Professor and Vice Chair, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA

AGU embraces the global community and welcomes leaders representing various identities, voices and perspectives. List any identities, voices and perspectives you would bring, including but not limited to nationality, regional representations, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and anything else you feel comfortable sharing.

I bring a perspective shaped by experiences across science, policy, and on-the-ground environmental work, as well as a strong sense of stewardship. Earlier in my career, I worked as an environmental inspector and participated in disaster response efforts supporting infrastructure recovery. These experiences ground my understanding of how environmental challenges affect communities directly and reinforce the importance of connecting scientific knowledge to real-world decisions. I have worked across academic, federal, and community contexts, which gives me an appreciation for the different ways people engage with science and the importance of listening across disciplines, sectors, and career stages. A guiding perspective I carry is one of responsibility across generations. We do not simply inherit the environment or the scientific enterprise but safeguard it for those who come next. At a time when the scientific enterprise faces increasing pressures, this perspective motivates my commitment to support, strengthen, and sustain the community for future generations of problem solvers. It informs how I approach leadership: with a focus on inclusion, long-term impact, and ensuring that diverse voices are meaningfully engaged in shaping the future of AGU.

Volunteer experience that you feel relates to this position:

I have volunteered with AGU’s Thriving Earth Exchange, working with the City of Birmingham, AL, to align scientific expertise with community priorities. I also participated extensively in Skype a Scientist during the pandemic, engaging with K–12 classrooms. In addition, I served on a panel for a curated environmental art exhibit, translating scientific concepts for a public audience. Together, these experiences reflect my commitment to connecting science with communities and broadening participation.

Section presidents and presidents-elect serve as members of the AGU Council and lead their sections. The AGU Council is a diverse forum of perspectives that meets throughout the year to provide input to the AGU Board, staff, and other parts of the organization. Three communities within the Council - committee chairs, section leaders, and students and early career scientists - serve different roles in AGU and bring unique viewpoints to ongoing discussions.

This role aims to catalyze community and build AGU as envisioned by the strategic plan. This leadership position is a dual role: helping to advance AGU’s strategic plan as a member of Council; and leading your section. How would you support the Board, staff and other sections to achieve AGU’s vision, values, mission, and goals? How will you engage with members of your section to execute AGU’s strategic plan?

I would approach this role as both a listener and a connector. Within Council, I would support the Board, staff, and other sections by helping translate across communities, linking disciplines, career stages, and the research-operations-policy interface. AGU’s strategic plan emphasizes moving science from “usable” to “used,” and I would contribute by elevating actionable insights from my section, identifying shared priorities across sections, and supporting partnerships that extend the reach and impact of Earth and space science.

My development as a scientist is closely tied to AGU, beginning as a student and continuing throughout my career, shaping how I think about the role of science in society. Through experiences spanning academic research, federal science policy, and on-the-ground environmental work, I have seen that progress often depends on aligning perspectives, incentives, and timelines. I would bring that perspective to Council discussions, helping to connect discovery science with solution pathways and to strengthen collaborations across sectors.

Within my section, I would focus on building an engaged and inclusive community aligned with AGU’s goals. This includes creating structured opportunities for member input, especially from students and early career scientists, strengthening connections across subdisciplines, and supporting activities that reflect both scientific excellence and societal relevance.

Across both roles, as a member of Council and section leader, my goal is to help AGU function as a platform that catalyzes discovery, fosters inclusive scientific culture, and builds the partnerships needed to address complex societal challenges.