The Great Publishing Debate: slow science vs. fast science
“Publish or perish” is the motto for Fast Science. Researchers are challenged to publish at a high frequency, gain international experience, receive outstanding teaching evaluations, and acquire multiple scholarships and grants, all while trying to maintain a work-life balance. In the Fast Science system, quantity is a higher priority than quality. Can we usher in Slow Science, where curious scientific research is supported and performance targets are re-imagined? In this session, we will have a Great Debate during which small groups of attendees will discuss Fast vs. Slow science, including weighing the merits of each, how we might transition to slower science, how to publish broader scientific stories, and how realistic a change might be.
GDB4: 9:00 –10:30
A climate and ecological emergency: can a pandemic help save us…?
In 2020, governments, businesses, and individuals took many rapid and dramatic actions in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Around the globe, drastic lifestyle changes were imposed, curtailing freedoms and stripping life down to the essentials. Overall, these changes were accepted as a way to protect us now and in the future. In contrast, the Climate Emergency is a looming, deadly challenge, yet actions, urgency, and public buy-in is largely absent. In this Union session, we look at the Climate and Ecological Emergency through the lens of COVID-19—what lessons can we learn? We include a broad range of thinkers and influencers, to provide their perspectives to address our generation’s greatest challenge. Geoscientists watch over the health of our planet—we see the changes, we understand the impacts. Our community has a vital role to play.
US3: 15:00 –17:00
Mind your head: your mental well-being in an academic career
Recent publications show that many people working in academia experience mental health issues. Factors like job insecurity, limited amount of time, and poor management often cause high stress levels and can lead to mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, or emotional exhaustion. In this Short Course we aim to continue the dialogue and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness by inviting panelists to share their experiences, how they dealt with it, and what support they received. Next, we aim to actively engage the audience to discuss how to take control of their mental wellbeing and prioritise it in the current academic environment.
SC1.4: 16:00 –17:00
EGU colouring book artwork by Kelly Stanford, vEGU21 Artist in Residence
#EGUart: the EGU colouring book!
For vEGU21, EGU’s EDI Working Group has teamed up with artist Kelly Stanford to create a stock of geoscientist line-drawn portraits that can be coloured in. The motivation is to create a series of portraits of EGU members working in various contexts and environments. The societal perception of a geoscientist may be rather narrow and follow certain stereotypes that may not reflect the membership of the EGU community presently or our vision for the EGU of tomorrow. This initiative therefore aims to shine a spotlight on the diversity of the people that work within geosciences, and the passion they have for their work. You can download them here or from the EGU Booth and share the results using #EGUart!