American Geophysical Union

About the American Geophysical Union

The AGU is an international non-profit scientific association with nearly 60,000 members. We are dedicated to the furtherance of the Earth and space sciences, and to communicating our science’s ability to benefit humanity. AGU achieves these goals through publishing scientific journals and other technical publications, sponsoring scientific meetings, supporting education and outreach programs designed to increase public understanding of and support for our science, and a variety of other activities.

AGU is built on a foundation of shared values that include valuing the scientific method, the generation and dissemination of scientific knowledge, free exchange of ideas and information, respect for a diversity of ideas and approaches, accountability to the public, and excellence and integrity in everything we do. Our science is accurate, peer reviewed, and well respected.

The research conducted by our members encompasses everything from the exploration of the planets, to studies of the structure and chemical composition of the Earth’s deep interior, to understanding the Earth’s atmosphere and the causes of climate change. These are not only exciting scientific topics; they are also of great relevance to humankind.

The American Geophysical Union & RDA

AGU understands the benefit of open and FAIR data.  As a publisher, AGU works to support the full scientific record with peer reviewed publications. Working with our community and all the Earth and space science journals, AGU is developing new policies to encourage researchers to plan for proper data preservation and provide data citations along with their research submission and to encourage adoption of best practices throughout the research workflow and data life cycle.

Providing incentives, community standards, and easy-to-use tools are some important factors for helping researchers embrace the FAIR Guidelines and support transparency and integrity.  We would like to engage more closely with the RDA groups developing guidelines and recommendations for publishers and repositories that bring our community closer to common and best practices. With that goal in mind, AGU would like to contribute to, and benefit from, the work of the RDA.