The AGCI Mission:
The Aspen Global Change Institute furthers the scientific understanding of Earth sytems and global environmental change through interdisciplinary science meetings, publications, and educational programs about global change science.
The Aspen Global Change Institute was founded in 1989 and became an independent 501[c][3] non-profit in 1995. It is based in Aspen, Colorado. AGCI programs began in 1990 by assembling leading global change researchers for an intensive session over three weeks on the state of the art in Earth system science and the understanding of global environmental change. Since 1990, over 600 scientists from 30 countries have attended summers sessions [usually one week long] to present and discuss the latest research findings in an intensive, interdisciplinary forum [see AGCI past participant list]. These sessions have explored uncharted territory in understanding global environmental change and have lead to new research collaborations, and major initiatives, and have influenced the setting of research priorities by federal agencies of the US Global Change Research Program, such as NASA, NOAA, NSF, EPA, and DOE. Many of AGCIs program participants have served as authors contributing to international research agendas and priorities, particularly those associated with the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] working group reports.
AGCI programs are supported through generous grants from National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation and the California Energy Commission Public Interest Energy Research Program. Private Foundation grants include the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.