Articles | Volume 4, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-4-437-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-4-437-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
The future of conferences: lessons from Europe's largest online geoscience conference
Hazel Gibson
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
European Geosciences Union, Munich, Germany
Sam Illingworth
Department of Learning and Teaching Enhancement, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
Susanne Buiter
Tectonics and Geodynamics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Zoltán Erdős, Susanne J. H. Buiter, and Joya L. Tetreault
Solid Earth, 16, 841–863, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-16-841-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-16-841-2025, 2025
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We used computer models to study how mountains formed by the collision of tectonic plates can later affect the breakup of these same plates. Our results show that in large, warm mountain belts, new faults form due to the orogen being weak overall, while in smaller, colder belts, breakup follows old fault zones. Microcontinents that were accreted during collision can create new continental fragments during extension. These findings help explain how past geological events shape continent margins.
Eleanor Alice Dunn, Sam Illingworth, and Jon-Paul Orsi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1963, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1963, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Geoscience Communication (GC).
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This study looks at the social media strategy of the British Geological Survey (BGS). We look at how BGS engage the public through its social media campaigns. We analyse the content in BGS social media posts and conduct interviews with BGS employees to understand their attitudes towards social media. Our results suggest increasing video content output and incorporating public feedback. This research acts as a template for other scientific organisations seeking to enhance their online presence.
Shahzad Gani, Louise Arnal, Lucy Beattie, John Hillier, Sam Illingworth, Tiziana Lanza, Solmaz Mohadjer, Karoliina Pulkkinen, Heidi Roop, Iain Stewart, Kirsten von Elverfeldt, and Stephanie Zihms
Geosci. Commun., 7, 251–266, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-251-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-251-2024, 2024
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Science communication in geosciences has societal and scientific value but often operates in “shadowlands”. This editorial highlights these issues and proposes potential solutions. Our objective is to create a transparent and responsible geoscience communication landscape, fostering scientific progress, the well-being of scientists, and societal benefits.
Minja Sillanpää, AnaCapri Mauro, Minttu Hänninen, Sam Illingworth, and Mo Hamza
Geosci. Commun., 7, 167–193, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-167-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-167-2024, 2024
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Minions of Disruptions is a climate change game designed as a communication tool for groups that do not regularly engage with the topic. In our research, we find that the game is liked by the general public because it encourages collective action. This is important because most local climate challenges can only be solved by groups and because gameplay can increase collaboration. The results of this study may be used to develop communication tools that better consider the needs of the audiences.
Natalie Hummel, Susanne Buiter, and Zoltán Erdős
Solid Earth, 15, 567–587, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-567-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-567-2024, 2024
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Simulations of subducting tectonic plates often use material properties extrapolated from the behavior of small rock samples in a laboratory to conditions found in the Earth. We explore several typical approaches to simulating these extrapolated material properties and show that they produce very rigid subducting plates with unrealistic dynamics. Our findings imply that subducting plates deform by additional mechanisms that are less commonly implemented in simulations.
Denise Degen, Daniel Caviedes Voullième, Susanne Buiter, Harrie-Jan Hendricks Franssen, Harry Vereecken, Ana González-Nicolás, and Florian Wellmann
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 7375–7409, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-7375-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-7375-2023, 2023
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In geosciences, we often use simulations based on physical laws. These simulations can be computationally expensive, which is a problem if simulations must be performed many times (e.g., to add error bounds). We show how a novel machine learning method helps to reduce simulation time. In comparison to other approaches, which typically only look at the output of a simulation, the method considers physical laws in the simulation itself. The method provides reliable results faster than standard.
Sam Illingworth
Geosci. Commun., 6, 131–139, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-6-131-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-6-131-2023, 2023
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In this article, I explore the various ways the geosciences can be communicated to a wider audience. I focus on creative methods that range from sharing information to involving the public in the research process. By using examples from my own work and the wider literature, I demonstrate how these approaches can engage diverse communities and promote greater recognition for geoscience communication.
