AGU - American Geophysical Union

About AGU
Career Development
Honors & Funding
Meetings & Events
Publications & News
Policy & Outreach

Who We Are

AGU Membership Value

Empower your future today!

Ethics, Diversity & Inclusive Science

Promoting an inclusive scientific culture

Membership Directory

Find members by section, region or expertise

Programs & Initiatives

Advance your career and connect with peers

Find Your Community

Connect by science, interest and identity

AGU Net Zero Headquarters

Visit AGU’s award-winning HQ in D.C.

Leadership & Governance

Volunteers shaping AGU and the future of science

AGU Sections

Connect with colleagues in your discipline

College of Fellows

Distinguished Earth and space science leaders

Get a full year of AGU Member value. Renew your membership now!

Become a 2026 Member

Enjoy members-only experiences to further your science.

Discover

Help AGU amplify our mission by donating today Give to AGU

Students

Student Programs

Launch your career with a supportive community

Leadership Opportunities

Awards & Funding

Apply for scholarships and fellowships

Educators

University & Faculty Programs

Network and share best practices in education

K-12

Explore Bright STaRS program and travel grants

Career Advancement

Career Center

Find or post job listings; search career resources

Programs by Career Stage

Programs and support for every career level

Fellowships & Cohort Programs

Build in-depth skills alongside peers

AGU Circles

Get support and new perspectives with peer mentoring

AGU Grant Finder

Search thousands of funding opportunities

AGU Honors

Union Medals, Awards & Prizes

Recognizing top achievements in science

Union Fellows Program

Recognizing excellence in research

Section Awards & Lectures

Celebrating section-specific achievements

Student Awards

Rewarding scientific excellence in students

Science Policy & Communication Awards

Awarding excellence in science outreach

View 2025 honorees

AGU Funding

Scholarships

Investing in science’s future leaders

Travel Grants

Support travel for AGU meetings

Research Grants

Funding new discoveries and breakthroughs

2026 Nominations are NOW OPEN!

Whether for your own accomplishments or those of another, recognize the excellence of a worthy candidate by nominating them for an AGU Honor.

Nominate

AGU Grant Finder: Search thousands of funding opportunities Find Funding

AGU Meetings

AGU Annual Meeting

Join AGU26 in San Francisco this December

Chapmans

Specialized meetings for science insights

Ocean Sciences

Thank you for joining us in Glasgow!

AbSciCon

Uncover new insights in astrobiology

Exhibits and Sponsorship Opportunities

Elevate your visibility in the geosciences

See You at our Next Chapman Meeting!

Resources

Meetings & Event Calendar

Track key dates for AGU events

Book the AGU Conference Center

Host your event at AGU Headquarters

Webinars

Online sessions for science insights

Publications

Journals

Explore 24 high-impact, peer-reviewed journals

Authors

Resources and policies for authors

Books

Read and publish AGU textbooks and manuals

Editors

Resources and policies for editors

Special Collections

Premier collections highlighting key topics

Reviewers

Resources and policies for reviewers

Publish with AGU

Open Science

Open Access

Explore funding for open access publishing

Inclusive Publishing

Fostering diversity and transparency in publishing

ESS Open Archive

Search Earth and space science preprints

Data Leadership

Explore AGU data guidelines for researchers

Science News & Updates

Eos

AGU’s award-winning science news magazine

Stay in the Know

Press Releases & Media Resources

Visit AGU's newsroom for science updates

From the Prow

Read the latest message from AGU leadership

Catch up on discussions about trends, initiatives, and reflections in From the Prow Learn More

Science Policy

Science Policy Programs

Get involved in AGU’s policy initiatives

Science Policy Resources

Tools to advocate effectively for science

Grassroots Action

Mobilize local voices for policy impact

Outreach

Science Communication

Develop skills to share your science

Community Science

Connect science to local community priorities

U.S. Government Outreach

Learn to navigate U.S. science policy

Global Outreach

Collaborate globally for sustainable solutions

AGU Thought Leadership

Open Science

Expanding participation and access to science

Climate & Sustainability

Science for a thriving, sustainable future

Ethical, Diverse & Just Science

Championing ethics and equity in science

Inclusive Collaboration

Fostering an inclusive science culture

Make Your Voice Heard

Engage with your legislators on key science policy issues with AGU's Action Center

AGU Action Center

Stand with AGU’s Global Community of Climate Science: Sign our Letter

Back

About AGU
Career Development
Honors & Funding
Meetings & Events
Publications & News
Policy & Outreach

Who We Are

AGU Membership Value

Empower your future today!

