Eruption experiments by mixing an acid solution and baking soda have been used to display how a volcanic eruption works. We have upgraded such experiments to include many volcanological components, from magma mixing to eruption and geophysical observations.
The essential apparatus configuration contains two plastic beverage bottles, plastic tubes, a plug closing the mouth of the tube, and an air compressor. An innovative element of our experiment is the specifically designed connector that allows two insulated vents (IN and OUT) to be hosted on the bottle cap. The plastic tube connected the compressor to the lower bottle IN, its OUT to the upper bottle IN, and its OUT to the vent. Initially, syrups containing acid and sodium bicarbonate (SB) particles are put in the lower and upper bottles, respectively, simulating basaltic magma in a deep reservoir and crystal-baring silicic magma in a shallow reservoir. The vent is sealed by the plug. The acidic syrup is injected into the SB syrup by the compressor. The mixing of the two syrups generates bubbles and increases the system pressure. When the overpressure exceeds the plug strength, an eruption starts. Various styles and sequences of eruptions are generated depending on the viscosities of the two magmas, the positions of the inlet and outlet of the upper reservoir, the plug strength, and so on. We can also install sensors, such as pressure sensors to measure the system pressure, accelerometers to measure the vibration of the bottles, microphones to measure acoustic waves associated with the eruption, and cameras. The audience can monitor these data in real-time.
We use this experiment for various educational needs. Children enjoy watching explosions, fountains, and lava flows. To high-school students and the public, we explain the mechanisms controlling the occurrences and styles of eruptions and the meaning and significance of volcano monitoring. In educating graduate students in volcanology, we let them design the monitoring system and try controlling eruption styles by thinking about their mechanisms. This presentation introduces various eruptions designed by graduate student groups and shows how these experiments are used in education onsite and online.
How to cite: Ichihara, M.: A laboratory volcano: a multi-purpose educational tool for children, the public, and graduate students, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5396, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5396, 2025.
GEOMME (Climate-induced geohazards mitigation, management, and education in Japan, South Korea, and Norway) and NATRISK (Enhancing risk management & resilience to natural hazards in India, Brazil, & Norway through collaborative education, research, & innovation) are international collaboration projects addressing challenges related to natural hazard and risk. The main aim is to foster partnerships to improve education, enhance resilience, and build adaptive capacity. The initiative focuses on international collaboration through educational programs on geohazards and risk management, aiming to improve the resilience of vulnerable communities and infrastructure. A key annual activity in both projects is the development of intensive, research- and experience-based courses designed for graduate students and practitioners. Both consortia are composed of universities, research institutes, local agencies and municipalities. To date, four courses have been conducted across the two projects, with a total of eight planned. Participants have included students from University of Oslo (UiO), University of Bergen (UiB), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), and University of Tromsø (UiT), as well as representatives from institutes in the partner countries.
GEOMME, a partnership with institutions in Japan (NIED, Niigata University), South Korea (KAIST, KIGAM), and Norway (University of Tromsø, NGI), develops joint education on climate-driven geohazards. The consortium is structured around four areas of scientific advancement: geohazards in a changing climate (2022), modelling over different spatial scales (2023), monitoring and early-warning systems (2024), and sustainability in hazard mitigation (2025). The main activities have included short courses, workshops, field excursions, technical webinars, and researcher exchanges. Courses have been held in Norway, Japan, and South Korea, focusing on climate-change and geohazard regimes, hazard modelling, early-warning systems, and remote sensing applications. Practical exercises and field visits have been used to complement the teaching activities, offering students real-world insights into geohazard management.
NATRISK is a partnership between Brazil (CEMADEN, UFRJ, Nova Friburgo Municipality), India (IITB, IITR, CRRI, BMTPC), and Norway (UiB, Ullensvang municipality, NGI) that addresses the compounding risks posed by climate change, natural hazards, and urbanization – with a partial focus on marginalized communities. NATRISK aims to contribute to societal resilience in regions prone to landslides, earthquakes, and floods. The project is structured around four thematic pillars: understanding natural hazards (2024), risk assessment (2025), risk mitigation and communication (2026), and enhancing resilience (2027). Key achievements during the first year of the project include a training course, field excursion, and workshop in carried out in Bergen, Norway and organized by NGI and UiB. NATRISK has also facilitated international research exchanges for both students and researchers.
GEOMME (322469) and NATRISK (337241) are financed through the INTPART program from the Research Council of Norway and Directorate for Higher Education and Skills.
