Dr. Rodrigo Vargas has made significant contributions to the developing field of environmental cyberinfrastructure and global environmental change. Indeed, he helped to pioneer the use of time series analysis to study soil carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes, one of the major pathways in the global carbon cycle. Rodrigo’s background in ecology and carbon cycle biogeochemistry, and his fundamental contributions to the use of environmental sensor networks and sensor technology related to climate change research, along with his extensive analytical skill set, have made him an international leader in the impacts of climate change on ecosystem carbon budgets. This is clearly demonstrated by his recent recognition as a Highly Cited Researcher by the Web of Science. Furthermore, he contributes to policy-relevant research through participation in international climate assessments. Finally, Rodrigo is deeply committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Surprisingly, he is the only Hispanic faculty member in the past 150 years in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Delaware, where he was recently promoted to the rank of professor. In this role he has strongly advocated for the needs of the Latinx community for which he has been awarded the Latino/Hispanic Heritage Impact Award and the Mentorship/Advancement Award for Latino/Hispanic Graduate Students. Finally, Rodrigo is an active member of the AGU community serving as an associate editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences among many other activities. —Scott Collins, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

It has been a privilege and an honor to have had the opportunity to work on scientific, educational, and social endeavors in global environmental change. It is an honor to receive the 2022 Piers J. Sellers Global Environmental Change Mid-Career Award. Piers Sellers’s work and leadership have touched and influenced many scientists, and his legacy will continue to be remembered in the years to come. It is amazing to be among the prestigious list of previous awardees. I am deeply grateful to Scott Collins for nominating me and believing in me since I was a graduate student. Thank you, Scott! My career as a scientist would not have been possible without the support of many mentors, colleagues, students, and friends. My first mentor as an undergraduate was Eberto Novelo, who introduced me to the study of biogeochemical cycles. I thank my Ph.D. adviser, Michael Allen, who gave me the freedom to pursue my interests and taught me about soil-plant-atmosphere interactions. Then, my postdoc adviser, Dennis Baldocchi, taught me about eddy covariance, the importance of synthesis of information, and the power of global environmental networks. I am also grateful for the opportunity to be a member of FLUXNET, AmeriFlux, MexFlux, and the North American Carbon Program communities. I have had the privilege to work with fantastic students, early-career scientists, and colleagues around the world with whom I share this honor. This recognition means a lot to me as a member of the Latinx/Hispanic community of AGU. With this visibility comes great responsibility. I am inspired to continue to support members of historically marginalized populations so they can thrive, lead, and advance scientific endeavors related to global environmental change. I am thankful to Scott, my mentors, colleagues, students, and friends who have been with me throughout my career. I am grateful for all the love and support from my family. I thank the Global Environmental Change section for honoring me with the 2022 Piers J. Sellers Global Environmental Change Mid-Career Award. —Rodrigo Vargas, University of Delaware, Newark