MISSION STATEMENT: Ji CHEN
Due to population growth and climate change, geoscience needs more talented people to explore morevarious aspects of earth-related issues for sustaining our socioeconomic development, especially in
Asia-Oceania region, where are resided more than half population of the world. The establishment of
Asia-Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS), whose objective focuses on geoscientific issues, isinvaluable in integrating the regional research strength in exploring those issues for meeting thescientific, technical, and educational urgent needs of our region.
I am a professor in The University of Hong Kong (HKU), and has supervised 15 PhD graduates. I ama compulsory course coordinator for undergraduates, and have taught more than 2000 students in HKU
since September 2004.
More than twenty years, I have explored the hydrological issues, had more than 100 international
conference presentations (including AOGS, AGU, EGU, IAHR, AMS and ASCE), and gave more than
30 seminars in different countries and regions (including Singapore, India, Korea, mainland China,Hong Kong, and Taiwan). I have served as associate editor/editorial board member of four SCI journals(WRR, SERRA, JOH and JHER). Since 2009, I have attended most of AOGS annual meetings,including recent virtual ones, and convened, co-convened, chaired and co-chaired more than 30 AOGS
sessions. Moreover, I have been serving as the Hydrological Sciences (HS) section president/vicepresident from 2017 up to now. I have promoted AOGS and HS section by organizing and co-organizing
forums and workshops to attract more talented attendants to annual meeting.
Serving the society for many years, I have observed that the number of attendants has increased steadily
and the quality of presented papers has improved dramatically. Nevertheless, I still observe there are atleast five major aspects for AOGS to improve:(1) Strengthening Member Services: We need enhance the society's capacity for supporting its
members; including refining the current programs and services that provide networking opportunities,
career development resources, and support for students and early career researchers.
(2) Fostering Collaboration: Collaboration is essential for advancing the field of geosciences. We needcreate more opportunities for collaboration among members of the society and with other organizationsin the region and beyond, such as AGU, EGU, and JpGU. This will include organizing joint events,
promoting interdisciplinary research, and facilitating knowledge exchange.
(3) Enhancing Communication: Effective communication is critical for the society's development.
We need enhance the society's communication strategies, including developing a more user-friendly
website, increasing engagement with social media, and improving the dissemination of society newsand events.
(4) Supporting Education and Outreach: Education and outreach are essential for advancing thepublic's understanding of geosciences and their importance for society. We need develop programs andinitiatives that support education and outreach, including science communication workshops, teacher
training programs, and public lectures.
(5) Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the society'ssuccess. We need promote a culture of diversity and inclusion within the society, including developing
policies and programs that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.
With my experience and expertise in serving geoscience community, I have the confidence that I am
qualified to be the Secretary General of the AOGS. I am committed to working with the society's
members to advance the society's mission and ensure its continued success. I will do my best.
March 2023
Ji CHEN (HKU)