Associate Professor, Department Chair of Earth and Oceanographic Science, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, 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 would bring my perspectives as a female mid-career paleoceanographer, parent, researcher and teacher at a liberal arts college, and a geoscientist engaged in science communication and policy.

Volunteer experience that you feel relates to this position:

AGU volunteer experience: Fall Meeting Program Committee Member: Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology section (3 yrs); Position Statement Committee (current); Position Statement Writing Panel Chair; AGU Science Policy Fellowship; Local Science Partners Policy Program (2023-present); Voices for Science Program (2021-22); Congressional Visit Day Participant (5/21; 6/21; Team lead: 4/23; 12/24); Session Convenor (7 yrs); Outstanding Student Paper Awards Session Liaison and Judge Fall Meetings (5 yrs). Other relevant experience: Department Chair: Bowdoin College Earth and Oceanographic Science (2024-present).

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?

AGU’s mission to support discovery science and advance geoscience for the benefit of humanity are critical at this unique moment in the history of our field. I would be an active participant on the AGU Council; staying informed of issues facing the organization and other sections during regular meetings. I would use newsletters to open lines of communication, keep our section appraised of AGU developments, and share opportunities for members to share their voice and engage directly with AGU’s mission. Early in my term, I would seek to learn which activities section leadership has found to most successfully build community and trust within the section and hear from the full range of Paleoceanography and Paleoclimate members (e.g. Fall Meeting events or town halls). I will support these ongoing activities and help envision new ways to bring an inclusive voice of the section to our work on the council.

Through my previous experience volunteering on the Fall Meeting Program Committee, Position Statement Committee, and working as a member of AGU’s Science Policy and Government Relations team, I understand AGU’s structure and process. I recognize the invaluable role that staff play in connecting the AGU Council, Board, sections, and members to advance AGU’s vision, support our science, and our careers. I would leverage this knowledge to help Paleoceanography and Paleoclimate members connect with AGU’s staff and programs and take advantage of opportunities to support the goals of the strategic plan.