Staff Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA

AGU embraces the global community and welcomes diverse leaders from around the world, 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 any other identity you feel comfortable sharing.

I'm an early career scientist and woman in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). As an early career scientist, I provide the unique perspective of someone who has recently navigated the challenges of beginning a career in geohealth. I'm a first generation college student and the first Ph.D. in my extended family. I'm originally from Michigan and now live in New Mexico.

Volunteer experience that relates to this position:

2022 GeoHealth Secretary, 2019-2021 GeoHealth Fall Meeting programming representative, 2019-2021 GeoHealth Meetings Committee early career chair, 2022-2025 Steering Committee Member for the Dust Alliance for North America

This leadership position is a liaison role; it is one that aims to catalyze community and build AGU as envisioned by the strategic plan. How will you engage with members of your section to advance AGU’s strategic plan? How will you facilitate engagement with other sections and people outside AGU to support our mission?

By nature of our interdisciplinary, highly collaborative research, GeoHealth is an opportune section to support the mission and goals of AGU’s strategic plan. As President-Elect, my role would be to serve as a liaison between GeoHealth, AGU, and outside organizations by elevating the voices of our membership and supporting opportunities for section growth. The three main goals of AGU’s strategic plan include: (1) catalyze discovery and solutions to scientific and societal challenges, (2) promote and exemplify an inclusive scientific culture, and (3) partner broadly with other organizations and sectors to effectively address scientific and societal challenges. The following are examples of how I will support these goals as President-Elect for GeoHealth:

(1) Supporting additional funding opportunities for GeoHealth and providing continued support to early career scientists. In light of recent conversations enhancing the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) portfolio on GeoHealth, starting dialog with additional agencies, like NASA, could provide a new basis of support to the GeoHealth community.

(2) Supporting both a diverse body of GeoHealth members and diverse research, both of which will enhance the other. A tangible means to improve this is by enhancing GeoHealth’s global connectivity by co-organizing conferences and sessions at Fall Meeting with worldwide partners, like the World Health Organization.

(3) Increasing our Fall Meeting efforts to co-organize sessions with outside organizations like the American Public Health Association and American Psychiatric Association. A new Fall Meeting tradition I am interested in starting is an AGU host city-specific session focused on engaging with local GeoHealth research and activities.

Section affiliations:

Atmospheric Sciences; Biogeosciences; GeoHealth; Global Environmental Change; Natural Hazards; Science and Society