How to cite: Piciullo, L. and Gilbert, G. L.: International Collaboration in Geohazard Education & Research: Experience from GEOMME and NATRISK Partnership Projects, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17022, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17022, 2025.
During the last 150 years the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere has increased by 1,3 °C, leading to a significant increase in extreme environmental events and disasters in our densely populated areas. In addition, anthropogenic disasters from large-scale accidents or warfare are on an unfortunate rise.
The ERASMUS+ project SUDEM (2023-1-BG01-KA220-HED-000159479) is establishing and validating a novel interdisciplinary higher education knowledge transfer model and curriculum, with focus on the digitalisation of the overall disaster and emergency handling lifecycle. The international team embeds principles of practice and education from all relevant domains, incl. risk and disaster monitoring and management, decision-making support, disaster handling management, AI, IoT, Data Science, remote sensing (satellites and drones) and data fusion, data management.
SUDEM seeks to prepare students with the skills required to address the efficient management of relevant extreme events’ and disasters’ consequences, and improve the emergency processes. The overarching goal is Europe to create a pool of disaster management experts with an adequately intensive focus on digital tools, through which the disaster-caused life and infrastructure losses to significantly decrease in the long-term perspective.
The project unites a consortium of leading European Higher Education and Research organisations, leveraging international collaboration to align academic programs with the demands of the optimal disaster management, incl. the decision-making support. SUDEM emphasises creating adaptable and accessible educational modules that can be implemented across diverse Higher Education and Life-Long Learning organisations.
This paper represents the results of the SUDEM Foresight study - a core project methodology element, enabling the elaboration and delivery of an efficient response to the identified demands and challenges, potential solutions, a relevant system architecture, and an optimal future development scenario incl. education, process management, policy, and finally a unique knowledge and training package as a core project result.
How to cite: Georgiev, G., Aksit, M., Sachenko, A., Bykovyy, P., Zachko, O., Kobylkin, D., Zafirov, D., and Sikora, A.: A Foresight study on Sustainable Disaster and Emergency Management SUDEM processes digitalisation: the European Higher Education and Life-Long Learning perspective, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12295, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12295, 2025.
The escalating frequency and complexity of disasters worldwide, driven by climate change, environmental degradation, and societal vulnerabilities, underscores the critical need for highly skilled disaster risk management (DRM) professionals. Postgraduate education has emerged as a cornerstone in developing such expertise, with numerous programmes globally offering advanced qualifications tailored to address specific aspects of DRM. These range from resilience-building and disaster mitigation to crisis response and recovery. Institutions in different parts of the world provide specialised Master's programmes that integrate scientific research, field-based training, and policy-oriented curricula to prepare graduates for interdisciplinary challenges in civil protection, humanitarian action, and disaster governance. Moreover, lifelong learning plays a pivotal role in this field, as it supports professionals in adapting to emerging challenges and new areas of expertise, which are increasingly incorporated into Master's programmes.
Despite these advancements, variations in programme structure, scope, and accessibility have created gaps in standardisation and knowledge exchange across European regions. Recognising this, the aim of this contribution is to provide an overview of existing approaches, with a particular focus on the role of geosciences within DRM, and highlight their potentials and limitations. On this basis, we try to leverage best practices and develop recommendations for the optimisation of postgraduate Master's programmes in the broad field of DRM.
How to cite: Froewis, A., Sophia, S., Philipp, M., and Thomas, G.: Master's Programmes for Disaster Risk Management: Existing Approaches and Future Directions, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-15248, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-15248, 2025.
Geoscience-based jobs in the oil and gas industry are changing; thus, the education students receive must adapt to maintain work relevancy. In Norway, the confluence of changing industry needs to meet net-zero emissions and increased interest in carbon storage combined with decreased student admission in oil and gas education programs prompted the establishment of a research project to investigate the current and changing competence needs in the Norwegian oil and gas industry and to map competence development within the MSc in Energy, Reservoir, and Earth Sciences, offered in the Department of Energy Resources at the University of Stavanger, Norway. The research project, Defining Future Subsurface Education Needs in Collaboration with the Energy Industry (SUBSET), is supported by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills and collaborates with 5 energy companies and 2 trade unions. We applied a multi-method approach to determine the current and future needs within the Norwegian oil and gas industry. Through analysing interviews with company representatives, surveys with the workforce, discussions with trade unions, and workshops between companies and academia, we created a list of 28 thematic topics and competences. We compared this list to the learning outcomes of a master’s degree program and the courses contained therein to determine which competences were addressed and which were not. The study program is equivalent to 90 ECTS of coursework, consisting of 8 core courses and 4 elective courses, and a 30 ECTS thesis. Students are not obligated to the program electives; however, most students concentrate on the program electives. 27 competences were addressed by between 1 and 9 courses, whereas communication skills are addressed by 10 courses in some manner. Only 1 competence – financial management – was not addressed in the program; however, students could take a non-program elective to meet this competence. According to the competence mapping, the master's degree program contains a high-level of work relevant skills development. In this presentation, we discuss the methodological approach applied and the detailed competence mapping of the master’s degree program with a critical look at the content.
