AGU Fall Meetings have a portfolio of fun science communication events, from an open mic night to the Up-Goer 5 challenge (see 2020 presentations). I first discovered [email protected] in 2015 (see my recap on GeoEd Trek) and have always enjoyed hearing these fast-paced talks that allow the speaker only 20 slides to present within 5 minutes (the slides automatically advance every 15 seconds).

When I saw the announcement that [email protected] was soliciting applications for speakers in 2020, I decided that I wanted to jump in on the fun and submitted my application.

4 more days to submit your Ignite at #AGU20 talk! Ten talks will be selected, hundreds of your #geoscience peers will be there to cheer you on. Visit https://t.co/7AjTLXgzwk to learn more! #climate #science #geoscience #earthscience pic.twitter.com/08jJNvjE5i

— Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) (@ESIPfed) October 29, 2020

I was elated when I received the email that my proposal was accepted! I couldn’t wait to be a part of this event,
sponsored by NASA’s Earth Science Division and held in partnership with Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP). And I was so appreciative that ESIP brought the speakers together virtually to practice our talks and to support each other with everything from suggested edits to cheering each other on. Some of us even shared on Twitter our process of pulling our talks together (see Share with students your sticky notes and storyboards). Being an Ignite speaker was a unique experience I will always remember.

And one special part of our Ignite session in 2020, besides being completely virtual, were messages of thanks to the science community for the past, present, and future of our work. My talk was right after this video played – it wasn’t easy to follow such a collection of inspiring messages from leaders in the earth and space sciences!

Thanks to this group of geoscience advocates for their messages of hope & thanks; hear them at #IgniteAGU! #IStandwithScience #AGU2020@sallyjewell @GallaudetTim @agu_ceo @SandraCauffman@indyfromspace @Will4Planet @MichaelEMann @deepseadawn @TomSteyer @cavesncorals @Dr_ThomasZ pic.twitter.com/U0rPtWQGYs

— Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) (@ESIPfed) December 2, 2020

If the video below is not showing up correctly or will not play, please view on YouTube.

Being a part of [email protected] has me motived to expand even further my science communication efforts in fun and creative ways. I think the next expansion for me would be to think about organizing an Ignite-format evening on my own campus, for students to see and hear from faculty. I believe the Ignite format will not only help humanize scientists to students through this fun presentation style, but also do an excellent job showcasing our passion and excitement for our work.

Big props to this fine group for putting on a great #IgniteAGU yesterday! Like @BZgeo said in his talk, it’s not just #SciComm but #ScienceCommunity. Well done speakers! pic.twitter.com/1GGkaNbH9K

— Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) (@ESIPfed) December 3, 2020

If you want to view [email protected] talks from previous years, explore the YouTube playlists for 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015. You can access the tweets from this year and previous years with a search on the #IgniteAGU hashtag. Dawn Wright created a wakelet of the tweets from [email protected] 2020.

To check out other Ignite events and recorded talks, visit: http://www.ignitetalks.io/

If you are curious to view my talk from [email protected] 2020, here it is!