About the Union

Established in 1919, the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) is a non-governmental scientific organization dedicated to the application of scientific knowledge to societal needs and the international promotion and coordination of scientific Earth studies (physical, chemical, and mathematical sciences), including:

• Earth’s shape, gravitational and magnetic fields, and its environment in space.
• The dynamics of the Earth as a whole and of its component parts.
• Earth’s internal structure, composition and tectonics, the generation of magmas, volcanism, and rock formation.
• The hydrological cycle including snow and ice, all aspects of the oceans.
• The atmosphere, ionosphere, magnetosphere and solar-terrestrial relations, and analogous problems associated with the Moon and other planets.
• Mineral resources and the mitigation of natural hazards and environmental preservation.

The IUGG is comprised of eight semi-autonomous Associations.

 The IUGG releases a monthly E-Journal available under News on the IUGG homepage.

 

ABOUT THE USNC

The U.S. National Committee for Geodesy and Geophysics (USNC/IUGG) promotes the advancement of geophysical and geodetical sciences in the United States and throughout the world by participating in the activities of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG). 

The USNC/IUGG serves to advance geodesy and geophysics in the United States and throughout the world by:

• Representing the interests of the U.S. sciences community in all activities of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) on behalf of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the U.S. adhering body to the IUGG.
• Fostering collaborative research through the organization and sponsorship of scientific meetings in the U.S. and abroad.
• Sending delegates as representatives of geophysicists in the United States to IUGG-sponsored international congresses and meetings.
• Advising the President of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) on U.S. participation in the IUGG.
   

Activities & Events

 Joint Earth Sciences U.S. National Committee Activities
The USNC/IUGG and the U.S. National Committees for soil science (IUSS), geological sciences (IUGS), and Quaternary research (INQUA) actively collaborate throughout the year on various activities, including:

 “Global Sea Level Rise: Observation, Causes, and Prediction,” a symposium held on February 16, 2009 at the 2009 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

The three-hour session focused on the scientific understanding of sea level rise as a result of anthropogenic climate change. Leading scientists conveyed the latest findings, highlighted and increased public awareness of the consequences of sea level rise, and its potential social and economic impacts. The speakers included Richard Alley (Penn State), Anny Cazenave (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, France), Georg Kaser (Universität Innsbruck, Austria), Sydney Levitus (NOAA), Stefan Rahmstorf (Universität Potsdam, Germany), and C.K. Shum (The Ohio State University).  Discussants included John Church (CSIRO, Australia) and Robert Muir-Wood (Risk Management Solutions, Inc., United Kingdom). The session was moderated by Bill Boicourt (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science).  This jointly co-sponsored event was co-organized by USNC/GG members C.K. Shum, William C. Boicourt, and Robin Muench.  View speaker presentations. 

Read the Meeting Recap of the 2008 BISO Symposium (106KB PDF).

 “Global Connections among Earth Sciences, Health, and Policy,” BISO's September 2008 symposium representing the geosciences, biological sciences, chemistry, and the multidisciplinary areas of biodiversity and global change.  The three-person advisory committee that helped plan the symposium included a past member of the USNC/Soil Science and the co-chair for medical science of the International Medical Geology Association, an IUGS-affiliate society.  View the symposium program and list of speakers (72KB PDF).  The event was supported by the National Science Foundation, the American Geological Institute, and the Geological Society of America.

 "Planet Earth: Lessons Ignored, Lessons Learned,” an International Year of Planet Earth-themed symposium at the February 2008 AAAS meeting held in Boston, Massachusetts. The 90-minute symposium included the following presentations:
• I-Earth: Introduction to Planet Earth— Rosemary Knight, Stanford University;
• Soil: Sustaining Food, Energy, and Human Health—Charles W. Rice, Kansas State University and 
   Ian Pepper, Arizona State University (USNC/Soils current and past members, respectively);
• When the Sahara Was Green—Farouk El-Baz, Boston University (USNC/GS chair).
View symposium announcement (17KB PDF)

 Support of the International Year of Planet Earth
The International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE), which runs from January 2007 to December 2009, aims to build safer, healthier and wealthier global societies through the effective use of accumulated knowledge by the world’s Earth scientists.  The earth sciences USNCs sponsored the IYPE-themed symposium "Planet Earth: Lessons Ignored, Lessons Learned” at the February 2008 AAAS Meeting. 
Learn more about IYPE activities in the United States

The U.S. National Committee for IYPE received grant support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for an IYPE partnership with the National Public Radio (NPR) program EarthSky to produce ten 90-second IYPE-themed radio podcasts.  EarthSky is a digital media company advocating science as a vital voice in 21st century decision-making.  Discover EarthSky science podcasts for the Web community. 

 Participation in IUGG General Assemblies
The 24th International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics General Assembly (GA) was held in Perugia, Italy, July 2-13, 2007; the theme of the 2007 GA was “Earth: Our Changing Planet.”  The U.S. Delegation to the Council and GA was led by USNC/IUGG Chair Priscilla Grew.

 Participation in IUGG's Semi-Autonomous Associations' Scientific Assemblies
The USNC/IUGG strives to increase awareness of IUGG's semi-autonomous associations.  On July 4, 2007, the IUGG launched the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) as the 8th IUGG association.  The IACS aims to promote research studies related to all aspects of Earth’s cryosphere and solar system.  Learn more about the IUGG’s sister associations.

CURRENT MemberSHIP

Sponsor

The USNC/IUGG is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. GEO-0701397.

Banner Photo Credits: Geologist Kruawun Jankaew in research pit (Brian Atwater); Alaska's Pavlof Volcano (Steve McNutt); Scientists opening a trench across the San Andreas fault (Lisa Grant Ludwig); Arctic overlook (Steve McNutt)

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