How to cite: Watson, L., Pezzotta, M., and Dikilitas, K.: Designing work-relevant geosciences programs, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18116, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18116, 2025.
A pioneering collaboration between the Agricultural University of Iceland (AUI) and Reykjavik University (RU) is establishing a new framework for university education on integrating renewable energy into natural and cultural landscapes. At the heart of this initiative is the innovative "Energy and Landscape" course, which empowers students to holistically assess renewable energy production in pristine environments, balancing ecological preservation, social acceptance, cultural heritage, resource management, and economic feasibility. The current Landscape Architecture framework aims to recognize natural and cultural values in contemporary landscapes. Energy infrastructure must also be considered a necessary part of people's lives in an area. In this sense, integrating models and approaches among different disciplines allows a better integration of these structures within the landscapes in which they are embedded without fragmenting their systems.
The case study of Andakill, a protected habitat near the AUI campus in Hvanneyri, is a cornerstone of educational and research activities. Recognized for its exceptional ecological value, Andakill's pristine landscapes are home to historic landmarks immortalized in Icelandic sagas and abundant renewable energy resources. This unique setting offers students opportunities to explore sustainable energy development while appreciating the interplay between nature and culture. The initiative leverages the complementary strengths of its partner universities. The AUI campus in a Ramsar-protected wetland provides direct access to sensitive ecosystems and serves as a living laboratory for environmental research. In parallel, RU's cutting-edge engineering expertise fosters innovation in energy solutions. The campuses provide a dynamic environment where students can gain theoretical insights, hands-on experience, and a deep connection to nature.
The course has both a theoretical and a practical design component, which takes place in AUI's landscape architecture ateliers. This aims to make the educational offering new and cutting-edge. Through immersive fieldwork and interdisciplinary learning, students are equipped to evaluate and address the environmental impacts, cultural implications, and economic boundaries of renewable energy systems. By combining classroom instruction with practical exposure to Andakill's hydropower systems, geothermal resources, tidal currents, wind energy potential, and biomass initiatives, students comprehensively understand sustainable energy development harmoniously with Iceland's unique natural and cultural heritage. This collaboration advances renewable energy education and inspires the next generation of professionals to create solutions for a climate-neutral society while preserving the delicate balance between energy needs and natural landscapes.
How to cite: Stefàno, D. and Finger, D. C.: Advancing Education on Energy and Landscapes, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-17707, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-17707, 2025.
The geosciences have a long association with economic development and growth owing to the legacy of coal, oil and gas exploration, and mining. However, in the 21st century where geosciences have cleaned up their act and are leading the way in sustainability and climate science, digital technologies, and space exploration globally, it’s often still hard to shake the outdated perceptions of our field, and anecdotally this has been cited as a contributor to the diminishing student numbers seen across university programmes (Stephen et al. 2023; 2024).
This is Geoscience is a new public awareness campaign from the Geological Society of London, designed to challenge current perceptions of geosciences in the public domain by providing additional insights into the breadth & benefits of geoscience, and encouraging the use of the word ‘geoscience’ or ‘geology’ in schools to improve geoscience literacy (Stephen et al. 2024). These unbranded materials focus on the diverse array of geoscience topics that may be overlooked and are simple images or moving graphics with single strapline; this is geoscience. They are made available online, across social media, and in print, and are available to everyone to use.
The main aim of the this is geoscience campaign is to encourage geoscience uptake at university and to future-proof our field with a plentiful supply of new, diverse talent within our pipeline, and to ensure we can reduce the growing skills gap that we face. However, it will take many years, perhaps decades, to be able to determine any meaningful impact at that scale, and therefore in the medium term the focus is on university admission numbers, and on the accuracy and diversity of careers information currently available to our prospective students. This presentation will share the newly available resources, highlight important trends in past data, and discuss what comes next: Geoscience for All.
