Congressional Science Fellowship

Current Fellow

Robby Goldman, 38th GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellow.

GSA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are pleased to announce that Dr. Robby Goldman will serve as the 2023-2024 GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellow.

Goldman is a geologist who studies how volcanic eruptions impact human society and how scientists communicate with the public. Goldman recently completed his doctorate in geology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow. Following the 2018 eruption of Hawai‘i's Kīlauea volcano, Goldman volunteered with the USGS as an NSF Graduate Research Intern to evaluate the USGS Volcano Hazard Program's eruption communication response. This research provided Goldman a unique opportunity, as a Native Hawaiian volcanologist, to learn how volcano science can be conducted for the benefit of Native Hawaiians and other communities vulnerable to volcanic hazards.

Goldman grew up in Los Angeles and received his B.A. in geology (with a minor in physics) from Pomona College in 2015. Prior to beginning his Ph.D., Goldman conducted a one-year Fulbright research fellowship in Christchurch, New Zealand, where he investigated the evolutionary history of New Zealand's Miocene-aged Akaroa Volcanic Complex. Non-research highlights of Goldman's Fulbright fellowship include hiking along the picturesque Tongariro crossing and seeing Ngāuruhoe (the real-life "Mt. Doom" featured in The Lord of the Rings films), as well as learning how to perform Māori kapa haka at the University of Canterbury. Several years after his fellowship, Goldman volunteered with Fulbright Prism, a non-profit organization providing resources and community for LGBTQ+ Fulbright grantees and alumni.

Following his acceptance of the Geological Society of America's invitation to participate in the 2017 Geosciences Congressional Visits Days, Goldman developed a passion for science policy outreach that would last throughout his six-year doctoral program. Goldman served as the Advocacy Chair of UIUC's Science Policy Group from 2018-19, while also participating in the 2018 AAAS Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering workshop. Furthermore, Goldman participated in the inaugural 2018-19 class of the American Geophysical Union's Voices for Science Program. Since 2019, Goldman has served on the GSA's Geology and Public Policy Committee, a role that he is eager and grateful to continue during his year as the Congressional Science Fellow.