Yesterday the “Great Fracking Debate” took place at EGU2013 and I tuned in via webstream for the royal rumble of good vs. evil that was sure to take place. I have to say I was a little disappointed (not really) because the tone of the debate was very respectful and sophisticated. I guess if I want to see a good verbal sparring match I’ll have to head over to Parliament and take i ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
Friday Photo (74): GfGD at #EGU2013 – Goodbye Vienna
Looking back towards the conference centre from the River Danube The GfGD team are heading home from Vienna after a busy week of blogging at the European Geoscience Union General Assembly 2013. (c) Geology for Global Development 2013
Geology for Global Development
GfGD at #EGU2013 – The Value of Student Placements
Yesterday afternoon, Joel Gill (GfGD’s National Director) gave a presentation within the ‘EOS7 – Geoethics and Geoeducation’ session at the EGU. This talk examined the value of placements in helping students to better contribute to sustainable development. Geologists have a lot of training in the field, as our recent photo series “Geologists in the Field” highli ...[Read More]
VolcanicDegassing
Conference report – EGU highlights, Day 4
Large international science conferences are extraordinary events. For a week at a time, scientists emerge from their offices and laboratories and join a throng of thousands, negotiating their way through tens of thousands of presentations across multiple parallel sessions. For many of those attending, the scale of the event is less important, though, than the opportunity the meeting presents for s ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Friday at the General Assembly
Welcome to the final day of EGU 2013! As ever, there are many many great sessions on today – here’s our final selection of highlights. Be sure to complement this information with EGU Today, the daily newsletter of the General Assembly, available both in paper and for download here. After you’ve settled into the day and had your morning coffee, why not pick up some skills to show off your talents t ...[Read More]
Geology for Global Development
GfGD at #EGU2013: Day four
Our fourth day at EGU 2013, and not running low on energy (although pretty high on caffeine!). With the panel discussion on the use of blogs and social media in scientific research, our interview with the BBC science correspondent about science communication, and our #gfgdcomp question competition: communication is most definitely the theme of the day. Joel Gill, GfGD Director, gave a talk today a ...[Read More]
Green Tea and Velociraptors
The values of social media and blogging for academics
At this years European Geosciences Union General Meeting (Vienna), I’ve been asked to be on a panel discussion describing the ways in which I think using social media and blogging can enhance academic careers. Sometimes, talks of this kind can be very echo-chambery, and there are plenty of really cool guides already out there online. This was a chance though to actually directly target a gro ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Bioengineering Could be the Answer to Dirt-Free Dams
Scientists are building walls of willow trees in the Southern French Alps gullies to trap dirt that blocks hydroelectric dams downstream. Sediment in rainwater washes off the steep valley slopes in the Francon marly basin into gullies. These smaller waterways then feed larger rivers. When the water reaches the slower-moving reservoirs above dams, the sediment drops out and settles behind the barra ...[Read More]
GeoSphere
My EGU2013 (Tuesday)
Firstly, I am not actually attending EGU 2013 this year. However, that does not mean I can’t participate. In fact, it has been incredibly easy for to me join in, although I have had to wake up very early in the morning to make up for the time difference between Vienna and Ottawa. I took part in two press conferences on Tuesday. The first called: The consequences of nuclear accidents: Fukushi ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Visit the Exhibition at the General Assembly
Today is the last full day to visit the Exhibition at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2013! Exhibition booths for companies, publishers, research facilities, scientific societies, among others, are scattered throughout the blue (basement), yellow (ground floor), and green (first floor) levels of the Austria Center Vienna. Make sure you don’t miss the EGU Booth in the Blue Lev ...[Read More]