Earth Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA

AGU embraces the global community and welcomes leaders representing various identities, voices, and perspectives. List any identities, voices, and perspectives you would bring, including but not limited to nationality, regional representations, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and anything else you feel comfortable sharing.

Through my role as a mentor, supervisor, colleague and father, I continue to recognize the role privilege and unconscious bias had in my career. While undoubtably benefiting from unconscious bias, I’ve also seen unconscious bias negatively impact individuals around me with diverse voices, ethnicity and appearance. More personally, I am very aware of gender bias. Having two teenage daughters very interested in math and science has revealed to me how our society treats and views women in science.

I seek to promote inclusion of individuals of all identities. I strive to include and value different approaches and personalities in scientific discovery through collaborative decision-making. As a supervisor, I have mentored and trained individuals of different genders, races, countries of origin, family situations and sexual orientations at different stages in their careers. Institutionally, I have sought out opportunities to encourage diversity in recruitment and hiring processes as much as possible. Diverse identities increase the breadth of perspectives, approaches and ideas. I have a proactive, solution-oriented perspective on the role of identity and bias in our field. Using my voice to promote equity in our field makes me a better scientist and person.

Volunteer experience that relates to this position:

I have served as editor for AGU’s Reviews of Geophysics and was AGU Atmospheric Sciences communications secretary 2003-2006. I have extensive experience working with diverse and interdisciplinary teams and building ideas as the co-coordinator for several international scientific projects for the World Climate Research Programme. I have led the internal assemblies for scientists and early career scientists and contributed to diversity and sustainability initiatives at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

This role aims to catalyze community and build AGU as envisioned by the strategic plan. This leadership position is a dual role - helping to advance AGU’s strategic plan as a member of Council and leading your section. How would you support the Board, staff and other sections to achieve AGU’s vision, values, mission, and goals? How will you engage with members of your section to execute AGU’s strategic plan?

There are several areas where, as Atmospheric Science section president, I will work passionately toward AGU goals: to provide knowledge for the benefit of people and the planet, while promoting new methods and an inclusive scientific culture.

New and diverse careers are emerging to apply atmospheric science knowledge. AGU Atmospheric Sciences can connect our membership with each other and with partners inside and outside of AGU who want to apply our core scientific knowledge and help develop solution-based science.

I fully support open science, open data and shared resources. AGU has an opportunity to help develop the future of inclusive interdisciplinary science and scientific collaboration by listening to new ideas for meetings and collaboration methods and encouraging open access to information and scientific resources.

I will use my voice to promote an inclusive community of scientists that listens to diverse perspectives and ideas. A broader perspective improves our science.

I fully support the AGU Atmospheric Sciences Early Career Committee (I led an institutional committee like this in the past). I want to empower the next generation further by sharing best practices around career growth, including new career opportunities.

Changes in work arrangements to hybrid or remote work provide opportunities (flexibility) and challenges (reduced human contact) for all scientists. I am navigating this environment as a remote worker myself. It is particularly important now that AGU work to assist young scientists and ensure inclusion of underrepresented groups in a hybrid world.

Section affiliations:
Atmospheric Sciences