American Geophysical Union

History, Mission, and Activities

The AGU began as the union of the American National Committee of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics and the Committee on Geophysics of the National Research Council. Since this union, the AGU has grown into the preeminent international force for the promotion of geophysical endeavors. In the early days of small-scale geophysics, the annual meetings of the AGU provided the chief meeting place for the world's geophysicists. The fall meeting, held each December in San Francisco, is currently the largest annual scientific conference in the world. The primary mission of the AGU is the promotion of scientific study of the Earth and its environment in space and the dissemination of these results to the public. Additional components of the mission are “to promote cooperation among scientific organizations involved in geophysics and related disciplines, initiate and participate in geophysical research programs, and advance the various geophysical disciplines through scientific discussion, publication, and dissemination of information.”

The organization nominates members for fellowship in the society. Designation as a fellow is not conferred upon more than 0.1 percent of members in any given year. A committee of fellows elects members for fellowship based on their exceptional scientific contributions.

For the past 30 years, the AGU has offered congressional fellowships for scientists and engineers who want to participate in scientific policy. These individuals are selected after a rigorous application process and placed in the offices of either an individual member of Congress or on a committee for a one-year assignment.

The AGU gives out 11 union medals on either an annual or biannual basis. Of the seven annual medals, notable honors include the William Bowie Medal, given for excellence and unselfish cooperation in research; and the James B. Macelwane Medal, given to an exceptional young scientist. Additional annual medals, such as the John Adam Fleming Medal, are given for excellence within a discipline of geophysics. The remaining four medals are given out biannually. Notable honors include the Waldo E. Smith Medal, given for leadership in the advancement of geosciences.

Five annual awards are also awarded. The first is the Flinn Award, which is given to the the scientist who best embodies the mission of “unselfish cooperation in research.” The International Award is given to either an individual scientist or a small team in recognition for using science for the benefit of society in less favored nations. There is an annual excellence in education award given to an outstanding geophysical educator each year. The Spilhaus Award is given for public outreach and the Falkenberg is given to a young researcher using science for practical stewardship of resources.

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