Carrie Masiello, the W. Maurice Ewing Professor of Biogeochemistry at Rice University, has been elected a fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the world’s largest Earth and space science association.
Masiello, who also holds joint appointments in the departments of biosciences, chemistry and Earth, environmental and planetary sciences and serves as director of the Rice Sustainability Institute, joins a distinguished group of 52 individuals named to the 2025 class of AGU Fellows. Since the program’s inception in 1962, less than 0.1% of AGU members have received the honor.
AGU Fellows are recognized for scientific eminence demonstrated through breakthroughs, discoveries or innovations that advance the Earth and space sciences. Fellows also serve as external experts, advising government agencies and other organizations beyond academia.
Masiello was selected for exemplary leadership and outstanding scientific achievements that have significantly advanced understanding of global carbon cycling and climate solutions. Her work has pioneered the development of new tools to measure physical and chemical properties of the Earth, expanded applications of synthetic biology in soil and marine systems and advanced practical solutions for greenhouse gas removal.
Her applied research spans collaborations with startups, major energy companies and international carbon registries to bring carbon dioxide removal tools to market. She has advised companies including Climeworks, Shell, Exxon, Aramco and Chevron and has helped shape protocols at BCarbon and PuroEarth that guide how carbon credits are developed and traded.
At Rice, Masiello has built interdisciplinary teams tackling challenges in water, energy, agriculture and climate. She has also led major community partnerships, such as ReLeaf Alief, which is planting forest plots at public schools in Houston’s Alief neighborhood, and the Rice Environmental Data Academy, which expands sustainability-focused data training at Houston-area community colleges.
“Being elected an AGU Fellow is deeply meaningful because it reflects not only my own work but also the creativity and dedication of the many students, postdocs, collaborators and community partners I’ve had the privilege to work with,” Masiello said. “The problems we face around climate and sustainability are vast, but through collaboration across disciplines and sectors, I believe we can create solutions that work for both people and the planet.”
Masiello has published more than 100 papers and trained dozens of students and postdoctoral associates across disciplines ranging from Earth science and ecology to engineering and economics. As founding director of the Rice Sustainability Institute, she is leading efforts to expand the university’s research portfolio and build partnerships with local communities, nonprofits and industry around sustainability and climate resilience.
Honorees will be recognized at AGU25, which will convene Dec. 15-19 in New Orleans. Reflecting the theme Where Science Connects Us, the honors ceremony will celebrate achievements that illustrate science’s continual advancement and inspire the global Earth and space science community.