How to cite: Stephen, N., Akingbade, A., Quinn, S., Jones, K., Harvey, T., Jameson, G., O'Donnell, M., and Thompson, S.: Geoscience is the future, not a dirty word! Rebranding ourselves to encourage geoscience uptake in schools & universities., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18366, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18366, 2025.
Study programmes in atmospheric science usually start with introductory courses in mathematics, physics and meteorology. Current scientific topics and also science communication are often not addressed in the early stage. We wanted to give first semester students the opportunity to come into contact with cutting-edge research and to gain science communication skills at the same time. Therefore, we offered an elective seminar, where the students were asked to make a video about the Collaborative Research Centre TPChange (The Tropopause Region in a Changing Atmosphere, CRC 301).
Scientists from seven German universities and research institutions are working together within TPChange to investigate the tropopause region, a layer that separates the troposphere from the stratosphere above. This region of the atmosphere is of special interest, because it is highly sensitive in terms of climate change. Many people have never heard of the tropopause region, despite society's awareness of climate change. Also the students had limited to no prior knowledge about this topic.
The students had two tasks in the seminar: 1) to understand the fundamentals up to the specific research questions of TPChange and 2) to present their gained knowledge in a clear way for a broad audience in the form of a video. We included science communication from the beginning of the seminar. The students were given the task to communicate and present newly learned facts. This had two advantages, the students practised their communication skills and we used the task to verify the student‘s comprehension.
With this seminar, we aimed to enhance the students' understanding of the complex interplay of different concepts and to give them a perspective, for what they need the knowledge from the introductory courses. Furthermore, the seminar gave the students the opportunity to get into touch with many scientists at different career levels.
We will discuss the student‘s learning success, both in terms of scientific knowledge as well as science communication, and their opinion on the seminar.
How to cite: Jeske, A., Awater, F. S., Bense, V., Emig, N., Ferrero Calle, E. A., Galow, I. C., Gautam, M., Hoor, P., Miltenberger, A., Paß, G. S., Richter, S., Schwenk, C., Tost, H., Turhal, K., and von Kries, N.: Teaching atmospheric science and science communication hand in hand, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2236, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2236, 2025.
Recent changes in the Spanish Educational System, including the Organic Law 3/2020 (LOMLOE), require universities to integrate sustainability into their study programs to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. The Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) has been a pioneer in this effort, with the strategic plan URJC 2030 and a dedicated Green Office in place for over a decade. These initiatives aim to incorporate sustainability across all university activities, including teaching, research, and administration. However, developing the necessary skills to achieve the SDGs in higher education remains an ongoing challenge.
This communication describes an innovative educational activity developed during the 2023-24 academic year within the Soil and Water Resource Management subject, aimed at third-year graduate students of Environmental Sciences. The central theme was the analysis of a practical case in a familiar environment: the Móstoles campus of the URJC, where the Environmental Science degree is taught. Here, the URJC Green Office implemented a water conservation project by suspending irrigation in certain areas. Although necessary, this action led to soil erosion in non-irrigated grass areas, highlighting the need for detailed soil property analysis to develop effective water management strategies. At the same time, it provided a natural laboratory to study soil reactions to drought, offering a hands-on learning experience that heightened students’ awareness and engagement with the SDGs.
The learning experience combined practical fieldwork, laboratory analyses, and active methodologies to foster the critical thinking and analytical skills necessary to relate the course content to the SDGs. Case-Based Learning linked sustainability concepts to tangible scenarios, while Cooperative Learning involved a group practical project to evaluate soil conditions and suggest practical solutions for improving campus sustainability. This sustainability analysis required prior Flipped Classroom work, which included analyzing historical or recent soil degradation case studies through concept maps, interactive videos, and text analysis.
This approach enhanced motivation, concept assimilation, and reflection, connecting classroom content with the environmental issues addressed by the 2030 Agenda, particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). It also highlighted how the SDGs are interconnected, demonstrating that achieving one can have positive or negative impacts on others. Therefore, the activity also addressed the direct or indirect contributions to other goals such as Quality Education (SDG 4), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), Responsible Consumption (SDG 12), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
The integration of field practices, laboratory analysis, and real-case scenarios provided a practical and tangible learning experience, enabling students to progressively assimilate theoretical concepts and adopt a more active role in their learning process. Student feedback indicates a strong interest in expanding this activity in future iterations, underscoring its potential to enhance the university’s commitment to achieving the SDGs.
