Newsletters Archive

February 2016

Dear Colleagues,

1. 2015 Outstanding Student Presentation Award Winners

Congratulations to the winners of Outstanding Student Presentation Awards from the 2015 Fall Meeting! This year’s winners from the Seismology Section are: Karianne Bergen (Stanford University), Daniel Bowman (University of North Carolina), Laurence Cowton (University of Cambridge), Andreas Mavrommatis (Stanford University), Pamela Moyer (University of New Hampshire), Marija Mustac (Australian National University), and Frederic Wagner (Uppsala University). Many thanks to all the section members who judged student presentations.

As you’ve heard from AGU, this is the time of year to nominate your colleagues for honors. At the Union level, honors include the Fellows program and numerous medals and awards. In the Seismology Section, our awards are the Keiiti Aki Young Scientist Award and the Paul G. Silver Award for Outstanding Scientific Service (which is jointly awarded by the Seismology, Tectonophysics, and Geodesy sections). We also have the Gutenberg Lecture.

2. New AGU Donor Incentive Program

AGU is piloting a donor incentive program that would provide additional, unrestricted funding to the Seismology Section if 5% of our section members contribute $50 or more. The funding amounts rise as the percentages increase as follows:

  • 5% participation = $1000 contribution from AGU to Seismology
  • 7% participation = $2000 contribution from AGU to Seismology
  • 10% participation = $3000 contribution from AGU to Seismology
  • 12% participation = $4000 contribution from AGU to Seismology
  • >15% participation = $5000 contribution from AGU to Seismology
Seismology was at the 3.33% level this past year, so a 50% increase in members making donations would take us past the first threshold. This year we have used donations for the joint reception with Tectonophysics (note that getting a larger room is a priority) and the institution of a $100 prize for each section Outstanding Student Presentation Award. Additional donations could be used to improve the reception and increase the prizes (we still lag behind other sections and focus groups in that regard). Perhaps you have other ideas? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

3. 2016 Elections for Seismology Section Officers

Elections for the 2017–2018 Seismology Section President and Secretary will be held this summer, and a committee, chaired by Suzan van der Lee, will be choosing two candidates for each office. We welcome your suggestions for candidates. Please send them to Suzan van der Lee by 15 March.

4. 2016 Honors Nominations

15 March 2016 Deadline: Union Fellows, other Union Medals, Awards, and Prizes

15 April 2016 Deadline: Keiiti Aki Young Scientist Award, Paul G. Silver Award for Outstanding Scientific Service, Gutenberg Lecture

Union Fellows

Nominations for 2016 Fellows can be submitted via the AGU Union Fellows website until 15 March 2016. Nominations will first be reviewed by the Fellows Committee for each section. Section recommendations are then sent on to the Union Fellows Committee, which will make the final determination. 2016 Seismology Section Fellows Committee: Barbara Romanowicz (chair), Geoff Abers, Ralph Archuleta, Michael Bostock, Shuichi Kodaira, Anne Sheehan.

Union Medals, Awards and Prizes

Union Medals, Awards and Prizes that are often of interest to seismologists include the Macelwane, Lehman, Bucher, Bowie, Ewing, and Hess Medals and the Smith, Ambassador, Flinn, International, and Excellence in Geophysical Education Awards. We also encourage you to consider nominating colleagues for other medals and awards. Nominations for Union medals and awards are not reviewed at the section level. Nominations should be submitted through the AGU website by 15 March 2016.

Keiiti Aki Young Scientist Award

The Keiiti Aki Young Scientist Award recognizes the scientific accomplishments of young scientists in the field of seismology. Nominees for this award in 2016 should have obtained their Ph.D. in 2013–2015 and should be a member of AGU with a primary affiliation in the Seismology Section. Please submit nominations by 15 April 2016 through the AGU website. The award will be presented at the 2016 AGU Fall Meeting, just before the Gutenberg Lecture. 2016 Aki Award Committee: Sue Beck (chair), Andreas Fichtner, Miaki Ishii, Karin Sigloch, German Prieto, and Donna Shillington.

Paul G. Silver Award for Outstanding Scientific Service

The Paul G. Silver Award for Outstanding Scientific Service is given annually to an AGU member with a primary affiliation in the Seismology, Geodesy, or Tectonophysics Sections who has excelled in mentoring of junior colleagues, leadership on community research initiatives, or other forms of unselfish collaboration in research. Nominations should be submitted by 15 April 2016 through the AGU website. The selection committee for this award is made up of the Seismology, Geodesy, and Tectonophysics Section Presidents and President-elects.

Gutenberg Lecture

The Gutenberg Lecture is the named lecture in seismology given annually at the December AGU Meeting. Please submit suggestions for the 2016 Gutenberg Lecturer by 15 April 2016 through the AGU website and send a confirmation email to Doug Wiens; a short paragraph would be fine. 2016 Gutenberg Lecture Committee: Doug Wiens (chair), Greg Beroza, Göran Ekström, Yoshio Fukao, Maureen Long, and Eleonore Stutzman.

Seismology Honors Canvassing Committee

The charge of the Seismology Section Honors Canvassing Committee is to encourage nominations of outstanding members of the Seismology Section for AGU awards at the Union and section level. Members are taking a comprehensive look at potential nominees across the section, including international members, women, and other underrepresented groups. 2016 Honors Nominating Committee: Satish Singh (chair), Suzanna Carbotte, Bill Ellsworth, and Allan Rubin.

AGU conflict of interest policy

Under AGU’s conflict of interest policy for its honors program, members of the selection committee for a given honor are not able to nominate, write a supporting letter, or be nominated for that honor. The policy also includes guidelines for nominations of former graduate advisers, graduate advisees, and postdocs.

We look forward to your nominations!

5. Other News: Subduction Zone Observatory Workshop

Please consider applying to attend the NSF-sponsored Subduction Zone Observatory Workshop, to be held in Boise, Idaho, from Wednesday, 28 September until Friday, 30 September. The workshop seeks a broad range of applicants interested in discussing the scientific motivations for an interdisciplinary Earth, ocean, and atmospheric research program focused around the scientific questions and societal hazards related to subduction zones. Applicants will be selected by the organizing committee and notified of their application status no later than 1 July.

On-site support is available for selected applicants, and limited travel support will be available for selected early-career scientists and other applicants. International and early-career scientists are especially encouraged to apply.

Please visit the workshop website to learn more.

Best regards,

Greg Beroza

AGU Section President, Seismology

Doug Wiens

AGU Section President-elect, Seismology

Miaki Ishii

AGU Section Secretary, Seismology

Karen Fischer

AGU Section Immediate Past President, Seismology

Celia Eddy

AGU Section Student Representative, Seismology

Section Resources