APL Scientists Named as American Geophysical Union Fellows

Barry Mauk and Scott Murchie, scientists in the Space Exploration Sector of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, were among 61 individuals named as Fellows of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), an honor given to AGU members who have made exceptional contributions and gained prominence in the Earth and space sciences.

Only 0.1 percent of AGU’s 62,000 members receive this recognition in any given year. “Their work not only expands the realm of human knowledge, but also contributes to the scientific understanding needed for building a sustainable future,” said AGU President Eric Davidson in a statement released July 27.

Mauk, a research scientist at APL since 1982, has been studying planetary space environments since the early 1970s, beginning with Earth’s magnetosphere, and then branching out into gas giant magnetospheres when he joined the Voyager program in the mid-1980s. He has since concentrated his efforts on the physics of the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) through his involvement with the Voyager, Galileo and Cassini missions. He also served as project scientist for NASA’s Van Allen Probes mission, operated by APL.

He currently serves as the lead investigator for energetic particles on NASA’s Magnetosphere Multiscale Mission and as the lead investigator for the APL-built JEDI energetic particle instrument on the Juno mission at Jupiter.

Similarly, Murchie’s impact on the field of planetary science spans multiple bodies in the solar system. He serves as the principal investigator of the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter; helped lead the planning and analysis of images of Mercury taken by the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission; led several activities on the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission; and helped develop the imaging plan for the Comet Nucleus Tour mission.

“Barry and Scott have earned this recognition,” said Mike Ryschkewitsch, who heads APL’s Space Exploration Sector. “Both men are truly pioneers in their field and have played a critical role in some of the Lab’s most successful and groundbreaking space missions.”

AGU is dedicated to advancing the Earth and space sciences for the benefit of humanity through its scholarly publications, conferences and outreach programs.

Established in 1962, the Union Fellows program recognizes AGU members who made exceptional contributions to Earth and space sciences as valued by their peers. The Union Fellow honor is a tribute awarded to eligible AGU members who have attained eminence in the geosciences and are vetted by section and focus group committees. The Fellows program identifies authorities who could advise, upon request, various government agencies and other organizations outside the Earth and space sciences.

Mauk and Murchie are among only a few current and former APL staff members to be named AGU Fellows, including Patrick Newell (2012), Donald Mitchell (2010), Anthony Lui (2008), Glenn Mason (2005), Raymond Greenwald (2002), Vassilis Angelopoulos (2001), David Sibeck (1992), Donald Williams (1991) and Stamatios Krimigis (1980).

The 2017 Fellows will be honored on Dec. 13, during the AGU Fall Meeting in New Orleans.