Research Seminar: Increasing the Visibility of the Geosciences: Some Ideas From Geodesy

The International Union of Geodesy & Geophysics (IUGG) comprises eight semi-autonomous Associations, each covering a different Geoscience discipline (cryosphere science, geomagnetism & aeronomy, geodesy, hydrology, meteorology & atmospheric science, physical oceanography, seismology, and volcanology). The International Association of Geodesy (IAG) is a modestly-sized IUGG Association that makes a significant contribution to all the Geosciences. Modern Geodesy has an impressive “toolkit” of (mostly) space technologies for measuring the shape and size of the Earth (including the use of GNSS), its orientation and rotation in space (in relation to ultra-stable reference frames), and its static and time-varying gravity field (using satellite gravity missions). Geodesy is now an extremely important Earth Observation science and technology. Furthermore, the IAG supports a number of critical services that are vital not only to fulfilling its Geoscience mission, but also support many civilian Geospatial and Navigation applications. In the last decade or so, Geodesy has been able to attract considerable support from governments, at the international and national levels. This presentation will discuss some of the lessons that Geodesy can teach the other Geosciences with respect to increasing their visibility, and ultimately raising the level of support and recognition they could enjoy.

Poster