Union-wide events at EGU 2014

Wondering what to expect at our General Assembly this year? Here are some of the highlights:

Great Debates (GDB)

This year we’re holding two Great Debates:  Metals in our backyard: to mine or not to mine (GDB1; #EGU14mine) and Geoengineering the climate: the way forward? (GDB2; #EGU14geng), both of which bring topical and controversial issues in Earth science to the fore. Experts from a variety of fields will discuss the problems and potential of the two before coming under fire as the discussion is opened up to the audience.

Union Symposia (US)

This year, the Assembly has a theme: The Face of The Earth, which is featured in one of the four Union Symposia at EGU 2014. The findings and lessons learned from the latest IPCC report will also be discussed, in addition to a review of the lithosphere’s dynamic processes. Finally, there’s the EGU Awards Ceremony – set to celebrate excellent research and achievement in the Earth, planetary and space sciences.

Simon Mudd accepting an Arne Richter Outstanding Young Scientist Award at EGU 2013.

Europe in Geosciences (EG)

Europe in Geosciences kicks off with a roundtable on the role of geoscientists in public policy – with the increasing need to bring science into the policy realm, it’s not one to miss!

Educational & Outreach Symposia (EOS)

Educational and Outreach Symposia are sessions dedicated to all things education and outreach, and include the Geosciences Information for Teachers (GIFT) workshop, a long-running event for high school teachers that helps shorten the time between discovery and textbook.

Medal and Keynote Lectures (ML, KL)

There will be 8 Keynote Lectures across the geosciences, many of which feature a face of the Earth. There will also be a grand total of 32 Medal Lectures this year!

Taking a look at last year’s medallists. (Credit: Sue Voice)

Townhall Meetings (TM)

Townhall Meetings allow participants to take part in a lot of open discussion. This year’s meetings cover a huge variety of topics, from open source software to funding opportunities and geoscientific reporting.

GeoCinema (GC)

You can take a break from the conference buzz and enjoy an Earth science film in GeoCinema. The side event features a nearly continuous schedule of documentaries, clips and full length features, and will also showcase the finalists from the Communicate Your Science Video Competition during the breaks.

Meet EGU (EGU)

Meet EGU does exactly what it says on the tin – these sessions are a great opportunity to get to know your division president, put faces to names and find out what’s going on in the Union.

Need to put a face to the name? Just head to the EGU booth!

Short Courses (SC)

There are over 20 Short Courses at the General Assembly giving you an opportunity to top up your skills, be they in science communication, interview preparation, or more technical topics.

Splinter Meetings (SPM)

Like Townhall Meetings, Splinter Meetings are organised by participants, but they are typically smaller and can be either public or by invitation only.

The EGU General Assembly is taking place in Vienna, Austria from 27 April to 2 May. Check out the full session programme on the General  Assembly website.