2026 AGU ELECTIONS
Alanna E. Wedum
AGU Council Student and Early Career Positions
Student Representative
Bio
Ph.D. Candidate, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
I would bring the perspectives of a woman in geoscience, a first-generation college student, a climate scientist, and someone who followed a nontraditional path into research. My path into science was not linear: before pursuing meteorology and a Ph.D., I volunteered with the Red Cross, served as a unit-sponsored leader helping military families maintain connections with deployed service members, earned a degree in geography, and worked as a marine cartographer. Moving through community service, professional work, and several professional disciplines has shown me that there is no single pathway into the geosciences.
Because I did not grow up knowing that graduate school was accessible to me, I am especially attentive to people who may not yet see themselves represented in scientific spaces or understand how to navigate them. I would bring a student-centered perspective grounded in mentorship, accessibility, and practical support, as well as experience listening to and advocating for graduate and undergraduate students. My work spans many fields: geography, cartography, meteorology, and climate research, which also gives me an interdisciplinary perspective. These experiences have taught me to value different forms of expertise, communicate across communities, and help create spaces where people feel respected and encouraged to contribute.
Volunteer experience that you feel relates to this position:
2024–2026: Co-President, Graduate Undergraduate Student Organization (GUStO), Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan: Co-president of a department-sponsored student organization representing graduate and undergraduate students. Organized and led town halls, launched a tutoring pilot program, successfully co-submitted a proposal for a department ethics course, and participated in faculty and department meetings. Coordinated professional and scientific development activities, local volunteering and outreach, and student social events.
Q&A
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.
The Council has up to 12 positions for student and early career members. The student and early career voices on the Council are critical to the future of Earth and space sciences. How have you taken intentional action to inspire others to advance a cause, mission, or goal? As co-president of my department-sponsored student organization, I turned student needs into two lasting initiatives. When curriculum committee members shared student feedback about course preparedness and the lack of tutoring options, I brought their feedback directly to the department chair and proposed a tutoring pilot. Working with students, administrative staff, and faculty, I helped develop the idea into an active program with paid positions for student tutors. The pilot launched in April 2025. I used the same collaborative approach to advance ethics training in our department. Research ethics is often treated as a requirement completed once rather than a practice scientists carry throughout their careers. I wanted to help make this training engaging, thought-provoking, and embedded across the curriculum. I collaborated with Professor Michael Liemohn to propose a departmental ethics course. We secured two years of funding to develop both the course and modular materials that faculty can integrate into existing classes. Topics include trust in community science, personal and professional research ethics, responsible use of artificial intelligence, and the ethics of scientific organizations and governments. In both efforts, I aimed not only to advocate for change but to build structures that enable others to carry it forward after I graduate. I learned that inspiring action begins with listening, showing people that their concerns can lead to results, and giving them a meaningful role in the solution. As a member of the AGU Council, I would ensure early career voices are heard and their priorities are translated into concrete action.