Climate and Health Research Scientist, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 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.

As a member of multiple categories outlined by the National Institutes of Health as underrepresented, I feel strongly about the need to embrace diversity in all of its forms. Coming from a low income background and as a first generation student, I have sought to drive this need in multiple arenas, including serving on multiple diversity and inclusion committees and acting as Vice President of the Dekalb Youth Sports Program, which focused on raising funds to award sports grants to underserved youth.

Volunteer experience that relates to this position:

Active member of the GeoHealth Leadership team, current Section Secretary, previous co-Chair of the Meetings Committee; developed and led first 2 years of the GeoHealth quarterly webinar series; led the creation of the AGU/American Meteorological Society joint GeoHealth Showcase; currently working to form a pilot GeoHealth working group focused on wildfires and health.

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?

I strongly support AGU's vision of working to guarantee a thriving and sustainable future and recognize the important role of the GeoHealth section in this effort. GeoHealth is uniquely poised to work toward discovery and solutions that will encourage sustainable and equitable human advancement through both a scientific and a human lens. I am committed to continuing to grow our community to include international scientists that can lend valuable insight into both empirical and solutions-based research. As monumental challenges like climate change continue to threaten our planet and human well-being, it is imperative that we join together with other organizations to foster scholarship and ingenuity in the face of such challenges. I intend to continue and advance the efforts of the GeoHealth section by adding to our current partnerships, including engaging with other scientific societies and community organizations to drive continued change and evolution of the section and the larger research community.

Section affiliations:

Atmospheric Sciences; GeoHealth; Global Environmental Change; Natural Hazards; Science and Society