The tagline for the 2017 AGU Fall Meeting is: What will you discover? In this post, I summarize what I discovered at the recent meeting in New Orleans.

What resulted from this poster display? – the most number of visitors and engaging conversations out of all of the posters I’ve ever presented at any scientific conference.

Virtual field experiences for students: is the learning the same as learning in the field? Can students create their own virtual field experiences? Presenters at the AGU Fall Meeting share their experiences.

“We can make a difference while our country figures it out” – panel moderator Dr. Don Boesch

This year’s Great Debate showed that, despite the changes in climate and hazards along with the communication and education pieces, there are reasons for optimism – individuals and communities are working together to improve conditions of Earth systems in the present and for the future.

“And henceforth, all plenaries must begin this way…” with peer-reviewed science rap!

“Arctic shows no sign of returning to reliably frozen region of recent past decades — Despite relatively cool summer temperatures, observations in 2017 continue to indicate that the Arctic environmental system has reached a ‘new normal’, characterized by long-term losses in the extent and thickness of the sea ice cover, the extent and duration of the winter snow cover and the mass of ice in the Greenland Ice Sheet and Arctic glaciers, and warming sea surface and permafrost temperatures.”

There are several positive and amusing experiences scientists are sharing about their very first AGU presentation – but don’t lose sight of some of the negatives that can happen, along with the impacts of not being supportive and inclusive

Being a #SeriousAcademic on social media is a choice – a choice that can be incredibly successful and rewarding. Community-building and communication are all possible – with the right attitude.