After passage by both the House and the Senate, President Trump has signed into law a bill to temporarily reopen the federal government until 15 February. First, I am relieved to know this action means federal employees, including federal scientists, will receive their first paychecks in more than 30 days, and that they will receive … Read more
AGU is carefully watching the federal budget situation for a possible government shutdown. Currently, the United States government is funded through today, 21 December. In the case that the budget or a continuing resolution is not passed by Congress and approved by the President, there could be a government shutdown that would impact the work … Read more
The recent elections in the United States brought many changes to the policy landscape, many of which will have real consequences for the Earth and space science community. Changes on Capitol Hill can affect the role science plays in critical policy decisions that will have effects both within and beyond U.S. borders. First and foremost, … Read more
Tuesday, results of a 2018 Scientific Integrity Survey of 16 federal agencies administered by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and the Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (CSSM) at Iowa State University were released. Among the agencies surveyed were the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). AGU provided … Read more
AGU is pleased to see that President Trump has taken action to appoint Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, a well-qualified scientist from our community, to head the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). After nearly 560 days, the longest any Administration has been without such crucial science advice, this nomination has been long in coming. AGU has been consistently … Read more
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
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
As scientists, AGU members know how important their research is. Earth and space science satisfies society’s natural curiosity and desire to understand how the world around them works. It also provides real and tangible benefits that drive our economy, protect our communities, and improve our quality of life. All of us benefit, around the world … Read more
Update (3 March 2015): In the last few days we have received several comments regarding the situation with the Natural Resources Committee, and as such, I want to expand a bit on what I previously wrote here. AGU unwaveringly supports a scientist’s right to academic freedom, and nothing in my previous post should be interpreted … Read more
11 October 2011 You can hardly pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV nowadays without seeing a story on the impacts of the debt crisis in America (and around the world). Unfortunately, the proposed solutions rarely seem to include strategic investments in science and research. This is particularly troubling because we know that … Read more