Two UCalgary professors named as Fellows of the American Geophysical Union

Two professors in the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary are joining a distinguished group of scientists as Fellows of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

The AGU, which is the world’s largest Earth and space science association, presents the annual honour to individuals who have made exceptional contributions.

Dr. Eric Donovan, PhD, from Physics and Astronomy, and Dr. David Eaton, PhD, of Earth, Energy and Environment, have joined the elite group of fellows this year.

“Fellowship in the AGU recognizes major scientific achievement,” Eaton said. “I was beside myself when I learned of this. It means a lot.”

Donovan said he’s also honoured to be recognized. “It makes me feel appreciated by the international community,” he said. “We’ve done a lot of science here, and this is a recognition of the discoveries that we’ve made.”

Donovan and Eaton are believed to be the first two professors in UCalgary’s Faculty of Science to receive the recognition.

Dr. Kristopher Innanen, associate dean of research, said it’s exciting news. “We in the Faculty of Science are extremely proud of Eric and David and their accomplishments,” he said. “This rare recognition from the AGU is a testament to their major contributions to the Earth and near-Earth Sciences.”

Fewer than 0.1 per cent of AGU members have been selected as Fellows each year since 1962. They are recognized for their accomplishments in research, education, science communication and outreach.

“These recipients have transformed our understanding of the world, impacted everyday lives, improved our communities and contributed to solutions for a sustainable future,” said the AGU.

Eric Donovan, PhD, Physics

Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy

Eric Donovan, who completed his PhD in 1993, has focused much of his research on system-level geospace dynamics.

He said the rare light spectacle known as STEVE is one of his biggest scientific discoveries.

“I’m the co-discoverer of that and that has created a whole new area of research in my field,” said Donovan. “People are studying this and studying things related to it and that comes from the creativity here – and I’m really proud of that.”

Donovan, who is one of only two Canadians in his discipline to ever be named a Fellow, said he’s also proud of the transformation of the country’s ground-based space physics program. “I’ve really led that for 20-plus years,” he said.

Donovan noted the program has helped to maintain UCalgary’s visibility. “We’re known for this all over the world, and we’re seen as a centre for excellence,” he said. “We’re seen as leaders. I have contributed to that, and I am proud of that.”

Learn more about Donovan’s work here.

David Eaton, PhD, Geophysics

Professor, Department of Earth, Energy and Environment

David Eaton, a seismologist, is known around the world for his work on human-caused earthquakes. 

“Together with my grad students and postdoctoral researchers, we’ve spent the last 10 years studying this issue,” he said. “We’ve produced some of the seminal work, particularly as it pertains to hydraulic fracturing and induced earthquakes.”

The research, he said, worked closely with industry experts and led to scientific progress.

Eaton, who has been at UCalgary for 17 years, said he and his students have made some discoveries related to seismic shift.

“There’s a very distinctive signature for an earthquake,” he said. “We were able to identify that … and eliminate conventional earthquakes as an explanation. As we dug deeper, we were able to make the connection to hydraulic fracturing.”

Prior to joining UCalgary, Eaton also did work on the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary beneath continents at Western University and how seismics could be used to explore for deep mineral deposits at the Geological Survey of Canada.

Learn more about Eaton’s work here.

Eaton and Donovan are among 54 honorees who will be celebrated at AGU24, where about 25,000 attendees from more than 100 countries will gather in Washington, D.C., this December.

Other 2024 Fellows can be found here.