We are excited to announce a new publication in the AGU journal Perspectives of Earth and Space Scientists that provides a comprehensive retrospective chronicling UNAVCO’s four-decade history supporting geodesy and the geosciences. The article, A History of UNAVCO: Four Decades of Advancing Geodesy, was written by current EarthScope staff, former UNAVCO leadership, and long-time community members who helped shape and guide the organization from its earliest days.
The article traces UNAVCO’s origins from a small university GPS consortium in 1984 to its evolution into a world-leading geodetic facility operator. It highlights the community-driven model that defined the organization’s approach, the innovative work behind landmark initiatives like the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO), the transition to operating the NSF GAGE Facility, and decades of collaborative fieldwork, training, and education. The piece also reflects on the 2023 merger of UNAVCO and IRIS to form EarthScope Consortium, ensuring UNAVCO’s legacy continues into the next era of geophysics research and education.
The full article is open access and available to all. Read it here to revisit the milestones, people, and ideas that shaped the history of UNAVCO.
This article also marks the start of a short series on the EarthScope website revisiting and highlighting the activities of the NSF SAGE and GAGE facilities. Stay tuned for our next feature, which will spotlight the Network of the Americas (NOTA) and commemorate the conclusion of the NSF GAGE Facility.