How to cite: López-Mir, B., Lillo Ramos, F. J., Martínez Coronado, A., Crespo Martín, C., González Muñoz, S., Guerrero Márquez, J. L., Herrera Espada, R., Najarro De La Parra, M., and Rincón Ramos, M.: Integrating Sustainability into Higher Education through Active Learning: A Case Study from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8205, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8205, 2025.
The Greenland Ice Sheet Ocean Science Network (GRISO) project, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), facilitates innovative approaches to geosciences education through its annual two-week summer school in Greenland. Since its inception in 2022, this program has become a hallmark of GRISO’s efforts to cultivate interdisciplinary collaboration and foster equitable research in and around Greenland. The summer school brings together early-career researchers from diverse disciplines and nations to engage with Greenland-focused research themes, such as ice-ocean interactions, climate impacts, and sustainable development. Participants benefit from direct engagement with local researchers and organizations, and actively apply their experiences to find innovative ways to move forward Greenland-focused research in an equitable way.
The curriculum emphasizes collaborative techniques and a broad introduction to a multitude of research disciplines and methods, equipping participants with skills to design and execute research projects that respect and integrate local knowledge and priorities. Field-based activities, exchange with local experts and organizations, and community interactions create a dynamic learning environment, fostering partnerships that extend beyond the summer school. By conducting these summer schools, GRISO contributes to training a new generation of researchers prepared to mindfully address complex Arctic challenges through innovative and inclusive approaches.
This presentation will share insights from the summer schools, highlight its alignment with the current U.S. and Greenland research strategies, and discuss its broader impact on the landscape of Greenland-focused research.
How to cite: Schulz, K., Sutherland, D., and Moon, T.: Cultivating Collaboration in the Arctic: A Greenland Summer School Advancing Inclusive Geosciences Education, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1424, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1424, 2025.
Communities in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands face unique water-related challenges shaped by a complex web of environmental, political, and cultural factors. Bi-national partnerships are essential for creating sustainable water management solutions. However, a "one size fits all" approach is not feasible, as water needs and governance structures vary significantly across the border region. This project highlights the lived experiences of borderland communities, emphasizing the need for local knowledge and historical context in water decision-making. We discuss the barriers to civic engagement, including community members' lack of confidence and training to engage with civic leaders and the inaccessibility of water science, which complicates the development of effective, community-driven solutions.
Our approach integrates community-based participatory research (CBPR) and citizen science to empower local communities through storytelling, data collection, and analysis. By fostering long-term, trust-based partnerships with communities in La Paz, Baja, and Hermosillo, Sonora, we aim to create a model for inclusive, sustainable water governance. The University of Arizona's close proximity to the border provides a unique opportunity to engage students in interdisciplinary service-learning projects that bridge the gap between scientific research and community action. Our project also aims to develop open-access educational modules, frameworks, and a living archive, leveraging student involvement in data collection, analysis, and communication to ensure that water governance solutions are grounded in community values and needs.
In collaboration with faculty and community leaders, we aim to build community capacity, enhance student learning, and promote lasting partnerships through service-learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of accessible data and resources for advocacy. Our lessons learned and best practices discussion will contribute to a broader understanding of how to support bi-national civic engagement, providing a framework for future projects aimed at environmental sustainability in the borderlands.
How to cite: Davi, L. and Hall, C. and the University of Arizona - CUES Spanning Boundaries Challenge: Challenge and Barriers to Bi-national Civic Engagement: Lessons Learned and Best Practices, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12172, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12172, 2025.
The Erasmus+ project "Multilevel Local, National, and Regional Education and Training in Climate Services, Climate Change Adaptation, and Mitigation" (ClimED) aims to establish an advanced academic framework dedicated exclusively to climate services education in Ukraine's high education institutions. This project responds to the growing need for highly trained professionals capable of addressing the challenges posed by climate change through innovative and practical solutions.
At the core of this initiative is developing an academic program comprising a PhD and Master’s degree explicitly and specifically tailored around climate services. These programs are designed to align with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Competency Framework for Climate Services, ensuring that graduates possess the critical skills and knowledge required to excel in the field. The project wants to create a specialised, high-level academic curriculum that meets global standards and addresses local and regional needs.
