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AGU Media ContactsAGU News Archive
Former AGU president and two AGU members honored by National Academy of Sciences
27 January 2010
Marcia Neugebauer, the first woman to serve as AGU President (1994–1996), and AGU members Sallie “Penny” Chisholm and Alan D. Howard have been chosen for awards by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in recognition of their extraordinary scientific achievements. They are among 17 individuals selected by NAS for awards in 2010.
Meet Claire Dworsky, the youngest presenter at 2009 AGU Fall Meeting
15 January 2010
At nine years old, Claire Dworksy is the youngest person ever to have presented at an AGU meeting. Claire's poster was part of the Bright Students Training as Research Scientists (Bright STaRS).
Back Issues of International Journal of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy now Publicly Available
12 January 2010
On 12 January 2010, AGU announced that effective immediately, all prior issues of International Journal of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy will now have unfettered public access. The journal has been successful for many years, both in the United States and overseas, and the collaboration with our Russian-based editors has been fruitful. Effective the same date, no new articles will be published by AGU.
9 January 2010
Read the full text of AGU's response to the 18 December 2009 opinion piece as well as the abbreviated version published as a Letter to the Editor, 9–10 January 2010.
AGU Member Dr. Ashanti Johnson Receives Presidential Award
6 January 2010
Dr. Ashanti Johnson received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring at a White House ceremony on 6 January 2010.
January 2010
Biological oceanographers devised a new tool for tracking dangerous toxins in the water. Domoic acid is a naturally occurring toxin found in the algae that marine animals like sardines, oysters, mussels and anchovies feed on, causing shellfish poisoning in people and animals that eat them. Researchers developed a series of small resin-filled packets, similar to tea bags, that absorb the domoic acid selectively in the water. The sachets are hung off of piers and wharfs to continuously reduce levels of the toxin.
AGU Joins MentorNet to Support Young Geoscientists
January 2010
AGU has joined MentorNet as a partner in a mentoring network that encourages diversity in the engineering and science professions. MentorNet matches protégés and mentors and provides mentoring advice, suggestions, and gentle reminders to keep the exchange going.
International CIP Newsletter [PDF]
January 2010
The Committee on International Participation newsletter is now available.
Video
Life On Mars: Atmospheric Scientists Discover Lightning on Mars Using Unique Detector
January 2010
Atmospheric scientists discovered lightning on Mars. The researchers found that dust storms build up an electrical field and discharge lightning, much like that which occurs on Earth. The observations leading to the discovery were made using a microwave detector capable of determining the difference between thermal and non-thermal radiation. Measurements of microwave emissions were taken for five hours a day for 12 days. At the same time that large dust storms were detected, non-thermal radiation was also observed, indicating lightning.
[From the Fall Meeting] Council Direction for AGU's Strategic Plan Development in February
23 December 2009
In February 2010 a Strategic Planning Task Force will convene at AGU headquarters to draft AGU's new strategic plan. The task force will draw on results from the Forum on the Future (October 2009) as well as direction provided by Council at its meeting 13 December in San Francisco.
Physicist Omar Hurricane wins prestigious E.O. Lawrence Award for national security work
16 December 2009
AGU member Omar Hurricane, Lawrence Livermore National laboratory, received a 2009 Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award from the U.S. Department of Energy for his work in national security and non-proliferation.
8 December 2009
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has received a number of inquiries asking about our response to the release of e-mail hacked from the Climate Research Unit at University of East Anglia. AGU finds it offensive that these emails were obtained by illegal cyber attacks and they are being exploited to distort the scientific debate about the urgent issue of climate change.
AGU Climate Science Q&A for Copenhagen
4 December 2009
Learn about this member-generated online initiative to support journalists covering the United Nations Climate Change Conference, 7–18 December. In addition to visiting the site you can read AGU's media advisory distributed 4 December 2009.
Video
Tracking Tsunamis: Earth Scientists See Tsunami Shadow, Detect Dangerous Wave at Sea
1 December 2009
Earth scientists demonstrated that tsunamis can be detected through changes in the ocean's surface texture. Due to the air-sea interactions, a tsunami's waves cause ocean waters to roughen. The leading end of the wave churns up surface winds, which become more turbulent than the wave itself, agitating surface waters along the wave's slope. The darker nature of the rough waters creates a tsunami shadow and is detectable against the lighter smooth waters via microwave radars and radiometers.
28 November 2009
AGU Macelwane Medal winner Emily Brodsky is quoted in a recent Wall Street Journal article “Shaken or Stirred, This Winery Is a Big Hit With Seismologists” about the DeRose Vineyards, which straddle the Pacific and North American plates, resting on the San Andreas fault
1 November 2009
Mechanical engineers created a turbine blade that is capable of increasing the efficiency of drawing energy from the wind. A small sensor, called an accelerometer, on the blade monitors the motion and identifies the orientation. Information about how the blade is twisting and bending in the wind is sent to an operator who can then adjust the blade to catch the wind at an optimum angle, producing more power.
November 2009
Read a recent profile of AGU member Barbara Romanowicz and her research. Romanowicz, professor of Earth and planetary science and director of the Berkeley Seismology Laboratory, uses seismic waves to study Earth's inner structure.