CARL SAGAN LECTURE
Information on the lecture
The Carl Sagan Lecture is presented annually and recognizes a scientist who embodies Carl Sagan’s interest in astrobiology, as well as his effective science communication skills. This lecture honors the life of Carl Sagan, an astronomer and astrophysicist who was a leader in establishing the field of astrobiology. Sagan was also a tireless educator, author, and advocate for the space sciences.
The Sagan Lecture is presented at the AGU Fall Meeting. During even-numbered years, the Biogeosciences section manages the lecture and in odd-numbered years, the Planetary Sciences section sponsors the lecture.
Lecturer benefits
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1Lecture certificate
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2Recognition in Eos
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3Recognition at the AGU Fall Meeting during the lecture presentation year
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4Complimentary meeting registration and an invitation to present the Sagan Lecture at the AGU Fall Meeting during the lecture presentation year
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5Complimentary ticket to the hosting section’s ticketed event at the AGU Fall Meeting during the lecture presentation year
Eligibility
Nominee Eligibility
- The nominee is required to be an active AGU member.
- Self-nominations are not accepted.
- The following individuals are not eligible to be candidates for the award during their terms of service:
- AGU Biogeosciences and Planetary Science section leadership
- AGU President;
- AGU President-elect;
- Council Leadership Team members;
- Honors and Recognition Committee members;
- Sagan Lecture Committee members; and
- All full-time AGU staff.
Nominator Eligibility
- Members of the general public can submit nominations for the Sagan Lecture
- Multiple nominators for a single candidate are encouraged to collaborate on the nomination package.
- The following individuals are not eligible to be nominators for the award during their terms of service:
- AGU Biogeosciences and Planetary Sciences section leadership
- AGU President;
- AGU President-elect;
- Council Leadership Team members;
- Honors and Recognition Committee members;
- Sagan Lecture Committee members; and
- All full-time AGU staff.
Supporter Eligibility
- Members of the general public can write letters supporting nominees for the Sagan Lecture.
- The following individuals are not eligible to be supporters for the award during their terms of service:
- AGU Biogeosciences and Planetary Sciences section leadership;
- AGU President;
- AGU President-elect;
- Council Leadership Team members;
- Honors and Recognition Committee members;
- Sagan Lecture Committee members; and
- All full-time AGU staff.
Relationships to a Nominee
- The following relationships need to be identified and communicated to the Award Committee but will not disqualify individuals from participating in the nomination or committee review process. These apply to committee members, nominators, and supporters:
- Current dean, departmental chair, supervisor, supervisee, laboratory director, an individual with whom one has a current business or financial relationship (e.g., business partner, employer, employee);
- Research collaborator or co-author within the last three years; and/or
- An individual working at the same institution or having accepted a position at the same institution.
- Individuals with the following relationships are disqualified from participating in the award nomination process as a nominator or supporter:
- Family member, spouse, or partner.
- A previous graduate (Master’s or Ph.D.) and/or postdoctoral advisor, or postdoctoral fellow may not write a nomination letter but may write a supporting letter after five years of terminating their relationship with the nominee beginning on 1 January after the year the relationship was terminated.
- A former doctoral or graduate student, or a former postdoctoral fellow may not write a nomination letter for a former advisor but may write a supporting letter after five years of terminating their relationship with the nominee beginning on 1 January after the year the relationship was terminated.
Nomination package
Named section lectures are not required to follow a nomination cycle process (i.e. submit a nomination package). Sections have the flexibility to adopt the process that will best serve their communities in seeking lecture recipients.
The Carl Sagan Lecture does not have a formal nomination process, the awarded lecturer is instead elected based on suggested names submitted to section leadership. For questions about nomination requirements or the submission process, please contact Paul Byrne, Planetary Sciences Section President.
Submissions
The 2023 nomination cycle will open on 18 January. Check back to submit a nomination.
Recipients
Ariel D Anbar
Sarah Johnson
Video
Compton J Tucker
Video
Penelope Jane Boston
Ken Caldeira
Jonathan I Lunine
Nathalie A Cabrol
John Asher Johnson
Dawn Y Sumner
Honors Contacts
