We have selected this manuscript for inclusion in GC Letters because it addresses a critical and timely issue in the geosciences - economic barriers to participation in major scientific conferences, such as the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly. The study's findings highlight how financial constraints disproportionately affect scholars from lower-income countries, leading to significant underrepresentation and, consequently, a lack of diverse perspectives that are essential for scientific innovation and problem-solving in global challenges. By proposing actionable solutions to increase inclusivity, this manuscript contributes to ongoing discussions on equity in academia and aligns with our journal's commitment to promoting diversity and dismantling systemic barriers in the scientific community.

This work highlights the importance of data collected through citizen science for studying extreme geomagnetic storms. The Gannon storm was an unprecedented opportunity to test the limitations of citizen science data collection and to offer solutions to enable similar studies in the future. This study has great potential to be of interest to the wider public.