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AGU Development Board
James A. Austin Jr., Chair, AGU Development Board
Dr. Austin holds a B.S. in geology from Amherst College and a Ph.D. in marine geology and geophysics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He is a senior research scientist at the Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas–Austin. Austin is a trustee of the WHOI and former president of the MIT/WHOI Alumni Association. He served for four years on AGU's Budget and Finance Committee.
Michael McPhaden, Vice Chair, AGU Development Board
Dr. McPhaden has a B.A. from SUNY-Buffalo and a Ph.D., 1980 from the University of California, San Diego/Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He is a senior scientist at the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and affiliate professor of oceanography, University of Washington. He has been a member or chair of numerous national and international science advisory committees.
Kai S. Anderson, Senior Vice President,
Cassidy & Associates
Dr. Anderson joined Cassidy & Associates after serving for nearly six years in the office of Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV). Anderson earned his B.S. in geology and his Ph.D. in geological and environmental sciences, both from Stanford University. Anderson works on a broad range of policy and funding issues, including energy, agriculture, mining, the environment, rural development, and higher education.
Andrew Castaldi, Senior Vice President,
Swiss Reinsurance America
Mr. Castaldi heads Swiss Re's chief underwriting office, overseeing property, casualty, IT, and catastrophe management operations in North, Central, and South America. Castaldi has collaborated with a variety of clients, universities, government agencies, and industry-related support groups on natural hazard related projects. He has an M.B.A. from New York University.
Carlos A. Dengo, Vice President, Geoscience,
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
Dr. Dengo has a B.S. in geology and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in geology from Texas A&M. He joined Exxon in 1982. Assignments have included US/Mexico Geoscience Area Manager, Geoscience Resource Operations Manager, and Vice President-Technical, ExxonMobil Exploration. He serves on Texas A&M's Geoscience Advisory Council, Cambridge University Arctic Scientific Advisory Board, and as an AAPG Corporate Liaison.
Jeff Dozier, Professor, Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara
Dr. Dozier founded UCSB's Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, and served as its first Dean for six years. He has been a faculty member at UC Santa Barbara since 1974. Dozier is an AGU Fellow and past recipient of NASA's Public Service Medal. He received his B.A. from California State University-Hayward and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan.
David Jursik, Vice President, WW Deep Computing Sales, IBM
Mr. Jursik is responsible for worldwide sales of Deep Computing solutions for government, higher education, life sciences, industry, business intelligence, and digital media. Jursik has more than 25 years of related IT and industry sales experience spanning industry, distribution, financial services and government sectors in both commercial and technical applications sales capacities.
Debra Knopman, Vice President, Rand Corporation
Dr. Knopman directs a major Rand research division, which includes homeland security, critical infrastructure protection, energy, environment, economic development, space, and information technology. Her expertise is in hydrology, environmental and natural resources policy, systems analysis, and public administration. Knopman has a M.S. in civil engineering from MIT and a Ph.D. in geography and environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
Margaret Leinen, Chief Science Officer, Climos
Dr. Leinen has a B.S. in geology (University of Illinois), M.S. in geological oceanography (Oregon State), and Ph.D. in geological oceanography (University of Rhode Island). She was Assistant Director for Geosciences at the National Science Foundation, and also served as Vice Chair of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program. Before joining NSF, Leinen was a dean of two colleges, and vice provost at the University of Rhode Island.
James T. Ryder, Vice President, Advanced Technology Center, Lockheed Martin Space & Strategic Missiles
Dr. Ryder has a Ph.D. in theoretical & applied mechanics as well as M.S. and B.S. degrees, all from the University of Illinois. He oversees the LMC Space Systems Company's R&D, including remote sensing, telecommunications, defense systems, and strategic systems. Ryder also serves on numerous science- and industry-related advisory panels, review boards, committees, and conference committees.
Jagadish Shukla, President,
Institute of Global Environment and Society
In addition to heading the Institute, Dr. Shukla is a professor of climate dynamics at George Mason University. He founded the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA), and has been instrumental in creating weather and climate research centers in India. Shukla also is a member of the IPCC. He received his Ph.D. from Benaras Hindu University, India and his Sc.D. from MIT.
David Strangway, Founder, Chair, and CEO,
Quest University
Dr. Strangway has a B.A. in physics and geology, as well as M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in physics from the University of Toronto. He previously served as president and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation and as president of the University of British Columbia. Earlier, Strangway was chair of the geology department at the University of Toronto and chief of geophysics at NASA.
Ex-officio Members
Jim Burch, Vice President of the Space Science and Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute
Dr. Burch, an AGU Fellow, holds a B.S. degree in physics from St. Mary's University, an M.S. degree in R&D management from George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in space science from Rice University. He is a former chair of AGU's Meetings Committee, and a past President of the Space Physics and Aeronomy section. He has also served on advisory committees for NASA, the European Space Agency, NSF, and other organizations. Dr. Burch is Chair of AGU's annual Voluntary Contribution Campaign.
Rita Colwell, Chairman, Canon US Life Sciences, Inc.
Dr. Colwell has a B.S. in bacteriology and an M.S. in genetics from Purdue University, and a Ph.D. in oceanography from the University of Washington. In addition to leading Canon US Life Sciences, she is a Distinguished University Professor both at the University of Maryland at College Park and at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Colwell served as the 11th director of the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Marcia McNutt, President and Chief Executive Officer, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Dr. McNutt has a Ph.D. in tectonophysics (Scripps Institution of Oceanography). She was a professor at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (1989–1990), MIT (1991–1997). She joined AGU in 1976, was elected Fellow in 1988, served as President of the Tectonophysics Section (1994–1996), and as AGU President (2000–2002). In 2007 she was awarded the AGU Maurice Ewing Medal, for her significant contributions to deep-sea exploration. Dr. McNutt is Chair of AGU's Presidents' Club.
Emeriti Board Members
Stephen J. Burges, Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington
Dr. Burges has a B.S. in physics and mathematics and a B.E. in civil engineering from the University of Newcastle, Australia. He also holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in civil engineering from Stanford University. Dr. Burges has been a professor at the University of Washington since 1970. He is an AGU Fellow, and most recently served as Chair of AGU's Development Committee.
Robert C. Cowen, Science Writer,
Christian Science Monitor
Mr. Cowen is science editor emeritus of the Christian Science Monitor. He joined the paper in 1950 and retired in 1995. He continues to write a science column. Cowen is past-president of the National Association of Science Writers and first recipient of an AGU award for sustained achievement in science journalism, named in his honor. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in meteorology from MIT.