2026 AGU ELECTIONS
Richard "Rick" Murray
AGU Board of Directors
President-Elect
Bio
Senior Scientist, emeritus (retired), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 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.
This question speaks directly to the value system I have followed throughout my professional career and personal life. In my experience, the best outcomes happen when all voices are heard. At Boston University, the National Science Foundation, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, RECOS, and others, I have worked at many scales to create cultures of responsibility, accountability, and transparency. In addition to developing and implementing policies about such matters, I have also embraced the role of being an advocate for those with less prominent platforms than mine. As a Board member with AGU, I helped formulate the strategic plan which has key components of integrity, respect, and diversity prominently incorporated in its fabric. I have also held elected and appointed positions in local and state government, where I had the opportunity to learn from a variety of constituents with diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and who brought to the table perspectives that often provided the key components of problem solving. These experiences have contributed significantly to my national leadership in issues regarding respect and conduct, ethics, integrity and opportunity, and a commitment to work productively with my fellow citizens of the planet.
Volunteer experience that you feel relates to this position:
In addition to my work with AGU, I have held unpaid positions in local and state government (e.g., Selectman), and with the Society for Women in Marine Science (their Board), the Sea Education Association (Chair, Board of Trustees), The Oceanography Society (Councilor and as inaugural Chair of Ethics Committee), and as Vice Chair of the Research and Education Coalition for Ocean Sciences (RECOS). I currently chair the National Academies “Seabed Critical Mineral Resources” committee.
Q&A
AGU’s Board of Directors is responsible for the governance, fiduciary and reputational health of the organization and handles its business affairs. The AGU President-Elect chairs the AGU Council and Council Leadership Team, as well as serves on the AGU Board and Executive Committee. The AGU President chairs the Board and Executive Committee.
The President and President-Elect play key roles, in partnership with the CEO, in leading the Board and Council to advance the strategic plan, which offers exciting opportunities as well as challenges.
What are your hopes, dreams and concerns about where AGU might be in 5 to 10 years?
Given the concerns and obstacles you identified above, how would you partner with the AGU President, CEO, and the Board to lead AGU through them to achieve our vision, values, mission, and goals?
As a Board member who participated in the development of AGU’s current strategic plan, that process and outcome together rank as one of the highlights of my career. The plan has served AGU well, and will continue to do so. Having said that, given that it has been some time since then, and in full recognition that the scientific, social, and geopolitical landscape has significantly changed, there are opportunities to “freshen” (or more) the plan in some potentially important ways.
Thus, for “hopes and dreams. . .about where AGU might be in 5 to 10 years,” I am strongly committed to—among other aspects of the plan—the “Rising to the Challenge” section that emphasizes “a deep commitment to discovery sciences,” “benefit of humanity and the environment,” and “build broad and inclusive partnerships to help solve society’s most complex problems.” There is reference to behavior, conduct, and values: “ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities,” and finally, an encompassing view of science: “accelerating both discovery and solution-based science.” Some things should remain part of AGU’s core, and despite the ever-changing scientific landscape, AGU must remain values-driven in service to society at large.
My own “fears. . .in 5 to 10 years” center around the risk that society turns away from scientific accomplishment and factual education, and reverts increasingly to emotions and ideology so AGU and other scientific communities are marginalized. I’m optimistic that this fear will not come to pass, but AGU must remain vigilant and actively work to counter this risk. We have learned over recent years that science’s tremendous contribution to civilization needs to be continually praised and supported. We should take nothing for granted in this discussion.
Regardless of our own individual “hopes, fears, and concerns” or our own views of current geopolitical events, the President, President-elect, CEO, and other members of AGU leadership writ large will need to take advantage of each other’s strengths to foster a teamwork mentality as we move forward. And, as the current strategic plan also states, “Scientific knowledge is necessary, but it is unable to fulfill this mission on its own.” Thus, the question becomes, how does AGU lead not only its community of scholars, but the global community at large? To me, there are multiple answers that will require teamwork within the “rolling window” of whomever is President, President-elect, CEO, and others, as each cohort will have their expertise at that time to contribute. It will be essential for leadership to enhance AGU’s commitments to: (a) partnerships, as AGU certainly cannot take on these challenges alone, (b) rigor, as AGU’s most visible avenues of productivity and visibility include publications and meetings that provide the venue for deep scientific discourse, and (c) growth, in order to expand our sphere of influence to become more truly global, to welcome members from new sectors (government, industry, other non-profits) and to take advantage of the growing global interest in Earth, space, and ocean sciences and their critical importance to society at large.