Mountains silhouetted against a starry night sky

CHARLES A. WHITTEN MEDAL COMMITTEE

Committee members  (2022-2023)

Name

Institution

Committee Role

Isabella Velicogna

University of California Irvine

Chair

Jingyi Chen

University of Texas at Austin

Member

Veronique Dehant

Royal Observatory of Belgium

Member

John R. Elliott

University of Leeds

Member

Yuri A. Fialko

University of California San Diego

Member

Leah Bland

AGU

Staff Partner; Manager, Honors Program

Committee charge

The committee is charged with selecting the recipient of the Charles A. Whitten Medal. Committee members will abide by AGU’s Honors Conflict of Interest Policy, program policies, procedures and guidelines set by AGU. In partnership with the Honors and Recognition Committee and staff, the committee works to ensure that the program is superior in all respects, recognizes all constituents, and fosters a global network of individuals in the Earth and space sciences who epitomize excellence and cooperation in research, education, and outreach. The members of the Whitten Medal Committee will promote excellence and transparency, allowing broad input and recognition beyond disciplinary awards, promoting diversity and equity so that the Whitten Medal is sufficiently representative of underrepresented groups.
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Key duties

The Whitten Medal Committee supports the following initiatives and duties. Their work is completed primarily through the online submission and review system, and by teleconference and email.
  • 1
    Review data from Whitten Medal selection processes for the past years to determine if the program is achieving AGU’s relevant goals.
  • 2
    Examine and report on program data to determine whether the number and quality of Whitten Medal nominations are competitive.
  • 3
    Select the Whitten medalists.
  • 4
    Recommend, implement, and evaluate strategies used to increase diversity of nominations.
  • 5
    Participate in training, orientations, and workshops on associated Honors and Recognition policies and processes.
  • 6
    Understand and commit to AGU’s Conflict of Interest policy and process.
  • 7
    Provide input and recommendations to the Honors and Recognition Committee on program improvements.
  • 8
    Partner with AGU leaders and staff, as well as other societies to resolve common issues among scientific communities’ recognition programs.