October 2, 2017

2017 Student and Early Career Scientist Conference: Becoming a Resilient Scientific Community

Posted by AGU Career Center

Are you a student or early career scientist attending the 2017 AGU Fall Meeting in New Orleans in December?  You should consider arriving a day early to not only enjoy some of that famous New Orleans cuisine, but to attend the 2017 AGU Student and Early Career Scientist (SECS) Conference!

The 2017 SECS conference will build off previous iterations of the conferences that been associated with the AGU Fall Meeting since 2015.  The conference will take place at Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel (adjacent to the New Orleans convention center) on Sunday, 10 December 2017 and is open to all students and early career scientists attending the 2017 AGU Fall Meeting.  The conference program will introduce SECS to a variety of experts on a range of issues, including career development advice, through interactive sessions meant to help develop new skills important to careers in science.

The focus of this year’s SECS conference will resiliency and the main theme is Becoming a Resilient Scientific Community. This is a very timely theme given recent natural disasters, the changing infrastructure, the growth of social media and national and international policies.  Topics covered with include examples of how to build resilient science careers through interdisciplinary work and effective science communication. In addition, ample time will be given for SECS to network with their peer attendees and invited experts and give first-time Fall Meeting attendees a chance to meet others before the full meeting starts.

The conference will consist of a range of specific topics and variety of speakers. This includes a panel discussion by national and local experts on resilience across spatial, temporal scales, and disciplines, offering attendees a chance to ask and engage with member of the community working on crucial topics of the 21st century.  Afternoon breakout sessions will offer opportunities to improve the communication of their research through hand-on exercises, advice on how to become a resilient scientist in the modern world, and ways in which SECs can build interdisciplinarity into their research and studies. In addition, a keynote address will offer a unique perspective on resilience in science, while breaks and lunch will give attendees a chance to practice their newly honed skills!

Interested in participating in the conference?  You can find out more information on the SECS conference website, and be sure to secure your spot at the conference by selecting your ticket when registering for the full Fall Meeting. The cost of the conference is $40 which includes coffee, snacks and lunch!  Be sure to reserve your ticket soon, because spots are limited!

Kevin Reed is an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.  He is the Chair of the AGU Student and Early Career Conference Planning Committee.