100 Years of Science

1919: AGU Established

AGU was established by the National Research Council and for more than 50 years operated as an unincorporated affiliate of the National Academy of Sciences.

1919: First Six Sections Established

AGU established its first six Sections: Geodesy; Seismology; Meteorology; Terrestrial Magnetism and Electricity; Physical Oceanography; Volcanology.

1920: First Meeting

25 members were present at the first meeting of AGU.

1930: Hydrology Section Established

Hydrology Section was established and Oscar Edward Meinzer was elected Section president.

1932: Annual Dues Set

Annual Membership dues was $2.00

1939: First William Bowie Medal Awarded

AGU's highest honor, the Bowie Medal was established in honor of William Bowie for his spirit of helpfulness and friendliness in unselfish cooperative research. Bowie was the first recipient of this medal.

1940: Tectonophysics Section Established

Tectonophysics Section was established and Leason Heberling Adams elected Section president.

1945: Transactions Launched

Transactions launched as an official publication of AGU

1956: Geophysical Series Launched

Geophysical Mograph Series launched.

1958: Eight Sections Established

AGU established eight Sections: Geodesy; Seismology; Meterology; Geomagnetism and Aeronomy; Oceanography/Volcanology/Geochemistry; Petrology; Hydrology; and Tectonophysics.

1962: First Class of Fellows

AGU announces 196 members as the first class of Union Fellows.

1964: New Journal Announced

Due to popularity, AGU splits the journal JGR and publishes the first issue of JGR: Space Sciences.

1965: First Issue of Water Resources Research Published

AGU published the first issue of Water Resources Research with co-editors Walter B. Langbein and Allen Kneese.

1968: New Journals Announced

AGU splits JGR again and publishes JGR: Space, Solid Earth, and Atmospheric and Oceans

1968: Western National Meeting becomes Fall Meeting

AGU 's Western National Meeting held in San Francisco, California becomes the Annual Fall Meeting.

1969: First Issue of Eos Published

AGU publishes the first monthly issue of Eos, the new Transactions.

1972: AGU Becomes a Society

AGU formally incorporated as an independent society.

1974: First issue of GRL Published

AGU publishes the first issue of Geophysical Research Letters with Noel Hinners as editor.

1975: Chapman Conferences Established

Council adopts the name Chapman Conference for topical meetings.

1978: New Journals Announced

AGU launches the new journals JGR: Space Physics, JGR: Solid Earth, JGR: Oceans.

1979: New AGU Headquarters

AGU moves into a new building moved to a new headquaters building at 2000 Florida Avenue in Washington, D.C.

1979: Eos Published Weekly

Eos transitions to a weekly news-sheet.

1982: First Ocean Sciences Meeting Convened

AGU and ASLO convenes the first joint Ocean Sciences Meeting with 700 attendees.

1986: First Issue of Paleoceanography Published

AGU publishes the first issue of Paleoceanography which transitioned to Paleoclimatology in 2017.)

1991: Demolition of Old AGU Headquarters

Council approves razing the AGU headquarters building and building a new headquarters designed to take AGU well into the next century.

1992: First Roger Revelle Medal Presented

The Roger Revelle Medal, established in 1991 is given annually to one honoree in recognition for “outstanding contributions in atmospheric sciences, atmosphere-ocean coupling, atmosphere-land coupling, biogeochemical cycles, climate or related aspects of the Earth system.” The first award was given to Edward Lorenz in 1992.  Learn more. 

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1991: New Journal Announced

AGU launches the journal JGR: Planets.

2000: First Online Journal

AGU establishes the first online journal G- Cubed - Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.

2002: All AGU Journals Published Online

Publication of AGU journals advances with technolgoy and are available online.

2003: First Issue of Space Weather Publishes

AGU publishes the first issue of Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications (SWE). The journal uniquely includes Editorials, Comments, and Feature articles, in addition to the technical papers.

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2009: AGU’s First Open Access Journal

AGU publishes the first fully open access journal JAMES.

2010: New AGU Mission

Board approves a new stragetic mission for AGU.

2012: AGU Partners with Wiley

AGU partners with publisher John Wiley & Co. for journal and book distribution.

2013: Earth’s Future Established

AGU establishes the open access journal Earth 's Future examining the state of the planet and its inhabitants, sustainable and resilient societies.

2014: Eos.org Goes Live

AGU launches the online Eos.org, making the publication more accessible to all audiences.

2016: AGU Headquarters Approved for Net Zero Renovation

Board of Directors approves the renovation of AGU's headquarters as the first net zero energy commercial building renovation in Washington, D.C.

2016: New Journal and Section Announced

AGU establishes the journal GeoHealth and GeoHealth Section.

2017: Fall Meeting Relocates

AGU Convened the 50th Fall Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

2018: AGU Launches Centennial Celebration at Fall Meeting

AGU launches Centennial Celebration