In this communication, we present the course selection that will form the backbone of these programs. The PhD program is specifically designed to advance research and analytical capabilities in climate services, equipping candidates with the expertise to lead in creating, implementing, and evaluating innovative solutions within this specialised field. Meanwhile, the Master's programs are structured into two distinct areas. The first master's degree is for individuals with backgrounds in climate-related disciplines, such as atmospheric sciences, geography, and related fields. The second master approach is designed for professionals from all other disciplines, providing foundational knowledge and targeted skills to integrate climate services into their existing expertise. Additionally, the project extends its scope through professional development courses aimed at disciplines beyond the traditional boundaries of climate services. These courses emphasise integrating climate-related knowledge and practices into other fields, highlighting the universal importance of climate services across sectors. This approach ensures that professionals from diverse backgrounds—ranging from urban planning to public health and beyond—are equipped to incorporate climate considerations into their work, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and resilience.
The programs feature a strong alignment with the competencies outlined by the WMO, establishing a solid foundation for students to create, manage, and apply climate data effectively. Practical application is a central focus, with case studies, projects, and interdisciplinary approaches preparing students to address real-world challenges. The structure of the programs ensures inclusivity and relevance by tailoring educational pathways for climate specialists and professionals from other disciplines, enhancing the accessibility and applicability of climate services education. Finally, the curricula are designed to balance global frameworks with regional priorities, addressing specific challenges in Ukraine while remaining aligned with international standards.
As the project progresses, future communications will detail the development and implementation of these courses, showcasing their impact on building a new generation of climate service professionals. By fostering academic excellence and practical expertise, the ClimEd project aims to contribute significantly to global efforts in climate change adaptation and mitigation.
How to cite: Olano Pozo, J. X., Aguilar, E., Khomenko, I., Stepanenko, S., Boqué-Ciurana, A., Cimolai, C., Vergeles, Y., Diman, T., Malovanyy, M., Voloshkina, O., Ovcharuk, V., and Tyuryakov, S.: Multilevel Local, National, and Regional Education and Training: Building Academic Excellence in Climate Services in Ukraine. , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9098, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9098, 2025.
Formal and traditional education in hydrology and water management at universities has limitations in achieving practical, beneficial impacts on the ground. Many early career water managers end up in their positions with limited formal training in modern tools and techniques and often lack the necessary transdisciplinary skills. This is especially true for a large part of the world where access to appropriate higher education is severely constrained, while water management issues are complex. The Greater Mekong Region is a case in point. Therefore, alternative approaches to capacity building that utilise short courses, on-the-job training, peer-to-peer learning, and regional international collaboration are greatly needed.
In this contribution, we discuss an initiative to advance groundwater management expertise in the Greater Mekong Region, covering Vietnam, Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia, through international collaboration and capacity building. Groundwater in the Greater Mekong Region offers many social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits to areas not in direct access of surface water or during long dry seasons. However, the knowledge and expertise in hydrogeology, groundwater quantity and quality, and its management varies significantly between countries, with some, like Thailand and Vietnam, demonstrating advanced capabilities, while others are beginning to gain momentum and develop their expertise. Recently, new reviews and integration of regional information have advanced national and transnational understanding of similarities and differences in groundwater resources, strengthening the opportunity for improved transboundary water management. Nevertheless, access to expertise in gathering, processing and managing groundwater information is a limiting factor due to a skills shortage. In this initiative, key practitioners from four Mekong countries were trained in transdisciplinary water management in Australia and their home countries. Peer-to-peer learning, regional exchange of information and experiences, exposure to exemplary groundwater management practices, and development of cross-cultural and gender awareness were key components of the training. The participants evaluated the training as highly beneficial due to the intensive, practical and transnational approach.
The discussed approach to transdisciplinary water education overcomes and extends some of the traditional limits of sectoral science and engineering university education with respect to regional groundwater management. A key outcome is the continued development of a cross-cultural, regional, international community of practitioners that fosters collaboration and exchange of information and expertise needed for effective transnational management.
How to cite: Batelaan, O., Viossanges, M., Pavelic, P., Barnett, S., Noorduijn, S., Ellickson, C., Banks, E., Castellazzi, P., Shanafield, M., and Stewart, S.: Transnational Collaboration and Capacity Building as the Key to Enhancing Greater Mekong Region Groundwater Management, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-13791, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13791, 2025.
