The 2016 General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) provides an opportunity for journalists to hear about the latest research in the Earth, planetary and space sciences, and to talk to scientists from all over the world. The meeting, the largest geosciences conference in Europe, brings together some 12,000 researchers, and is taking place in Vienna, Austria, from 17 to 22 April.

The EGU General Assembly is an opportunity for journalists and science writers to learn about new developments in a variety of topics – including new space and planetary science missions; extrasolar planets; sea-level rise impacts and mitigation; water and food security; weather extremes; changes in the polar regions; mass extinctions – and to interview researchers from Europe and around the world. The preliminary programme for the meeting includes hundreds of scientific sessions.

Members of the media, public information officers and science bloggers (conditions apply) are now invited to register for the meeting online, free of charge. Media registration gives access to the Press Centre, interview rooms – which are equipped with noise reduction material in 2016 – and other meeting rooms, and also includes a public transportation ticket for Vienna. At the Press Centre, media participants have access to high-speed Internet (LAN and wireless LAN), as well as breakfast, lunch, coffee and refreshments, all available free of charge.

Online pre-registration is open until 13 March. The advance registration assures that your badge will be waiting for you on your arrival to the conference centre, the Austria Center Vienna. You may also register on-site during the meeting.

The 2016 Assembly will have a theme: Active Planet. To find out more, please check the EGU 2016 General Assembly website closer to the time of the meeting.

Further information about media services at the General Assembly is available at http://media.egu.eu. Closer to the date, this website will feature a full programme of press conferences, which will also be announced in later media advisories. For information on accommodation and travel, please refer to the appropriate sections of the EGU 2016 General Assembly website.

The European Geosciences Union (EGU) is Europe’s premier geosciences union, dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in the Earth, planetary, and space sciences for the benefit of humanity, worldwide. It is a non-profit interdisciplinary learned association of scientists founded in 2002. The EGU has a current portfolio of 17 diverse scientific journals, which use an innovative open access format, and organises a number of topical meetings, and education and outreach activities. Its annual General Assembly is the largest and most prominent European geosciences event, attracting over 11,000 scientists from all over the world. The meeting’s sessions cover a wide range of topics, including volcanology, planetary exploration, the Earth’s internal structure and atmosphere, climate, energy, and resources. The EGU 2016 General Assembly is taking place in Vienna, Austria, from 17 to 22 April 2016. For information about meeting and press registration, please check http://media.egu.eu closer to the time of the conference, or follow the EGU on Twitter and Facebook.

The EGU offers fellowships (up to €5,000) to journalists wishing to report on geoscientific research not yet in the public sphere. The award offers journalists the opportunity to follow geoscientists on location and to develop an in-depth understanding of their research questions, approaches, findings and motivation. Applications for the 2016 fellowships are open until 6 December.

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