AGU Advances Names Inaugural Early Career Editorial Fellows for 2026-2027 Term

AGU Advances, a leading journal from the American Geophysical Union (AGU), has announced the selection of its inaugural Early Career Editorial Fellows for a two-year term beginning January 2026. The program introduces three early career researchers to the editorial process under the guidance of senior mentors.

Meet the 2026-2027 Early Career Editorial Fellows

The following researchers will serve as Associate Editors from January 2026 to December 2027:

• Huilin Huang, University of Virginia
• Yihe Huang, University of Michigan
• Danielle Monteverde Potocek, Spark Climate Solutions

Mentorship and Program Structure

The fellows will work closely with current AGU Advances editors, including:

• David Schimel (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
• Thorsten Becker (The University of Texas at Austin, Jackson School of Geoscience)
• Eric Davidson (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)

This initiative aligns with similar programs already established in AGU journals such as GeoHealth and JGR: Biogeosciences (Xenopoulos, M. A., and T. H. Nguyen, 2024). The mentorship program is designed to provide hands-on experience in editorial roles, supporting the development of future journal editors and strengthening scientific publishing standards.

Key Objectives of the Program

• Train early career researchers in editorial processes, ethics, and decision-making
• Enhance understanding of manuscript evaluation, including reviewer selection and conflict resolution
• Gather insights to adapt to evolving academic publishing needs in Earth and space sciences

Fellows Share Their Research and Aspirations

What is your current role and area of research?

Danielle Monteverde Potocek: "My areas of research include biogeochemistry, geobiology, climate science, and global environmental change."

Huilin Huang: "My area of research is land-atmosphere interaction, especially biosphere-atmosphere interaction and climate modeling."

Yihe Huang: "My group studies the physical mechanisms of earthquakes and faulting processes using both observational methods (e.g., seismic data analysis) and numerical tools (e.g., earthquake rupture simulation). We’re particularly interested in how fluid, fault zone structure, and fault geometry can affect the nucleation, propagation, and arrest of earthquakes and how earthquakes contribute to the strain budget and structural evolution of fault zones and plate boundaries. We also have a broad interest in developing physical tools for seismic hazard mitigation and bridging earthquake science and engineering applications."

Do you have prior experience as a journal editor?

Danielle Monteverde Potocek: "This is my first experience in an editorial role."

Huilin Huang: "I am currently working as the associate editor of Geophysical Research Letters."

Yihe Huang: "Yes, I have served as a guest editor for Earth and Planetary Science Letters."

Program Impact and Future Outlook

AGU Advances emphasizes that this program will not only benefit the fellows but also enhance the journal’s editorial quality and adaptability. By integrating early career perspectives, the journal aims to stay at the forefront of scientific publishing in Earth and space sciences amid rapid industry changes.

The fellowship reflects AGU’s commitment to fostering the next generation of scientific leaders and improving the peer-review process through mentorship and innovation.