Union Fellows
Program Overview
The Fellows program was established in 1962 and recognizes AGU members who have made exceptional contributions to Earth and space science through a breakthrough, discovery, or innovation in their field. Fellows act as external experts, capable of advising government agencies and other organizations outside the sciences upon request. The program enhances the prestige of AGU and motivates members to achieve excellence in research.
Now Accepting Nominations!
The 2023 nomination cycle will run from 18 January to 12 April at 23:59 ET. Nominate a colleague today.
SubmitNomination package requirements
Nominees must meet the eligibility requirements detailed below. Please review the eligibility requirements carefully prior to submitting a nomination. Ineligible nominations will be returned to nominators without review.
Nominations must be submitted through the online submission platform by 12 April 2023 at 11:59 PM, ET. Nominations submitted after the deadline or outside of the online submission platform will not be accepted. Please contact [email protected] if you are in need of other submission accommodations.
Nomination Letter
REQUIRED* The nomination letter should be written on letterhead and include the nominator’s name, title, institution, and contact information. The nomination letter should not exceed 2 pages in length. AGU will remove any pages in excess of the limit (2 pages) prior to sharing with the review committee(s).
For more information on what to include in your nomination letter, please review our FAQ page.
Nominee's Curriculum Vitae
REQUIRED* The CV must list all of the following candidate information: name, mailing and email address, employment history, degrees, relevant research experience, relevant honors, memberships, service to the community through committee work, advisory boards, etc. The CV should not exceed 2 pages in length. AGU will remove any pages in excess of the limit (2 pages) prior to sharing with the review committee(s).
For more information on what to include in the CV, please review our FAQ page.
Nominee's Bibliography
REQUIRED* The selected bibliography should be no more than 2 pages in length and include a list of publications relevant to the work for which the nominee is being recognized. AGU will remove pages in excess of the limit (2 pages) prior to sharing with the review committee(s).
For more information on what to include in the bibliography, please review our FAQ page.
Letters of support (3), in addition to nomination letter
REQUIRED* Each letter of support should be written on letterhead and include the supporter’s name, title, institution, and contact information. Each letter of support should be no more than 2 pages in length. AGU will remove any pages in excess of the limit (2 pages) prior to sharing with the review committee(s).
For more information on what to include in letters of support, please review our FAQ page.
Optional: Nominee's Hirsch index (aka h-index) score
ISI Web of Knowledge is the recommended resource. Though a requirement in previous years, the h-index is now optional. A recent AGU Fellows program review suggests the following actions when using h-index in Fellows nominations:
- The h-index is one potential indicator of scientific merit but should not be a major deciding factor in consideration of candidacy.
- If the h-index is used in a nomination package or is mentioned in letters, it is incumbent on the writer to include the source of the h-index and a URL that has been uniquely identified for the candidate’s h-index calculation.
- If the h-index is used, it is meant to be compared only within the same scientific discipline.
Nomination and Submission Requirements
- Nominations must be submitted through AGU's online nomination and review platform, Open Water. If other accommodations are needed, contact [email protected].
- Each required document (nomination letter, CV, selected bibliography, and (3) letters of support) should not exceed 2-pages in length. Pages in excess of the limit will be removed prior to being shared with the review committee(s).
- Please submit all required documents as unencrypted, watermark-free PDF's.
- Please use an appropriate font size/type (e.g., Times New Roman, size 12). If the selected font is difficult to read, you will be asked to revise the document.
- Only complete packages will be forwarded to the relevant Section Fellows Committee(s) for review. Late/incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
Nominee eligibility
AGU Fellows must demonstrate scientific eminence in the Earth and space sciences through achievements in research, as demonstrated by one or more of the following:
1. breakthrough or discovery
2. innovation in disciplinary science, cross-disciplinary science, instrument, data set, or methods development
3. sustained scientific impact
Nominees are expected to have shown exemplary leadership in following and promulgating AGU values. This leadership may include but is not limited to fostering equity, integrity, diversity, and open science; mentoring; public engagement and communication.
In addition to the criteria listed above, please ensure all eligibility aspects are met prior to nominating a candidate. The nominee must be a middle or senior career scientist, an active AGU member for the past three years, and in compliance with our Honors conflict of interest policy. Selected nominees will need to sign a self-disclosure form.
To verify a nominee’s join date and section affiliation please contact us.
Section Fellows Review Committees
Every honor within AGU’s honors program, including Union awards, medals, and prizes, Fellows, and section honors, has a selection committee. The Fellows Program includes a multi-step review process. Each of AGU's 25 Sections has a review committee dedicated to reviewing Fellows nomination packages. Each of these committees is responsible for forwarding on the most qualified candidate(s) from their Section to the final selection committee for consideration.
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Committee name (by section) |
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Geomagnetism, Paleomagnetism, and Electromagnetism Fellows Committee |
Union Fellows Committee
Nomination Timeline
18 January: Union Fellows Program Nomination Period Opens
12 April: Union Fellows Program Nomination Period Closes
24 April – 31 May: Section Fellows Review Committees reviewing nominations
5 June: Section Fellows Review Committee recommendation reports due
14 June – 12 July: Union Fellows Committee reviewing nominations forwarded by the Section Fellows Committees
19 July: Union Fellows Committee meets to discuss initial rankings
10-11 August: Union Fellows Committee meets to finalize the 2023 Class of Fellows
September: 2023 Class of Fellows announced
13 December: AGU Honors Ceremony at Fall Meeting
Fellows Program Review Process
The number of Fellows elected each year shall not exceed 0.1 percent of the total AGU membership and is based on the previous year's membership numbers.
Phase 1: Section Review Process
Eligible nominations are first reviewed by the Section Fellows Review Committees. Each Section may forward up to 0.2 percent of their primary membership to the final selection committee (Union Fellows Committee) for review. AGU provides all Section Review Committees with the number of candidates they may forward to the Union Fellows Committee each year.
Section Fellows Review Committees are charged with selecting the most deserving candidates from their respective Section to advance to the final selection committee for consideration.
Sections Fellows Review Committees are not responsible for selecting each year's Class of Fellows.
Phase 2: Union Fellows Committee (Final Selection Committee) Review Process
The Union Fellows Committee reviews all nominations forwarded by the Sections, meeting multiple times to vote on and finalize each year's Class of Fellows. In order to be elected, each candidate must receive a majority of the Union Fellows Committee votes.
The Union Fellows Committee is charged with electing the most deserving candidates from across all AGU Sections, regardless of Section affiliation. In their role, members of this committee represent AGU as a whole and not specific Sections.
The Union Fellows Committee is responsible for selecting each year's Class of Fellows.
College of Fellows
The mission of the AGU College of Fellows is to foster excellence, integrity, and interdisciplinary collaboration in the Earth and space sciences, provide expert and strategic advice to AGU on global scientific issues, and support the professional development and engagement of scientists at all career stages and from all backgrounds.
To learn more about the College of Fellows and how to get involved, visit their website.
