In the six weeks since the vEGU21 abstract submission deadline passed, EGU’s Programme Committee has been hard at work combining all 13,799 abstracts into hundreds of innovative vPICO sessions, and Copernicus, EGU’s meeting organizer, has now released the finalized vEGU21 programme! Here’s what you need to know about this year’s schedule:

Time blocks/breaks
All of the scientific sessions at vEGU21 will be run in the new virtual PICO (vPICO) format, which is modeled after the popular interactive touchscreen presentations used at in-person EGU General Assemblies. Each vPICO time-block:

• Will take place during the second week of vEGU21, 26-30 April.
• Will feature approximately 20 abstracts.
• Will be divided into two parts: 1) an overview featuring a 2-minute talk for each abstract, followed by 2) breakout text chats (one per abstract) plus a simultaneous central video chat for further group discussion hosted by the conveners.

The vPICO sessions will be scheduled in four time blocks spread out between 9:00-17:00 CEST, with substantial breaks to give participants an opportunity to relax between sessions, as follows (all times CEST):

For specific scheduling information, please search the meeting programme using the appropriate Disciplinary Sessions category.

Keynote sessions
This year’s meeting will feature five Union Symposia, which will last approximately two hours each, plus five Great Debates lasting one hour apiece.

• All but one of the keynotes will take place during the first week of vEGU21, 19-23 April, beginning at either 9:00 or 15:00 CEST.
• GDB 1: Challenging discrimination in the geosciences: amplifying unheard voices will be held on Monday 26 April at 15:00 CEST following weekend on-demand viewing of the documentary Picture A Scientist.
• Please search the meeting programme using the Great Debates and Union Symposia categories to find their scheduled times.

Medal & Award Lectures
Most EGU Medal and Award Lectures have been scheduled as separate sessions. At the suggestion of the relevant Division Presidents, a few Outstanding Early Career Scientist awardees have instead been asked to present their lecture as a solicited 10-minute presentation during a scheduled vPICO session.

The honorary lectures have been scheduled as follows:

• Most Division Medal and Award Lectures will be held during the first week of vEGU21.
• All Union Medal and Award Lectures will take place during the first week and will be scheduled during the middle of the day.
• For specific information, please search the meeting programme using the Medal and Award Lectures category.
• The EGU Awards Ceremony will be held on Earth Day, Thursday 22 April, starting at 17:00 CEST.

EGU Division Meetings
All Division Meetings will last one hour and will be scheduled just prior to, or just after, the lunch break. Most will take place during the first week; please search the meeting programme using the Feedback and Administrative Meetings category.

Networking
Last year our community missed the many opportunities to network that are usually available at an in-person conference, so during vEGU21, we’ll be offering several different ways to network together. These will range from text- and video-based chats to one-on-one meetings and larger Division social events, so that you can find the kind of gathering that’s right for you.

Networking events are still being scheduled, but here’s what we know so far:

• Dedicated networking spaces will be available at any time from 19-30 April.
• Any registered attendee will be able to plan their own, spontaneous pop-up event at any time from 19-30 April. Pop-up scheduling will begin in early April.
• We suggest most networking to be scheduled in the early evening.
• Scheduled Division and ECS networking events will be announced by the end of March and will be listed in the programme under the Networking category.
• Per tradition, the Closing Party will start at 17:00 on the last day, Friday 30 April.

Short Courses
During vEGU21, we’ll be offering a full suite of Short Courses. Most will take place as live, one-hour-long sessions. A few will be pre-recorded for on-demand viewing starting at their scheduled release time.

• About 20 will be held during the first week of vEGU21. Like in Vienna, some of their scheduled times will overlap.
• The remainder will take place during second week and will overlap with some scheduled vPICO sessions.
• For more information, search the meeting programme using the Short Courses category.

Townhall & Splinter Meetings

• Townhall events will take place as video meetings, with questions asked via the chat.
• Splinter Meetings are public “side meetings” about non-commercial matters. These are organized by participants and can be reserved for 1 time block free of charge. These meetings are listed in the session programme and advertised to conference attendees. Splinter Meeting requests are due by 9 April and must be submitted via this form.
• The Townhall and Splinter Meeting schedules will be available closer to time in the meeting programme under the Townhall Meetings and Side Events categories.

• Video: How to upload vEGU21 display materials and comment!
• vEGU21 presenter guidelines
• vEGU21 programme
• vEGU21 registration