Middle Career
Experienced
Presented two out of every three years;
Peer nomination required
Recognizing Contributions to Magnetospheric Science
The James Van Allen Lecture is presented two out of every three years to a space scientist who has made significant contributions to the field of magnetospheric science. It is named to honor the life and work of astrophysicist and space pioneer James A. Van Allen. The lecture is presented during the AGU Fall Meeting.
The Van Allen Lecture is also part of the Bowie Lecture Series, established to commemorate the 50th presentation of the William Bowie medal, AGU’s highest honor.
- A lecture certificate
- Recognition at AGU's annual meeting the year the honor is awarded
- An invitation to present the Van Allen Lecture at AGU's annual meeting the year the honor is awarded
- A ticket to the Space Physics and Aeronomy section dinner at AGU's annual meeting the year the honor is awarded
About the Space Physics and Aeronomy Section
The Space Physics and Aeronomy (SPA) Section is united by its interest in the Sun, the heliosphere (the region around the Sun that is permeated by the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field), and the upper atmospheres and magnetospheres of solar system planets and small bodies. To maintain the integrity of its scientific endeavors and to make participation in AGU activities more manageable, the Section is organized into three subsections:
- Concerns of the Aeronomy (SA) subsection include the Earth’s ionosphere, thermosphere, and mesosphere, auroras and airglow, lightning, and planetary atmospheres and ionospheres.
- Researchers affiliated with the Solar and Heliospheric physics (SH) subsection study the solar wind, coronal heating, flares, coronal mass ejections, magnetic reconnection, collisionless shocks, and helioseismology.
- The Magnetospheric physics (SM) subsection’s focus is on geomagnetic storms, magnetospheric substorms, the magnetic fields and currents of the magnetosphere, the magnetopause, and the magnetospheres of planets and small bodies in the solar system.
Eligibility
- Nominators and supporters are not required to hold an active AGU membership.
- Thesis/research advisors may nominate their advisees.