Killeen Selected as NSF Geosciences Director

Abstract

AGU President Tim Killeen will become assistant director for the geosciences at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) on 1 July 2008, NSF announced on 26 February. At NSF, Killeen will direct the foundation's programs in atmospheric, Earth, and ocean sciences and will oversee a directorate that has a $752 million budget for fiscal year 2008. Killeen's 3‐year appointment, which is an Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignment that could be extended, begins 1 day after his term as AGU president ends; on 1 July he becomes AGU past president. “I feel a call to national service,” Killeen told Eos . It is “a very important time in history when the work we do in the geosciences is not only intellectually exciting and important, but it is pivotal to how we think about the planet, its resources, the environment, our place in space, and everything else.” He also emphasized the importance of increasing the understanding of the Earth and space system and using that knowledge to better human life.