Rock formations silhouetted against a starry night

WALTER H. BUCHER MEDAL COMMITTEE

Committee Members (2022-2023)

Name

Institution

Committee Role

Carolina Lithgow-Bertelloni

University of California Los Angeles

Committee Chair

Natsue Abe

JAMSTEC Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

Member

Niloufar Abolfathian

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Member

Boris Kaus

Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

Member

Leah Bland

AGU

Staff Partner, Manager, Honors Program

Committee charge

The committee is charged with selecting the recipient of the Walter H. Bucher Medal. Committee members will abide by AGU’s Honors Conflict of Interest Policy, program policies, procedures and guidelines set by AGU. In partnership with the Honors and Recognition Committee and staff, the committee works to ensure that the program is superior in all respects, recognizes all constituents, and fosters a global network of individuals in the Earth and space sciences who epitomize excellence and cooperation in research, education, and outreach. The members of the Bucher Medal Committee will promote excellence and transparency, allowing broad input and recognition beyond disciplinary awards, promoting diversity and equity so that the Bucher Medal is sufficiently representative of underrepresented groups.
Sunrise over a bed of rocks on side of mountain in Russia

Key Duties

The Bucher Medal Committee supports the following initiatives and duties. Their work is completed primarily through the online submission and review system, and by teleconference and email
  • 1
    Review data from Bucher Medal selection processes for the past years to determine if the program is achieving AGU’s relevant goals
  • 2
    Examine and report on program data to determine whether the number and quality of AGU Bucher Medal nominations are competitive
  • 3
    Select the Bucher medalists
  • 4
    Recommend, implement, and evaluate strategies used to increase diversity of nominations
  • 5
    Participate in training, orientations, and workshops on associated Honors and Recognition policies and processes
  • 6
    Understand and commit to AGU’s Conflict of Interest policy and process
  • 7
    Provide input and recommendations to the Honors and Recognition Committee on program improvements
  • 8
    Partner with AGU leaders and staff, as well as other societies to resolve common issues among scientific communities’ recognition programs