CPAESS at AGU 2025: Connecting Science, Community, and Opportunity
A cross section of CPAESS Fellows at this year's AGU Conference including students in the NASA Jack Eddy Postdoctoral Fellowship, the NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the Weather Program Office (WPO) Innovation for Next Generation Scientists (WINGS) Dissertation Fellowship with SPS | CPAESS Director Hanne Mauriello and Deputy Director Cindy Bruyère.
CPAESS was among the thousands of scientists, educators, and policymakers who gathered at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting from December 15–19 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Each year, CPAESS leadership uses this important forum to connect with sponsors and staff, learn more about the breadth of our community’s research, and share opportunities for scientific engagement and professional development.
CPAESS had a strong presence throughout the meeting, contributing one Town Hall, two luncheons, three UCAR Community Programs (UCP) presentations, six oral presentations, and eight poster presentations. The CPAESS-hosted U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program led a Town Hall on the Third Decadal Carbon Cycle Science Plan, inviting feedback from the carbon cycle science community as the report moves toward finalization ahead of its release next year. Brooklyn Poutra, CPAESS Program Specialist for the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program, also engaged attendees at the UCAR | NCAR booth, sharing progress on the report and gathering valuable input from the broader scientific community.
CPAESS hosted two well-attended luncheons for its postdoctoral fellowship programs: the NASA Jack Eddy Postdoctoral Fellowship and the NOAA Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship. These events provided an opportunity for fellows and alumni to connect with new federal leadership and each other, highlighting the value of fellows’ research to national priorities. At the NASA luncheon, SPS | CPAESS Deputy Director Cindy Bruyère opened the event with a video message from Madhulika “Lika” Guhathakurta, followed by remarks from NASA leadership John McCormack, Living With a Star Lead, and Joseph Westlake, Director of the Heliophysics Division. At the NOAA luncheon, Cindy welcomed attendees alongside Laura Petes, Director of NOAA’s Climate Program Office, who offered reflections on the program’s impact and importance.
From left to right: Laura Petes, NOAA Climate Program Office Director; Cindy Bruyère, SPS | CPAESS Deputy Director; Tony Busalacchi, UCAR President; Hanne Mauriello, SPS | CPAESS Director; and Christine Wiedinmyer, UCAR Community Programs Director at the NOAA Climate and Global Change luncheon.
CPAESS scientists delivered oral and poster presentations spanning the full breadth of Earth system science, including heliophysics. Topics ranged from glaciological uncertainties and next-generation solar wind plasma modeling to paleoclimate insights for future prediction, calibration and validation of commercial remote sensing data, and observational and modeling studies of ionospheric irregularities and scintillation—illustrating the depth and diversity of CPAESS-supported research.
In addition, CPAESS and UCP staff engaged attendees at the UCAR | NCAR booth, sharing information about programs and career opportunities. A highlight was a popular heliophysics demonstration led by Dr. Nick Gross, longtime instructor at the NASA Heliophysics Summer School. Using hands-on demonstrations to explain the Sun’s magnetic field and plasma dynamics, Dr. Gross drew enthusiastic crowds and helped promote the Summer School, now entering its 20th year.
Despite receiving difficult news during the AGU meeting, CPAESS made the most of this global gathering—strengthening connections, supporting our scientific community, and reaffirming our commitment to advancing Earth system science through collaboration and shared purpose.
Ronnakrit (Ronnie) Rattanasriampaipongone, a NOAA Climate and Global Change (C&GC) Postdoctoral Fellow, shares his research at an AGU poster session.
