I am honored and grateful to JpGU for this important recognition. Foremost, I want to commend
JpGU for developing this new award highlighting the critical importance of international
collaboration. International collaboration across disciplines is critical for addressing our many
global problems, and indeed nearly half of research teams already span national boundaries,
and this will grow. A challenge is that much of the infrastructure supporting science, as well as
rewards and recognition, has not been organized that way. Scientific societies, representing the
research community, are taking the lead, and still need to lead more and more deeply. We
need to encourage further collaboration in funding, training, open science, and shared
infrastructure, policies, ethics, and practices. We need deeper collaboration across disciplines
and engagement across communities. Such collaboration develops global trust and support for
science, expands inclusion and participation in science, which improves science and allows
science to be shared widely and deeply. It is critical for a sustainable future.
I am humbled to share this recognition with Kiyoshi, who has spent his career fostering
international collaboration and has been a key thought leader in raising and addressing the
challenges above. It has been a tremendous pleasure and honor to collaborate with Kiyoshi and
others at JpGU and other society leaders that share this important vision. And I know that my
recognition is really honoring a broad team at AGU over many years, including Chris McEntee,
Frank Krause, Carol Finn and other AGU Presidents who helped foster the international efforts
(and hired and empowered me), and current staff including but not just Janice LaChance,
Shelley Stall, Lauren Parr, and many others that i’ve had the pleasure to work with on this and
other international partnerships. And there are too many AGU, JpGU and other society
members to mention that were critical to developing and implementing the visions and efforts,
and who have dedicated hours in their busy careers. And also my partner Laura for endless
support. I’d finally like to recognize several of my many mentors and advisors who fostered early
international collaboration, notably with the Japan research community, and instilled the
importance of that in me directly and by example–Gary Ernst at UCLA, who was a graduate co-
advisory, and Richard (Dick) Fiske, at the Smithsonian Institution, who along with Sorena
Sorensen was a postdoctoral advisor.
Thanks again to JpGU and everyone who has supported these efforts. Full speed ahead!