AGU to host Second Meeting of Heads and Chairs of Earth and Space Science Departments

Abstract

On November 12–14 the second Meeting of Heads and Chairs of Earth and Space Science Departments will be held at AGU headquarters in Washington, D.C. The theme of the meeting is “Preparing for the future: What changes should be considered in order to keep abreast of rapidly changing times?”Currently many Earth Science departments are at a crossroads of change and are uncertain about the future. As the 21st century approaches, the context for undergraduate and graduate science education is evolving rapidly, with greater emphasis needed on the life sciences, integration of knowledge from across traditional disciplines, and remote sensing technologies. Both student demographics and societal needs are also undergoing fundamental shifts. With increased public scrutiny, funding agencies are changing how they operate.