President's Corner
The Case for Investing in Science: How You Can Make a Difference

President Michael McPhaden describes the challenges facing science funding in the U.S. and encourages scientists to join AGU and become champions for investing in research: “Cutting federal investment in scientific research and development will have broad impacts on everything from agriculture and transportation to energy and commerce, and those impacts will negatively affect our economy, public health and safety, and national security. Unfortunately, these very real impacts are not typically the focus of discussion regarding science policy and funding. That’s where AGU and its members can make a difference.” Read more

New Eos Delivery Options

AGU members now have the option to opt-out of receiving their weekly print copy of Eos.  A box to indicate if a member chooses to stop receiving the print issue has been added to the online shopping cart, and can be checked at the time of membership renewal.  Life Members should contact service@agu.org to opt-out of Eos delivery.  All members will continue to have access to the electronic edition, which is posted four days before the issue date.  Members who opt-out of the print edition will receive weekly E-alerts when the newest issue of Eos is available online.  In addition to upholding AGU’s commitment to ensure a sustainable future, this option supports AGU’s goal of Organizational Excellence – it has been implemented in direct response to member feedback about the way they read and prefer to access Eos.  Please contact service@agu.org with questions or comments about this option.

Inaugural Climate Communications Prize Winner Announced

In recognition of his exceptional work as a communicator of climate science, Gavin Schmidt has been selected as the recipient of AGU’s first annual Climate Communications Prize, which honors excellence  in climate communications as well as the promotion of scientific literacy, clarity of messaging, and efforts to foster understanding of and respect for science-based values related to climate change. Schmidt is a climate scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and a co-founder of the blog RealClimate.org. Read more

Christine McEntee Discusses the Importance of Hazards Research

AGU Congressional Science Fellowship: Application Process Opens 1 November

AGU Fall Meeting News

• Register by 1 November—only six days left to take advantage of the early registration rate (save $75). Don’t forget to reserve a room at your favorite hotel (additional rooms now available). Learn more about travel discounts offered by AGU Partners.
• Event tickets are available for purchase, including the Honors Banquet (8 December); Section and Focus Group dinners, luncheons, and receptions; and the AGU 5K Fun Run/Walk (7 December).
• New! AGU Gives Back: Volunteer Project at Golden Gate Park (8 December). Spend Thursday morning with fellow Fall Meeting attendees beautifying San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Park. Participants will be planting, mulching, and weeding as we give back to our host city. Tickets required, $12.00 (100% of the ticket price will be donated to San Francisco Recreation and Parks).
• The Fall Meeting lectures continue to bring distinguished speakers to the meeting:

• Public Lecture: Adventures of a (Geoscientist) Astronaut: Nuts, Bolts, and Repairs in Earth Orbit (4 December) – Andrew Feustel
• Science and Society (5 December) – Simon Winchester
• Union Agency Lecture: Predicting and Managing Extreme Events (7 December) – Jane Lubchenco
• Union Frontiers of Geophysics Lecture: Bridging the Gap between Science and Practice in Seismology–Lessons from the 2011 Tohoku-oki Earthquake (8 December) – Hiroo Kanamori
  

• Submit your tips for first-time attendees and help your colleagues make the most of their time at the meeting.
• Support our future scientists by volunteering to judge the Outstanding Student Paper Awards. Your attention and feedback is highly valued by our young professionals, and this is a great way to give back to the field.
• Attention Session Chairs: Mark your calendars to attend a brief on-site training in Moscone West, Room 2003. Whether you’re a newbie or a veteran, all session chairs are encouraged to attend. A representative of the A/V team will discuss use of all equipment in the room and an AGU Program Committee representative will review protocol and responsibilities, and answer your questions.
• Attention Presenters: Place A/V orders by 2 November to avoid the rate increase. Visit the Poster Session Guidelines for Presenters for more information.
• AlphaGraphics San Francisco offers presenters the convenience of poster printing that can be picked up at the Moscone Center. Orders placed by 14 November receive a discount (Final poster file due at AlphaGraphics on 25 November). Read more
• Ready to begin planning your Fall Meeting schedule? The Online Itinerary Planner is now available.
• The AGU Fall Meeting is getting greener! Pack your walking shoes and umbrella and join your colleagues in walking to the Moscone Center this year—shuttle service will not be available. See commuting options in the Local Transportation section. section.  

Public and Family Events at the Fall Meeting

On Sunday, 4 December, AGU is hosting three FREE events for students and families.

At noon on Sunday, we are thrilled to present our Public Lecture, given by Astronaut Drew Feustel. Dr. Feustel served on the crew of the final Space Shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope and on a May 2011 mission to the International Space Station. Feustel will speak about his two space missions as well as his experiences as a geophysicist astronaut.

Immediately after the lecture, Exploration Station begins. This year we have over 25 interactive exhibits on such diverse topics as the electromagnetic spectrum, Mars, earthquakes, deep-sea research, and more. Concurrently, scientist/author Jeffrey Bennett will read his new children’s book, The Wizard Who Saved the World, which empowers children to choose careers that can help them make a difference in Earth’s environment.

Information on all three public events, including times and locations, can be found here.

Sign up now for Science Communications Training at the Fall Meeting!

Improve your ability to communicate with press, policy makers, and the public at our Sunday, 4 December, panel and workshop! The day begins with a morning panel composed of a USA Today science reporter, an ocean scientist/book author, an expert on how people’s values affect their views of science, and others. In the afternoon, participate in workshops that include practical exercises. Workshops are free and include lunch. For details and to sign up, click here. Registration ends Monday, 31 October!

geopress Books Spotlight

Antarctic Subglacial Aquatic Environments
Martin J. Siegert, Mahlon C. Kennicutt II, and Robert A. Bindschadler, Editors
2011, 246 pp., hardbound, ISBN 978-0-87590-482-5
List Price $110.00 • AGU Member Price $70.00

Linking current knowledge to future research goals, this volume is the first to offer a complete picture of Antarctic subglacial lakes and environmental research. It contains up-to-date discussions about the history and background of subglacial aquatic environments and future exploration. Its uniqueness, breadth, and inclusiveness will appeal to microbiologists, paleoclimatologists, and those interested in extreme environments on Earth and within the solar system.
For a complete list of books, visit geopress.agu.org
Look for geopress at the AGU Fall Meeting! Stop by the AGU Marketplace in the exhibit hall to discuss your proposal ideas.

26th Annual National Space Trophy Nominations Energy and Environmental Science

On 27 April 2012, the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA) Foundation will award the 26th annual National Space Trophy to an outstanding American who has made major contributions to our nation’s space program. A list of the nomination criteria and a nomination form are available on the RNASA website.

Please submit your nomination by Sunday, 6 November 2011. Questions about the nomination process should be addressed to Rodolfo González, Chairman, RNASA Foundation, at chairman@rnasa.org.