Nicolás Molnar and Susanne Buiter
Solid Earth, 14, 213–235, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-213-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-213-2023, 2023
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Progression of orogenic wedges over pre-existing extensional structures is common in nature, but deciphering the spatio-temporal evolution of deformation from the geological record remains challenging. Our laboratory experiments provide insights on how horizontal stresses are transferred across a heterogeneous crust, constrain which pre-shortening conditions can either favour or hinder the reactivatation of extensional structures, and explain what implications they have on critical taper theory.
Frank Zwaan, Guido Schreurs, Susanne J. H. Buiter, Oriol Ferrer, Riccardo Reitano, Michael Rudolf, and Ernst Willingshofer
Solid Earth, 13, 1859–1905, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-13-1859-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-13-1859-2022, 2022
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When a sedimentary basin is subjected to compressional tectonic forces after its formation, it may be inverted. A thorough understanding of such
basin inversionis of great importance for scientific, societal, and economic reasons, and analogue tectonic models form a key part of our efforts to study these processes. We review the advances in the field of basin inversion modelling, showing how the modelling results can be applied, and we identify promising venues for future research.
Caitlyn A. Hall, Sam Illingworth, Solmaz Mohadjer, Mathew Koll Roxy, Craig Poku, Frederick Otu-Larbi, Darryl Reano, Mara Freilich, Maria-Luisa Veisaga, Miguel Valencia, and Joey Morales
Geosci. Commun., 5, 275–280, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-5-275-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-5-275-2022, 2022
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In this manifesto, we offer six points of reflection that higher education geoscience educators can act upon to recognise and unlearn their biases and diversify the geosciences in higher education, complementing current calls for institutional and organisational change. This serves as a starting point to gather momentum to establish community-built opportunities for implementing and strengthening diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice holistically in geoscience education.
Alice Wardle and Sam Illingworth
Geosci. Commun., 5, 221–225, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-5-221-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-5-221-2022, 2022
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Participants answered four questions concerning their experience writing a haiku based on a geoscience extract. Data were categorised as being part of the
Task Processor
Task Meaning. The themes involved in the
Task Processwere
Identification of significant information,
Distillation of informationand
Metamorphosis of text, while the themes related to
Task Meaningwere made up of
Enjoyable,
Challenging(which has sub-themes
Frustratingand
Restricted) and
Valuable.
Susanne J. H. Buiter, Sascha Brune, Derek Keir, and Gwenn Peron-Pinvidic
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-139, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-139, 2022
Preprint archived
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Continental rifts can form when and where continents are stretched. Rifts are characterised by faults, sedimentary basins, earthquakes and/or volcanism. If rifting can continue, a rift may break a continent into conjugate margins such as along the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In some cases, however, rifting fails, such as in the West African Rift. We discuss continental rifting from inception to break-up, focussing on the processes at play, and illustrate these with several natural examples.
John K. Hillier, Katharine E. Welsh, Mathew Stiller-Reeve, Rebecca K. Priestley, Heidi A. Roop, Tiziana Lanza, and Sam Illingworth
Geosci. Commun., 4, 493–506, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-4-493-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-4-493-2021, 2021
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In this editorial we expand upon the brief advice in the first editorial of Geoscience Communication (Illingworth et al., 2018), illustrating what constitutes robust and publishable work for this journal and elucidating its key elements. Our aim is to help geoscience communicators plan a route to publication and to illustrate how good engagement work that is already being done might be developed into publishable research.
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Short summary
In the spring of 2020, in response to the escalating global COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, the European Geosciences Union (EGU) moved its annual General Assembly online in a matter of weeks. This paper explores the feedback provided by participants who attended this experimental conference and identifies four key themes that emerged from analysis of the survey (connection, engagement, environment, and accessibility). The responses raise important questions about the format of future conferences.
In the spring of 2020, in response to the escalating global COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, the...
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