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Our @flyingless & virtual efforts are covered in @josiegz ’s story in @Nature http://go.nature.com/3pVFxwN . A retro-perspective of the last 2 years & how virtual comm. can help us to make a rapid transition towards an inclusive low-carbon research culture. Will we make it? 1/n
Since + 2 years colleagues from around the globe and myself engage heavily in virtual communication projects.
WHY? Well there were a lot of good reasons to go virtual beside a deadly virus 2/n
WHY? Well there were a lot of good reasons to go virtual beside a deadly virus 2/n
Let’s start in 2018. Scientists produced various Special Reports i.e what difference it makes to stay below 1.5ºC or 2ºC global warming ( http://www.ipcc.ch/sr15 ) and a depressing piece of work about the status of our Ocean and Cryosphere ( http://www.ipcc.ch/srocc ) 3/n
@GretaThunberg started her #ClimateStrike and a global climate movement #FridayForFuture was formed #SchoolStrike4Climate 4/n
During my 6 weeks research stay in Dakar in mid 2018 I had in depth discussions with my Senegalese colleagues about accessibility issues in science @SinyNdoye 5/n
i.e only 0.1 % of the participants of a typical conference (here @EuroGeosciences) come from low HDI countries. With literally no improvement over 8 years (credit @milankloewer), despite a growing scientific community in Senegal or other African countries. 6/n
So basically scientific communities from regions most impacted by the climate crisis are not able to probably join this important debate. 7/n
Serious discussions in our lab LOCEAN in Paris on our own CO2 emissions. Decisions had to be made i.e. intercontinental conferences were simply no option anymore @YonaSilvy @jb_sallee https://twitter.com/jb_sallee/status/13159066144200171529 8/n
Real alternatives were needed to finally engage with the whole scientific community. So that everyone can join and possibly motivate more scientists to reduce their flying. 9/n
Together with early career colleagues from around the world ( https://ebuswebinars.wixsite.com/ebuswebinars ), we decided to start a regular webinars series on our own research topic called “Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS), @MEVorrath, @parvathisan @carolinLoescher 10/n
We had a lot of fun and a lot of work. But it paid off, we got a lot of attention within our own research community, much more as if we had organised a session or visited a conference.
11/n
11/n
Our series is a big success from the beginning:
-> 75 researchers from more than 12 countries regularly
-> rapidly growing professional network (yes it works also online ;))
-> new connections across continents
12/n
-> 75 researchers from more than 12 countries regularly
-> rapidly growing professional network (yes it works also online ;))
-> new connections across continents
12/n
Some details which are special about our setup
- bulletproof stable solution via YouTube live streaming > 20 s buffer
- simple text-based Q&A
- fun and social joined lab views
- and ALWAYS informal networking sessions
https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/colloques-congres-rencontres-la-pandemie-accelere-le-virage-virtuel 13/n
- bulletproof stable solution via YouTube live streaming > 20 s buffer
- simple text-based Q&A
- fun and social joined lab views
- and ALWAYS informal networking sessions
https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/cnrsinfo/colloques-congres-rencontres-la-pandemie-accelere-le-virage-virtuel 13/n
Trilled by all these opportunities, we thought everyone will just jump on this exiting train and use these tools and leave out the fly-in events. We were so wrong … STILL endless debates how key face-to-face is for networking purposes … 14/n
Let’s be clear!For a key part of the community the question of flying or not flying (BTW not useful framing) is simply not an option as they simply don't have the resources. It is a problem of the privileged part of the community. Few fly most and carry huge responsibility 15/n
So in Dec. 2019 we wanted to go further … "the extra mile" … as @IbukunJ_Adewumi would say. The COP25 in Chile was coming up … the blue COP … meaning the role of the ocean in the climate system will be discussed at international level. 16/n
@FutureEarth ’s Ocean Knowledge Action Network i.e. @azivian, @mvisbeck, … asked us whether we want to organise a global virtual conference during the COP. Sure! We have nothing else to do ;) Let’s do it. 17/n
This #VirtualBlueCOP25 event was quite successful with contributions from Asia, Africa and South America https://futureearth.org/2019/12/19/a-virtual-cop-for-a-change/. All organisers and content here: http://www.virtualbluecop25.org 18/n
Exited again about all these opportunities AGAIN and so many new contacts. We decided to initiate a 10 years long project called #VirtualBlueDecade @V_BlueDecade. Check out our new events in January: http://www.virtualbluedecade.org 19/n
But then? COVID-19 … BAM ! 20/n
Many say now we have learned how to use these tools … yes important milestone … but this terrible crisis is mainly THE one in a live time opportunity to reflect and how we want to engage in the future 21/n
But we need to be humble with ourselves first … the scientific community needed a deadly virus to finally act at the required scale and speed.
