the definition of scientific misconduct. In doing so, we recognize appropriate personal conduct as part of the broader context … Read more
This year, I decided to watch my carbon footprint so instead of driving to our off-the grid cabin for a long weekend, I took a bus. Bus connections are not perfect. So, the next thing I knew, I was standing in a museum looking at portraits of suffragettes and anti-suffragettes. The white dressed suffragettes stared … Read more
African American history and traditions are interwoven with themes of resilience, interconnectedness across generations, strength from spiritualty, and learning from direct experiences. As we celebrate Black History Month in February, I welcomed the opportunity reflect on my own personal and professional experiences, as well as those of other African American professionals, that might serve as … Read more
By Eric Davidson, AGU President, Robin Bell, AGU President-elect, and Margaret Leinen, AGU Past President Science is strongest when a diverse set of voices are not only allowed, but encouraged, to share their perspectives and scientific ideas. Harassment and discrimination can negatively impact that diversity of voices and have no place in a research environment or … Read more
On 21 August, 2017, a solar eclipse swept across North America. Many AGU members were observing this wonder of our universe using everything from cutting-edge instruments to cardboard glasses ordered online. How different the faces studying the geophysics are now than they were in 1878 when Maria Mitchell of Vassar College was explicitly not invited … Read more