By Lexi Shultz, AGU Vice President, Public Affairs The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on lives and communities around the world. At the same time, it has also upended scientific work and research. Not only are many labs, facilities and field sites suddenly out of reach, but the uncertainty of when campuses might reopen … Read more
While a few vital science programs were funded, overall the president’s proposed budget is a severe disappointment for science and ignores the many ways in which science fuels our economy, safeguards our security, improves our health and well-being, and is critical for a thriving future.
In a revised climate position statement released today, based on the overwhelming research and scientific evidence, AGU is declaring the world to be in a climate crisis. In a concurrent updated data position statement, AGU describes scientific data as a world heritage and calls for a culture that supports, enables, and nurtures data that is … Read more
Recently, there have been media reports that some federal agencies—namely, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and parts of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—are planning to move headquarters science staff far outside the Washington, D.C. area, causing many scientists to choose to leave these agencies rather than relocate. Meanwhile, … Read more
AGU believes in science free of interference and political influence. We support our members and all scientists at federal agencies in the U.S. and around the world who make decisions and announce findings based on evidence and incontrovertible facts. These scientists, including those at NOAA and the National Weather Service, frequently provide research that protects … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
To mark our Centennial year, AGU initiated the Celebrate 100 grants program in the latter part of 2018. Centennial is about you and the science that you undertake every day. It is about inspiring all to participate, support, and advance the power of science to make the world a better place for us and for … Read more
Fresh off an early-morning flight from Vienna, Austria, to DC last week, I was reflecting on every moment from the General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). There were more than 16,000 attendees from 113 countries representing many scientific disciplines. It was an honor to see so many students and early-career scientists as the … Read more