American Geophysical Union Position Statements

As a service to AIP’s Member Societies and the physics community, the following positions statements adopted or reaffirmed by the American Geophysical Union are provided below:

CREATIONISM

Adopted by AGU Council December 1981
Reaffirmed in May 1990, May 26, 1994, and on May 28, 1998.

“The Council of the American Geophysical Union notes with concern the continuing efforts by creationists for administrative, legislative, and juridical actions designed to require or promote the teaching of creationism as a scientific theory.

“The American Geophysical Union is opposed to all efforts to require or promote the teaching of creationism or any other religious tenets as science.”

SPACE STATION

Adopted by Council May 28, 1998

“A healthy and effective space program is of critical importance to many fields of geophysics. The Space Station is designed to maintain human presence in space and facilitate microgravity and life sciences studies. The American Geophysical Union (AGU) remains deeply concerned that the high cost of implementing the current Station design will detrimentally affect NASA’s science programs including Earth and space sciences. Transferring funds from the Science, Aeronautics, and Technology accounts, which include Earth science, threatens the viability of a balanced national space program. AGU is also concerned that the high costs of the Station may detrimentally impact geological science programs in other agencies.

“AGU recommends that the 1990 Report of the Advisory Committee for the Future of the U.S. Space Program be carefully heeded. The Report argues for a balanced space program, with selected program elements (e.g., Station) that are tailored to match the availability of funds. Implementation of the Space Station must not be allowed to cause the decline or demise of the exciting and important science elements of the national space program. AGU recommends that funds be included in the projections of future budgets for science elements of the space program, even if this action results in future reduction of the scope of the Station.”

THE ROLE OF U.S. GOVERNMENT IN GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH

Adopted by Council May 28, 1998

“Historically, the government of the United States has called upon geophysical scientists to address some of the challenges that the country has faced, from historic expeditions to explore the frontier lands to modern attempts to map Earth’s near-space environment. As populations increase, as new technologies require a more detailed understanding of the environments in which they operate, as more demands are made upon non-renewable sources, and as citizens demand better stewardship of the environment, the national and global demand for geophysical knowledge will continue to grow.

“Individuals, businesses, and governments all have a stake in the gathering of geophysical knowledge. But since individuals and businesses tend by necessity to be focused on specific concerns, the government role is critical. Given the broad implications and impact of many societal issues related to the Earth and its environment, the geophysical expertise and knowledge that are needed to manage them often extends across several government jurisdictions. For example, in order to manage its water supplies prudently, the public and its elected representatives must understand where water comes from and where it goes. Scientific research--on local and global scales, in the short and long term--is crucial to such understanding. Having the appropriate geophysical information can allow a society to synthesize the requisite data, set policies, write legislation, and make the necessary investments to accomplish societal objectives.

“For these reasons, the American Geophysical Union, an association of scientists, engineers, and other citizens, supports governmental measures that strengthen our research capabilities in geophysics. The Union is convinced, both by history and by contemporary concerns, that geophysical research contributes significantly to the welfare of all citizens.”

For further information, contact Peter F. Folger, the Public Affairs Manager of the American Geophysical Union at pfolger@kosmos.agu.org or 202-462-6910 , x. 207.