Why this is the case needs to be discussed first! 22/n
Why this is the case needs to be discussed first! 22/n
Virtual communication is not only a replacement for in-person meeting during a global deadly pandemic.
It is actually an extremely powerful tool which would allow a rapid transition towards a low-carbon research culture @labos1point5 23/n
It is actually an extremely powerful tool which would allow a rapid transition towards a low-carbon research culture @labos1point5 23/n
But this will not come from it’s own just because we all now organised some ZOOM meetings.
There are various issues we have to overcome to make this happen. 24/n
There are various issues we have to overcome to make this happen. 24/n
There is a lot of inertia in the science system, which will force many to jump back into the plane.
Many high-level scientists benefit from the in-person model. Many will aim to get back to normal as soon as possible. 25/n
Many high-level scientists benefit from the in-person model. Many will aim to get back to normal as soon as possible. 25/n
So a lots needs to be done now, just some of my ideas:
1) It must become normal to make good scientific careers without the need to travel around the globe several times a year 26/n
1) It must become normal to make good scientific careers without the need to travel around the globe several times a year 26/n
2) seniors who are so worried about the missing networking experience for the early careers should open their networks by at least joining or better organising online networking sessions, corona give the perfect setting for this, please go ahead 27/n
3) we need strict travel policies within each scientific department who are in line with the Paris Agreement, and based on real carbon emission reductions of at least -10% cuts every year of emissions 28/n ( @KevinClimate)
4) we need group leaders who deserve this name and make sure all this is happening in their groups within the next year 29/n
5) funding agencies have to change the direction of funding away for funding flights and hotels into funding permanent employment 30/n
5) funding agencies have to change the direction of funding away for funding flights and hotels into funding permanent employment 30/n
6) financial models for virtual conferences which allow everyone to join
7) open and accessible online platforms based on simple technology and low bandwidth solutions 31/n
7) open and accessible online platforms based on simple technology and low bandwidth solutions 31/n
8) live language translation to allow non-native english speakers to join at eye level ()
9) co-design our platforms and events with the global community ( @V_BlueDecade) 32/n
9) co-design our platforms and events with the global community ( @V_BlueDecade) 32/n
10) We have to work together, collectively and simply make it happen. check out @Labos1point5_en @labos1point5 if you want to join the journey!
and much more … constructive ideas are welcome … 33/n
and much more … constructive ideas are welcome … 33/n
In summary, we need to invest into an inclusive low-carbon culture and less into fancy technology and even less into flights and hotels. 34/n
Let’s see what the scientific community as a whole decides to do when this pandemic is hopefully over soon.
“We can’t go back to normal because normal was part of the problem.” 35/n
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qiMsMEaWkqQ0CEMGzkTRpdn_H7-YwG02/view @alacre
“We can’t go back to normal because normal was part of the problem.” 35/n
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qiMsMEaWkqQ0CEMGzkTRpdn_H7-YwG02/view @alacre
Thanks to all the wonderful people who joined this new exciting journey and made all this possible ! 
We will rock 2021 !
We will rock 2021 !
