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Marcel Nicolet Lecture

Information on the Lecture

The Marcel Nicolet Lecture is presented two out of every three years to a space scientist who has made significant contributions to the field of aeronomy. It is named to honor the life and work of physicist and meteorologist Marcel Nicolet. The lecture is presented during AGU Fall Meeting.

The Nicolet Lecture is also part of the Bowie Lecture Series, established in 1989 to commemorate the 50th presentation of the William Bowie medal, AGU’s highest honor.

A NASA ER-s at 70,000ft over severe convection during the NASA Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx)

Lecturer Benefits

AGU is proud to recognize our Space Physics and Aeronomy section honorees. Recipients of the Marcel Nicolet Lecture will receive the following benefits along with the honor:

  • 1

    Lecture certificate

  • 2

    Recognition in Eos

  • 3

    Recognition at the AGU Fall Meeting during the lecture presentation year

  • 4

    An invitation to present the Nicolet Lecture at the AGU Fall Meeting during the lecture presentation year

  • 5

    A complimentary ticket to the Space Physics and Aeronomy section dinner at the AGU Fall Meeting during the lecture presentation year

Eligibility

To better understand eligibility for nominators, supporters and committee members, review AGU’s Honors Conflict of Interest Policy.

  • The nominee is required to be an active AGU member.
  • The following individuals are not eligible to be candidates for the award during their terms of service:
    • AGU President;
    • AGU President-elect;
    • Council Leadership Team members;
    • Honors and Recognition Committee members;
    • Space Physics and Aeronomy section leadership;
    • Marcel Lecture Committee members; and
    • All full-time AGU staff

  • Nominators are not required to hold an active AGU membership.
  • Thesis/research advisors are eligible nominators.
  • The following individuals are not eligible to be nominators for the award during their terms of service:
    • AGU President;
    • AGU President-elect;
    • Council Leadership Team members;
    • Honors and Recognition Committee members;
    • Space Physics and Aeronomy section leadership;
    • Marcel Lecture Committee members; and
    • All full-time AGU staff.

  • Individuals who write letters of support for the nominee are not required to be active AGU members.
  • Supports may not be currently or recently associated with the nominee’s institution.
  • The following individuals are not eligible to be supporters for the award during their terms of service:
    • AGU President;
    • AGU President-elect;
    • Council Leadership Team members;
    • Honors and Recognition Committee members;
    • Space Physics and Aeronomy section leadership;
    • Marcel Lecture Committee members; and
    • All full-time AGU staff.

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. with a nomination package). Sections have the flexibility to adopt the process that will best serve their communities in seeking lecture recipients. For questions about the Marcel Nicolet Lecture, please contact Therese Moretto, Space Physics and Aeronomy Section President.

Aerial image of Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii from the international Space Station.

Submission process

For questions about the Marcel Nicolet Lecture, please contact Therese Moretto, Space Physics and Aeronomy Section President.

Please click the link below if you have any questions for AGU Honors Staff.

Email Staff
Earth's magnetic field, the Earth, the solar wind, the flow of particles. Sun

Recipients

John M C Plane

2023

Robert F Pfaff

2022

Lecture Title

Exploring near Earth space with sounding rockets

Video

Cora E Randall

2019

Joseph Huba

2017

Thomas Cravens

2016

Maura E Hagan

2014

Raymond Greenwald

2013

Michael C. Kelley

2011

Arthur D Richmond

2009

Robert R Meier

2007

Roderick A Heelis

2006

Jeffrey M M Forbes

2004

Robert Walter Schunk

2002

George C Reid

2001

Charles A Barth

1999

Andrew F Nagy

1998

Raymond G Roble

1996

Henry Rishbeth

1995

Thomas M Donahue

1993

Peter M Banks

1991

Marcel Nicolet

1990

Honors Contacts

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Rosa Maymi

Director, Engagement and Membership

202-777-7322 | [email protected]

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Leah Bland

Manager, Honors

202-777-7389 | [email protected]

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Hannah Hoffman

Program Manager, Fellows

[email protected]