Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Research, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA

Volunteer experience that relates to this position:

AGU: I have served on the Executive Committee of the Education section since its inception and helped develop the proposal for the creation of the Education section; Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR): chair of the Geosciences Division (2004-2006), co-chair of CUR 2008 National Conference Committee, currently chair CUR-Goldwater Faculty Mentor Award Committee, past chair of numerous CUR committees; National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT): member of the council, chair of the Field Camp Scholarship Committee; Geological Society of America (GSA): member of GSA Foundation Board of Trustees.

Council members play critical roles as communication conduits among AGU members and leaders. How will you engage with members of your section to advance AGU’s new strategic plan? How might you facilitate engagement with other sections and people outside AGU to support our mission?

The Education section is ideally situated to help AGU fulfill its mission of being “dedicated to educating and inspiring the next generation of scientists.” In particular, we can provide education-focused mentoring, networking and professional development for students and early-career scientists from across the spectrum of AGU. One of the most important ways that the Education section can serve AGU at this time is to help develop the diversity of the talent pool. As president, I will engage the membership of the Education section to assure that diversity and cultural awareness are embedded in our programs. In addition, it will be important to engage with people and organizations beyond AGU. For example, we can engage members of the long-standing Education Special Interest Group which span the gamut from informal educators to K-16 and beyond. In addition, as president, I will help the section work with organizations beyond AGU to expand geoscience education research (such as working with GSA to convene a joint Chapman-Penrose Conference).

Section affiliations:
Education; Volcanology, Geochemistry and Petrology