What is the AGU COF Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) program?
The Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) program is a free lecture series developed by the AGU College of Fellows (COF) to connect AGU Honorees with students and scholars from across the globe through live, virtual or in-person lectures. The lectures provide a high-level synthesis of specific fields for general science audience and focus on grand challenges and societal impacts. These lectures include a question-and-answer session, where attendees can learn more about the lecturer's expertise and experience. There will also be opportunities for speakers to host meet and greet sessions either before or after the event to more time to connect with students.
What is the purpose of the DLS program?
The AGU College of Fellows (COF) developed this speaker series to provide students, especially those without access to Earth and space scientists, an opportunity to learn more about topics in geoscience and be inspired by AGU Honorees. These lectures will provide a high-level synthesis of specific fields and will focus on grand challenges and societal impacts. It is also an opportunity to gain insight into potential career paths in the Earth and space sciences.
Who are the speakers and how are they selected?
The program is open to all AGU Honorees (e.g., Union Medal, Award and Prize recipients, AGU Fellows, and Section Award and Lecture recipients). As of 2025, candidates are able to self-nominate. The slate of candidates is vetted by Section Leaders and ultimately, AGU's College of Fellows Executive Committee makes final selections. For a full list of speakers and information about their lectures, visit the Meet the Lecturers webpage.
How do I engage with a speaker?
Community colleges, universities, and other institutions of education are encouraged to request a lecture from one of the speakers, using the request form. Selections will be made based on speaker’s availability. Selections will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.
What happens after I submit a lecture request?
We will reach out to notify that your request has been received, and the lecturer(s) has been contacted. We will work with the lecturer and you (the requester), to find the best time for the lecture. Once a time and date are selected for the lecture, we will set up a calendar invite with the Zoom link (if virtual) and send a confirmation email.
How long is the lecture?
Lectures will be approximately 45-60 minutes long with an additional time (about 30-45 minutes) after the lecture to engage with students and attendees via Q&A. Total engagement 1-1.5 hours.
What is the format of the lecture?
Lectures are hosted virtually (unless agreed otherwise) and are held on a site-specific Zoom session. It is expected that the host institution joins the call a few minutes early to ensure that audio and video is functioning correctly. The engagement will begin with a brief introduction of the lecturer from the host institution, then will be handed to the lecturer to give their lecture. Each lecture will end with a broad-based question-and-answer session where attendees are free to ask questions relating to the topics discussed in the lecture, or about the lecturer's career experience.
Are the lectures live or pre-recorded?
All lectures are delivered live, not pre-recorded.
Will the lectures be in person?
While the primary delivery format is virtual, if a lecture is requested to be in-person, it is expected that the institution will provide the funding and management of the lecturer's travel with the exception of lectures requested by minority-serving institutions (or similar). If the requesting institution is an MSI, AGU has a limited amount of funding available for lecturer travel to minority-serving institutions. Please email us with any distinguishedlectureseries@agu.org.
Are there recordings available for previous engagements?
We are working on making the recordings of past lectures available.
How can I become a lecturer?
We appreciate your interest. However, we currently are not looking for new lecturers. Nominations for the next lecturer cohort (2026-2027) will be announced sometime in 2026. Only those who are AGU Honorees (e.g., Union Medal, Award, or Prize recipients, Union Fellows, or Section Award or Lecture recipients) are eligible to self-nominate.
Who can I contact for more information?
Feel free to email us at distinguishedlectureseries@agu.org.