We’re halfway through the General Assembly already! Once again there is lots on offer at EGU 2019 and this is just a taster – be sure to complement this information with EGU Today, the daily newsletter of the General Assembly, available for download here.
Union-wide sessions
Communication between scientists, institutions, policymakers and the general public is widely recognised as an essential step towards a fair and sustainable society. Today’s Science and Society session Science, Politics and European (dis)integration: A conversation of Geoscientists with Ilaria Capua and Mario Monti will focus on science and politics with a global perspective, and the impact of populism on European integrity and therefore scientific research. In this session, Former Italian Prime Minister and European Commissioner Mario Monti and Former Italian Parliamentarian Ilaria Capua will outline optimal strategies that researchers can use to deliver clear scientific messages to key institutions. If you can’t attend the event, you can watch the session through the live stream.
Today’s Great Debate addresses Rewards and recognition in science: what value should we place on contributions that cannot be easily measured? (GDB4: 10:45–12:30 / Room E1). Assessments of scientists and their institutions tend to focus on easy-to-measure metrics related to research outputs such as publications, citations, and grants. However, there is a growing need for scientists to communicate, engage, and work directly with the public and policy makers, and practice open scholarship, especially regarding data and software. At the session you can listen to a distinguished panel of stakeholders discuss how can we fairly value and credit harder-to-measure, these less tangible contributions, compared to the favoured metrics. You can also follow the session on Twitter (#EGU19GDB) and catch up with the EGU 2019 webstream.
The EGU Early Career Scientists’ Forum (12:45–13:45 / Room L2) is the best place to find out more about the Union and how to get involved. Because the EGU is a bottom up organisation, we are keen to hear your suggestions on how to make ECS related activities even better. There will be plenty of opportunities during the forum for you to provide feedback. It’s also over lunch, so you’ll find a buffet of sandwiches and soft drinks half way through the session!
In the evening, the EGU will be holding a reception to launch the newest addition to its collection of open access journals, Geochronology (GChron). The reception (PCN10) will be held from 18:00–19:00 at the EGU Booth in Hall X2 on the Brown Level.
Medal lectures and awards
Another promising event set for today is the EGU Award Ceremony (PCN3), where the achievements of many outstanding scientists will be recognised in an excellent evening event from 17:30–20:00 in Room E1. Here are some of the lectures being given by these award-winning scientists:
- Ion phenomena in space (MAL18/ST) Julius Bartels Medal Lecture by Masatoshi Yamauchi, 09:15–10:15 / Room E1
- In between known earthquakes: Characteristics long period earthquakes from oceanic ridges and ultra-low frequency volcanic tremors (MAL41/SM) SM Division Outstanding ECS Lecture by Piero Poli, 10:45–11:15 / Room D2
- Effects of fossil fuel generated and total anthropogenic emission phase-out on public health and climate (MAL32/AS) Vilhelm Bjerknes Medal Lecture by Johannes Lelieveld, 11:30–12:30 / Room F1
- Human-impacted rivers: new perspectives from global high-resolution monitoring (MAL37/HS) HS Division Outstanding ECS Lecture by Serena Ceola, 14:00–14:30 / Room B
Additionally, a stand-alone lecture will be given by Giulia Sofia from the University of Connecticut on the linkage between humans, precipitation patterns, and floods.
Scientific sessions
There are a host of inter- and transdisciplinary events taking place today. Here are just a sample of what’s on offer:
- Urban Geosciences (ITS6.1) Orals: 08:30–10:15 / Room N1; Posters: 10:45–12:30 / Hall X4
- The Nexus between Weather Modification and Limited-Area Geoengineering (ITS4.5) Orals: 08:30–12:30 / Room L7; Posters: 10:45–12:30 / Hall X5
- The Anthropocene – an interdisciplinary approach (ITS5.1) Orals: 16:15–18:00 / Room N1; Posters: 14:00–15:45 / Hall X1
- High Impact Events and Climate Change (ITS4.7) Orals: 14:00–15:45 / Room L7; Posters: 14:00–15:45 / Hall X3
Check the conference programme or EGU Today for details on the rest of Wednesday’s inter- and transdisciplinary sessions.
And be sure check out some of today’s stimulating scientific sessions:
- Geodynamics of continent collisions: subduction, collision and exhumation processes (including TS Division Outstanding ECS Lecture by Daniel Pastor-Galán) (TS7.4) Orals: 8:30–12:30 / Room K1; Posters: 16:15–18:00 / Hall X2
- Large Ensemble Climate Model Simulations: Exploring Natural Variability, Change Signals and Impacts (AS4.35) Orals: 8:30–12:30 / Room E2; Posters: 14:00–15:45 / Hall X5
- Mass Extinctions, Volcanism and Global Climate Changes (SSP2.4) Orals: 8:30–12:30 / Room G2; Posters: Thu, 11 Apr, 8:30–10:15 / Hall X1
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Integrated Assessment of water – food – energy nexuses (HS5.4.3) Orals: 16:15–18:00 / Room 2.25; Posters: 14:00–15:45 / Hall A
Short courses
Now on to short courses! Here are just some of the sessions you might want to consider adding to your schedule, from science communication to career development:
- Get creative! Sketching and drawing (your) science (SC2.13) 19:00–20:00 / Room 0.14
- Unconscious bias (SC3.8) 12:45–13:45 Room -2.32
- How to apply for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grants Individual Fellowship and European Training Network (SC3.10) 12:45–13:45 / Room 0.14
- Everything you wanted to know about AWARDS (but were afraid to ask!) (SC3.14) 08:30–10:15 / Room -2.16
- Balancing work and personal life as a scientist (SC3.20) 16:15–18:00 / Room -2.85
There is also a great selection of short courses on problem solving, managing projects, and navigating new technology and programmes:
- Crowd-solving Problems in Earth sciences (SC1.3) 19:00–20:30 / Room -2.62
- Interactive analysis of Big Earth Data with Jupyter Notebooks (SC1.24) 16:15–17:55 / Room -2.62
- Machine learning for geosciences : data exploration and modelling (SC1.35) 14:00–15:45 / Room -2.31
- Make sense of the mess: How to keep your research project on track (SC1.38) 14:00–15:45 Room / -2.16
There are also many great pop-up events planned for today at the Networking and Early Career Scientist Zone, here’s just a few planned for today:
- Let’s talk peer-review: A chance to discuss and get ideas about how to carry out a thorough peer-review: 10:00
- Early Career Scientist (ECS) Representatives meet-up: open to all ECS reps: past, present, future: 11:00
- Meet & Greet with the geomorphology experts: 13:00
- The IPCC and how you can get involved: 16:00
Perhaps you are looking for something fun and informal? Geoscience Game Night is a bring, show and share session to play some games that have a geoscience theme. Feel free to bring a game or just come along to have some fun. This short course follows the Games for Geoscience oral and poster sessions happening earlier today.
Finally, remember to take the opportunity to meet the people behind EGU in the day’s Meet EGU sessions.
Have an excellent day!
The EGU General Assembly is taking place in Vienna, Austria from 7 to 12 April. Check out the full session programme on the General Assembly website and follow the Assembly’s online conversation on Twitter at #EGU19.