AGU Blogosphere

13 November 2025

Don’t Just Reopen Government. Recommit to Science.

The United States has just come through the longest government shutdown in its history—a period of deep uncertainty that exacerbated hardships for the nation. Some scientists still reported for duty, delivering life-saving forecasts and monitoring hazards without pay. But with labs closed and research halted, the critical work behind those services—modeling, maintenance, and long-term observations—was stalled, eroding the scientific foundation that helps protect lives, livelihoods, and the environment. The impacts …

6 October 2025

AGU Condemns Threatened Mass Firings of U.S. Federal Workforce During Shutdown

I write to you today outraged on behalf of everyone who depends on a functioning government. Last Wednesday, the U.S. government shut down. Now, the threat of mass firings looms over our federal workforce. Many of our members are hardworking U.S. federal scientists who have dedicated their careers to serving the public. When federal scientists are forced from government service, they often lose their life’s work—and the agencies they serve …

2 June 2025

Forward with Purpose, Determined with Action

We have a promising update regarding the case for which AGU is one of the plaintiffs. In AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO, et al., v. Donald J. Trump et al., Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted the request for a preliminary injunction, which blocks the government from executing any of their reduction-in-force (RIFs) and reorganization plans until the case comes to …

24 April 2025

All in this Together: Protecting the Global Scientific Enterprise

AGU is a global community. Across 6 continents, in 200 countries and regions, we connect with one another, championing research, discovery, and solutions. Borders, languages, time zones, and customs might zig zag their way across our membership map, but science remains our guiding star and our uniting purpose. It’s even woven into an official AGU position statement: the Earth and space sciences are borderless and their data, a world heritage. …

14 March 2025

A Continuing Resolution Is a Blow to U.S. Science — and the Public

The American public deserves better. Science drives progress, but it can’t do that with stopgap funding and political gridlock. It’s time to end the cycle. Science needs certainty and sustained financial growth – and the recognition by Congress that undermining science shortchanges American competitiveness in the world. Unfortunately, even the most thoughtfully crafted spending bill from Congress means little if the executive branch refuses to implement it in good faith. …

3 February 2025

Standing Together for Science: Supporting Our Community Amid Federal Funding Challenges

I am sharing an update to my January 27 From the Prow message regarding the Executive Orders and directives coming from the United States federal government and how they are affecting AGU’s members and the broader scientific community. We are requesting your input on how these federal directives have been impacting you and your work, as your shared experiences are vital to our advocacy efforts. Based on what we know …