[Guest blog from EC Committee member, Jess Brook]
The European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly in Vienna, Austria was held from 28 April to 2 May. This annual conference enables geoscientists from across the world to meet, present their work and network. EGU is the largest geosciences conference in Europe, and this year had a record-breaking attendance of 20,984 researchers. This was my first experience of a large-scale international conference, and I was excited to engage with current research and for networking opportunities.
I was fortunate to be at the conference with two PhD students from my research group, Sean Graham and Faraj Elsakloul, and this made the first morning feel less daunting. The venue was amazing – with over one thousand different sessions spread across five floors, there was always something interesting to listen to and more to learn. On the first day I attended a session where my PhD supervisor (and BSSS President) Paul Hallett presented on the importance of historical research, particularly the soil biophysics pioneers, which was a great way to set the tone for the rest of the week.
A highlight for me was the opportunity to share my PhD research: Broadscale on-farm sampling suggests extensive soil physical degradation in Scotland in the session on ‘Soil Erosion, Land Degradation and Conservation’. Presenting at such a large conference was a rewarding experience, I was asked insightful questions which helped me reflect on my work, and it was interesting to see how my project aligned with others in similar research areas.
In addition to the oral presentations, I enjoyed the contrast of the poster sessions – I was able to review posters at my own pace and ask questions in a more informal setting. It was great to see Sean and Faraj present their research posters too. In the poster session: ‘Science and Society: Science Communication Practice, Research, and Reflection’, one standout poster was: CURIOSOIL: Join us to raise awareness and curiosity about soils! This poster had an interactive element where conference attendees were invited to reflect on their own attitudes towards soils, and to participate by adding Post-it notes onto the poster. I loved reading what others said about how soil made them feel, with words such as ‘happy’, ‘relaxed’, ‘grounded’ and ‘peaceful’ strongly featuring. This poster emphasised how much I was surrounded by like-minded people, who appreciated both soil science and how we communicate about it.
Throughout the week it was great to catch up with old friends, and connect with new ones, to hear about successes and challenges, and to gain new perspectives. If I were to offer advice to any early-career researchers attending their first EGU I would say – don’t over plan. While it is great to attend sessions relevant to your own research, some of the sessions I stumbled upon spontaneously were the greatest standouts for me, and where I learned the most. Also, take some time to enjoy the beautiful city of Vienna. Overall, EGU 2025 was a whirlwind experience, and I already want to go back and do it all again!
