Professor of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 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.

I am a career faculty member at U.S. public universities where I am steeped in discovery science. The perspective I draw from this role is that of many AGU members: folks scrambling to get abstracts written during summer field work, rushing to amazing scientific meetings during final exams, and mentoring the next generation of scientists and voters. I served extensively in administration at the department and institutional levels where I learned life lessons about the balance between structure and culture, and the challenges and opportunities associated with change to either one. I believe in and employ honest communication to recognize and address problems – skills that are relevant to helping move an organization forward with broad stakeholder engagement and support. Decades of field work and research with international colleagues have brought me deep and rewarding engagement with people and cultures that are different from my own background. Within AGU my perspective is from a small and young section that works to bridge a traditional science focus with research and outreach around effective ways of communicating with diverse audiences. Finally, but not least, I identify as a woman, both a mother and a daughter, and a nurturing, supportive and listening partner.

Volunteer experience that relates to this position:

Following 25+ years within Volcanology, Geochemistry, and Petrology, I served on the committee proposing to establish the Education section. I took a leadership role in the foundational years as president-elect, president and past president. Membership and donations have grown steadily; we support education researchers, students, early career scientists, and teachers to engage with AGU. I have been an active and effective voice on AGU Council, directed our Section Honors and Awards, and serve on the Outstanding Student Presentation Awards working group.

Board members work together with other volunteer leaders and staff to play a key role in implementing AGU’s strategic plan. What aspects of the strategic plan do you see yourself contributing to the most? How would you work with others to advance AGU’s values, vision, mission, and goals?

The AGU mission resonates strongly with my values. My interests and experiences are particularly relevant to bridging discovery and solution-based science, and investing broadly in science education and engagement. I am a hardworking advocate for researchers, educators and learners in all contexts, including classrooms and diverse communities. AGU partners with scientists, communities and like-minded organizations around the world, and supports the efforts of individuals from globally, culturally and economically diverse backgrounds. I recognize that these partnerships take hard work and professional engagement and will help build structures to scaffold sustainable relationships. I am a strong proponent of giving voice to multiple perspectives, and maintaining a space where those perspectives are heard and valued even if they are ultimately not reflected in a final decision. Respectful listening is crucial to building and maintaining organizational leadership, and to allowing the organization to adapt to new global parameters. Members of the Board must stretch their minds to encompass the entire landscape over which AGU operates and use their platform to articulate positive directions for the organization. My style is to be active and seek practical approaches and solutions, and I am comfortable across the spectrum of small details and broad visions. It is important to me that the Board communicates openly because building membership consensus is critical to the success of significant new endeavors. I respect the dedicated and hardworking AGU staff and know that the organization achieves its great potential when administration, section leadership and staff work in true partnership.

Section affiliations:

Education; Study of the Earth’s Deep Interior; Volcanology, Geochemistry, and Petrology