International Association of Geomorphologists

International Association of Geomorphologists
Name	International Association of Geomorphologists
Abbreviation	IAG
Formation	1989
Type	Learned society
Headquarters	Florence
Region served	Worldwide
Leader title	President

International Association of Geomorphologists is an international learned society devoted to the study of landforms and surface processes. The association connects scholars from institutions such as University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and University of Tokyo and interfaces with organizations including International Union of Geological Sciences, International Geographical Union, European Geosciences Union, American Geophysical Union and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It organizes global meetings that attract participants from national bodies like British Society for Geomorphology, Japan Geoscience Union, Geological Society of America and Society of Economic Geologists.

History

The association traces roots to postwar collaborations among scholars affiliated with University of Paris, Università di Bologna, University of Bonn, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and University of Buenos Aires and to commissions within International Union of Quaternary Research and International Geographical Union; these precedents influenced founding activities in the late 20th century involving figures connected to Royal Geographical Society, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, National Science Foundation (United States), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. Early symposia linked researchers from Smithsonian Institution, Max Planck Society, Australian National University, University of Cape Town and Peking University, resulting in formal statutes ratified at meetings attended by delegates from Russian Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy and Academia Mexicana de Ciencias.

Mission and Objectives

The association advances research in geomorphology by promoting collaboration among members of European Commission, International Council for Science, World Meteorological Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and regional academies such as Australian Academy of Science and Royal Society. Objectives include fostering links with agencies like United Nations Environment Programme, supporting interdisciplinary projects with International Hydrological Programme partners, and encouraging applied studies relevant to International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments, and national ministries such as Ministry of Earth Sciences (India).

Organizational Structure

Governance follows statutes adopted by an Assembly of Delegates representing national committees and research groups affiliated with institutions like Institute of Geography (Russian Academy of Sciences), CNRS, CSIC, Italian National Research Council, and National Research Council (Canada). Executive roles mirror models used by International Union of Geological Sciences, with elected officers, an International Board, and working groups coordinated from secretariats linked to universities such as University of Florence, University of Leeds, University of California, Berkeley and ETH Zurich.

Membership and National Committees

Membership comprises individual researchers, student members, and national committees from countries including United Kingdom, France, Germany, United States, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Japan and Mexico. National committees often operate in partnership with national societies such as Geological Society of London, Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft, American Association of Geographers, Society for Sedimentary Geology and Geological Society of India and liaise with research councils like National Science Foundation (United States), European Research Council and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Conferences, Symposia and Workshops

The association sponsors international conferences, regional symposia and specialized workshops held at venues including UNESCO Headquarters (Paris), Palermo, Istanbul, São Paulo, Cape Town and Beijing. Events attract keynote speakers from Royal Society, National Academy of Sciences (United States), Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Academia Europaea and thematic partners such as International Association of Hydrological Sciences, International Association of Sedimentologists and International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment.

Publications and Awards

The association endorses proceedings and special issues published in journals produced by publishers associated with Cambridge University Press, Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley-Blackwell and John Wiley & Sons. It administers awards and recognitions comparable to medals from Royal Geographical Society, American Geophysical Union, European Geosciences Union, and prizes supported by foundations such as Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Wellcome Trust, and collaborates with editorial boards at periodicals like Geomorphology (journal), Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, Quaternary Science Reviews and The Holocene.

Research Themes and Programs

Research programs emphasize themes tied to institutions and initiatives such as Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, Global Climate Observing System, Group on Earth Observations, and collaborations with satellite missions managed by European Space Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, China National Space Administration and Indian Space Research Organisation. Priority topics include tectonic geomorphology studied in regions like Himalayas, Andes, Alps, Rocky Mountains and East African Rift, coastal dynamics relevant to North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and South China Sea, and periglacial processes investigated near Greenland, Antarctic Peninsula and Svalbard.

Outreach, Education and Capacity Building

Capacity building programs partner with organizations such as United Nations Development Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature, World Bank, UNESCO World Heritage Centre and national universities to support training in countries including Nepal, Peru, Kenya, Philippines and Indonesia. Initiatives include summer schools modeled on programs at ETH Zurich, exchange fellowships with University of California system, and mentoring schemes linked to societies like British Society for Geomorphology and Geological Society of America to enhance skills in field methods, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis.

Category:Scientific societies