William B. Hanson Lecture

Information on the Lecture

The William B. Hanson Lecture is presented annually at the AGU Fall Meeting and recognizes a mid-career scientist who is making an impact through innovative approaches to observation and interpretation and to encourage a breadth in interpretation that advances all disciplines in SPA.

Lecturer Benefits

AGU is proud to recognize our section honorees. Recipients of the Lecture will receive the following benefits with the honor:

1

Lecture certificate
2

Recognition in Eos
3

An invitation to present lecture at in a Special SPA Honors Session at the AGU Fall Meeting during the lecture presentation year
4

Complimentary Ticket to SPA Reception at AGU Fall Meeting

Eligibility

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

Nominee eligibility

The nominee is required to have an active AGU membership.
Self-nominations are not accepted.
The following individuals are not eligible to be candidates for the award during their terms of service:
- Atmospheric Sciences section leadership;
- Space Physics and Aeronomy section leadership;
- William Hanson Lecture Committee members;
- AGU President;
- AGU President-elect;
- Council Leadership Team members;
- Honors and Recognition Committee members; and
- All full-time AGU staff.

Nominator eligibility

AGU Members as well as members of the general public can submit nominations for the William B. Hanson 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 Atmospheric Sciences and Space Physics and Aeronomy Section leadership;
- AGU President;
- AGU President-elect;
- Council Leadership Team members;
- Honors and Recognition Committee members;
- William Hanson Lecture Committee members; and
- All full-time AGU staff.

Supporter eligibility

AGU Members as well as members of the general public can write letters supporting nominees for the William B. Hanson Lecture.
The following individuals are not eligible to be supporters for the award during their terms of service:
- Atmospheric Sciences and Space Physics and Aeronomy section leadership;
- AGU President;
- AGU President-elect;
- Council Leadership Team members;
- Honors and Recognition Committee members;
- William Hanson 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

William B. Hanson lecturers are selected based on nominations by members of the Atmospheric Sciences and Space Physics and Aeronomy sections, the broader AGU community, and the general public.

A nomination package must include a letter of recommendation from the nominator or collaborative nominators and from any supporters stating why the candidate is well-suited to give the Hanson Lecture. The letter should briefly explain the importance of the science conducted by the nominee or by those coworkers that the nominee has directly influenced in the field of atmospheric sciences and/or space physics and aeronomy. Any evidence of how the nominee has contributed to the advancement of discovery for the benefit of humanity should also be included.

Multiple nominators for a candidate are allowed; however, nominators should consider collaborating to submit a more robust package for the nominee.

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Submission Process

Nominations for the William B. Hanson Lecture are being accepted. For questions about nomination requirements or the submission process, 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