Ethics, Diversity & Inclusive Science

Promoting an inclusive scientific culture

Membership Directory

Find members by section, region or expertise

Programs & Initiatives

Advance your career and connect with peers

Find Your Community

Connect by science, interest and identity

AGU Net Zero Headquarters

Visit AGU’s award-winning HQ in D.C.

Leadership & Governance

Volunteers shaping AGU and the future of science

AGU Sections

Connect with colleagues in your discipline

College of Fellows

Distinguished Earth and space science leaders

Get a full year of AGU Member value. Renew your membership now!

Students

Student Programs

Launch your career with a supportive community

Leadership Opportunities

Sign up for leadership and volunteer updates

Awards & Funding

Apply for scholarships and fellowships

Educators

University & Faculty Programs

Network and share best practices in education

K-12

Explore Bright STaRS program and travel grants

Career Advancement

Career Center

Find or post job listings; search career resources

Programs by Career Stage

Programs and support for every career level

Fellowships & Cohort Programs

Build in-depth skills alongside peers

AGU Circles

Get support and new perspectives with peer mentoring

AGU Grant Finder

Search thousands of funding opportunities

AGU Honors

Union Medals, Awards & Prizes

Recognizing top achievements in science

Union Fellows Program

Recognizing excellence in research

Section Awards & Lectures

Celebrating section-specific achievements

Student Awards

Rewarding scientific excellence in students

Science Policy & Communication Awards

Awarding excellence in science outreach

View 2025 honorees

AGU Funding

Scholarships

Investing in science’s future leaders

Travel Grants

Support travel for AGU meetings

Research Grants

Funding new discoveries and breakthroughs

AGU Meetings

AGU Annual Meeting

Join AGU26 in San Francisco this December

Chapmans

Specialized meetings for science insights

Ocean Sciences

Thank you for joining us in Glasgow!

AbSciCon

Uncover new insights in astrobiology

Exhibits and Sponsorship Opportunities

Elevate your visibility in the geosciences

See You at our Next Chapman Meeting!

Resources

Meetings & Event Calendar

Track key dates for AGU events

Book the AGU Conference Center

Host your event at AGU Headquarters

Webinars

Online sessions for science insights

Publications

Journals

Explore 24 high-impact, peer-reviewed journals

Authors

Resources and policies for authors

Books

Read and publish AGU textbooks and manuals

Editors

Resources and policies for editors

Special Collections

Premier collections highlighting key topics

Reviewers

Resources and policies for reviewers

Publish with AGU

Open Science

Open Access

Explore funding for open access publishing

Inclusive Publishing

Fostering diversity and transparency in publishing

ESS Open Archive

Search Earth and space science preprints

Data Leadership

Explore AGU data guidelines for researchers

Science News & Updates

Eos

AGU’s award-winning science news magazine

Stay in the Know

Sign up for AGU updates and news

Press Releases & Media Resources

Visit AGU's newsroom for science updates

From the Prow

Read the latest message from AGU leadership

Science Policy

Science Policy Programs

Get involved in AGU’s policy initiatives

Science Policy Resources

Tools to advocate effectively for science

Grassroots Action

Mobilize local voices for policy impact

Outreach

Science Communication

Develop skills to share your science

Community Science

Connect science to local community priorities

U.S. Government Outreach

Learn to navigate U.S. science policy

Global Outreach

Collaborate globally for sustainable solutions

AGU Thought Leadership

Open Science

Expanding participation and access to science

Climate & Sustainability

Science for a thriving, sustainable future

Ethical, Diverse & Just Science

Championing ethics and equity in science

Inclusive Collaboration

Fostering an inclusive science culture

AGU Members
Alex J. Dessler
Honors & Awards

Member Since 1958

Alex J. Dessler

Adjunct Professor, Rice University

View Full Profile

Honors and Awards

William Kaula Award

Received December 2003

John Adam Fleming Medal

Received December 1993

Union Fellow

Received January 1964

James B. Macelwane Medal

Received December 1963