Every year, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) recognizes individuals through our renowned honors program for their exceptional achievements, outstanding contributions and service to the scientific community, and attainment of eminence in Earth or space science fields. This distinguished group of honorees—scientists, leaders, educators, and communicators—has explored new frontiers in geophysical or space research through their creativity, original thinking, and groundbreaking advances. On behalf of AGU’s Honors and Recognition Committee, our Union selection committees, and our organization’s leadership and staff, we are very pleased to present the recipients of AGU’s 2017 Union medals, awards, and prizes.
Fulfilling AGU’s Mission
Our 2017 honorees’ work and scientific achievements embody AGU’s mission of promoting discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of society. Their discoveries or other contributions have helped improve the lives and prosperity of people and communities around the world. Their passion for scientific excellence and their dedication continues to enhance our understanding of Earth and space science.
We thank all who have given their support and commitment to AGU’s honors program, including the volunteers who serve on the medal, award, and prize selection committees that have chosen this year’s Union honors recipients. We also are grateful for the commitment and engagement of all of the nominators and supporters who make our honors program possible through their dedicated efforts to recognize and commend their colleagues.
Celebrate at Fall Meeting
We look forward to celebrating these 29 exceptional recipients of our Union medals, awards, and prizes and their contributions and achievements at this year’s Honors Tribute to be held on Wednesday, 13 December 2017, at the Fall Meeting in New Orleans.
Please join us in congratulating our esteemed class of 2017 Union honorees listed below.
Medals
William Bowie Medal
*Thomas H. Jordan, Southern California Earthquake Center, University of Southern California
*Editor’s note: The 2017 Bowie Medal was not awarded by the AGU Board.
James B. Macelwane Medal
Robert E. Kopp, Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Michael P. Lamb, California Institute of Technology
Yan Lavallée, University of Liverpool
Wen Li, Boston University and University of California, Los Angeles
Tiffany A. Shaw, The University of Chicago
John Adam Fleming Medal
Mary K. Hudson, Dartmouth College
Maurice Ewing Medal
Donald W. Forsyth, Brown University
Robert E. Horton Medal
Eric F. Wood, Princeton University
Harry H. Hess Medal
Roberta L. Rudnick, University of California, Santa Barbara
Roger Revelle Medal
Kevin E. Trenberth, National Center for Atmospheric Research
Inge Lehmann Medal
Brian L. N. Kennett, Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University
Devendra Lal Memorial Medal
S. K. Satheesh, Indian Institute of Science
Awards
Africa Award for Research Excellence in Earth or Ocean Sciences
Bruno V. E. Faria, National Meteorological and Geophysics Institute
Africa Award for Research Excellence in Space Science
Melessew Nigussie, Washera Geospace and Radar Science Laboratory, Bahir Dar University
Ambassador Award
Jean Marie Bahr, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Robert A. Duce, Texas A&M University
Richard C. J. Somerville, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
Robert C. Cowen Award for Sustained Achievement in Science Journalism
Richard Monastersky, Nature
Edward A. Flinn III Award
Robert L. Wesson, U.S. Geological Survey
Excellence in Earth and Space Science Education Award
Thure E. Cerling, University of Utah
James R. Ehleringer, University of Utah
Charles S. Falkenberg Award
Hook Hua, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Athelstan Spilhaus Award
Erik Meade Conway, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
International Award
Hubert H. G. Savenije, Delft University of Technology
Walter Sullivan Award for Excellence in Science Journalism–Features
Tony Bartelme, Post and Courier (Charleston, S.C.)
David Perlman Award for Excellence in Science Journalism–News
Courtney Humphries, Freelance Journalist, Boston, Mass.
Prizes
The Asahiko Taira International Scientific Ocean Drilling Research Prize
Michael Strasser, University of Innsbruck
Climate Communication Prize
Stefan Rahmstorf, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
—Eric A. Davidson, President, AGU; and Samuel Mukasa (email: agu_unionhonors@agu.org), Chair, Honors and Recognition Committee, AGU
Citation:
Davidson, E.,Mukasa, S. (2017), 2017 AGU Union medal, award, and prize recipients announced, Eos, 98, https://doi.org/10.1029/2017EO078197. Published on 20 July 2017.
Text © 2017. The authors. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
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