UNM’s Carl Agee elected as an AGU Fellow

University of New Mexico Professor Carl Agee was elected recently as American Geophysical Union's (AGU) Fellow, joining a distinguished group of 54 individuals in the 2024 Class of Fellows.

AGU, a nonprofit organization that supports 130,000 enthusiasts to experts worldwide in the Earth and space sciences, bestows this honor annually to a select number of individuals who have made exceptional contributions. Since its inception in 1962, less than 0.1% of AGU members have been selected as Fellows yearly.

AGU Fellows are recognized for their scientific eminence, demonstrated through breakthroughs, discoveries, or innovations that advance the Earth and space sciences. Fellows act as external experts, advising government agencies and other organizations outside the sciences upon request.

Agee, who is the director of the Institute of Meteoritics and professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences at UNM, was selected for his exemplary leadership and outstanding scientific achievements, which have significantly advanced our understanding of meteoritics and planetary interiors.

"I am honored to be inducted into the AGU College of Fellows and I am humbled that my research career and scientific discoveries have been recognized as significant by my professional peers," Agee said. "I look forward to contributing to the mission of the College of Fellows through support of its projects and activities that include mentoring students and early-career scientists and generating ideas that will shape the future of AGU, our science, and its impact on society."

For Agee, becoming a scientist stemmed from "a desire to acquire a deeper understanding of the natural world and our place within the universe."

"My current research passion is the study of meteorites and what they can tell us about the origin and evolution of the terrestrial planets and other solar system bodies," Agee explained. "Research conducted on newly recovered unique meteorites is like detective work, and the ultimate reward is the discovery of previously unknown aspects of planetary geology and expanding our knowledge of the Earth's extraterrestrial neighbors."

Agee has been the director of the Institute of Meteoritics (IOM) since 2002. Founded in 1944, the IOM was one of the first institutions in the world devoted to the study of meteorites. It is a premier research institution studying the early solar system and planetary evolution. Research in the IOM focuses on various extraterrestrial materials and takes advantage of state-of-the-art laboratory facilities housed within IOM and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. The IOM meteorite collection now totals more than 2,000 different meteorites, which is an extremely valuable asset for researchers worldwide.

At the IOM, he leads and supervises the research and teaching activities of the Institute, including oversight of IOM laboratories, facilities, and collections, works to enable success for IOM scientists and ensures that IOM students receive support, mentoring, resources, and an environment conducive to learning and training in scholarly research.

For more information, visit the Institute of Meteoritics.