Interdisciplinary work can be a challenge even for experienced scientists. Integrating different work methodologies, utilizing different skillsets, and effectively communicating across different fields are all essential to successfully completing such projects. How can we then design an interdisciplinary study program that is engaging for the students and clearly presents the challenges of interdisciplinary work without becoming too problematic and disillusioning?
The course Social Hydrology is organized at the Humboldt University of Berlin for students of both social and natural sciences. The goal of the program is to encourage students to engage with water-related problems in a wide interdisciplinary context while conducting an individual research project.
What keeps the course together is the subject: each year the lecture is built around a selected smaller river near the city of Berlin. The course starts with an excursion along the selected river, where walking along the river we visit all the relevant locations along them. The students use this excursion to collect impressions of human-water relations through photos, sound or text. During these excursions, the students come up with research questions which are then further distilled with the help of the lecturers. After the excursions the students are given input on various research methods, which then they can use to carry out independent project work.
The goal of the project work is to create reports in the form of research articles, which are then published online in the form of storymaps. Hence, the generated knowledge remains accessible beyond the lecture, and could be used as a basis for future research in the region. During the last years, the course became popular among the students, many of them choosing to write a master thesis on the topic of hydrology. In a few cases, the study carried out during the course was further developed into an actual research paper.
How to cite: Somogyvári, M., Roggero, M., and Krueger, T.: Social Hydrology: interdisciplinary research as part of higher education, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11346, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11346, 2025.
Increasingly adverse effects of climate change, accelerating urbanization, overtaxing of resources and aging infrastructure pose a wide range of challenges for current and future water managers. The scale and urgency of these challenges require innovative, holistic solutions, often surpassing the scope of traditional civil and environmental engineering education. Nonetheless, few educational initiatives or academic programs exist that enable civil and environmental engineering students to develop water management solutions in a transdisciplinary, international environment. The international web seminar Future Water, now in its second iteration, is designed to bridge this gap by offering students, educators, and researchers from all over the world such an environment.
In Future Water, students develop sustainable water management concepts for predefined settings in small, self-organized teams, supported by a set of formal lectures and input from a faculty advisor. This basic idea is the same for both iterations of the seminar; the status quo in academic education, however, has evolved considerably since the first seminar. When Future Water first took place just before the COVID-19 pandemic, working entirely online was novel to most participants. While virtual collaboration has become commonplace since 2020, the recent, yet widespread adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) presents another significant paradigm shift in water education, which had to be considered when conceptualizing the 2025 seminar.
In this work, we detail how the rise of AI tools in engineering education, combined with lessons from the first seminar, impacted the second’s conceptualization, materials and outcomes. For this purpose, data from both seminars - i.e., lecture recordings, meeting transcripts and students’ work products, as well as submitted questionnaires, time sheets and AI prompts - is combined. First, an integrated analysis of these materials is used to reveal commonalities, differences and gaps in student teams’ water management solutions. Second, the resulting insights are correlated with team members’ academic backgrounds, seniority, as well as group dynamics and communication characteristics. Third, the collected prompts are used to quantify the degree to which AI was adopted by civil and environmental engineering students and how it impacted their research, solution development and communication of water management concepts to interdisciplinary audiences.
Finally, we address how the compendium of findings affect the goal of establishing Future Water as a permanent forum for innovative water education beyond the limitations of traditional engineering curricula, national or societal boundaries.
How to cite: Pointl, M., Vertommen, I., Lorber, N., Muschalla, D., and Lansey, K.: Future Water: Lessons learned and ways forward for transdisciplinary,cross-cultural water education, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-21575, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-21575, 2025.
In an increasingly global society, environmental challenges such as water scarcity and pollution impact everyone. The inextricable link between water and climate change together with population growth and economic development force up to 50% of the world's population into a state of water insecurity by 2050. Sustainable water management is, therefore, a growing challenge around the world. Furthermore, it is imperative to communicate effectively to raise awareness of the global freshwater crisis and to advance water management discourses.
Here we focus on a recent (winter semester 2024/25) piloting of a course titled A water journey: from glaciers to rivers and lakes through storytelling. The course is part of Global Awareness Education in the Transdisciplinary Course Program at the University of Tübingen in Germany, and is open to bachelor and master students of all disciplines (not just geosciences) from both the University of Tübingen and CIVIS (an alliance of 11 leading universities across Europe). The focus of this course was two-fold: First, students learn about the fundamentals of water resource challenges worldwide also concerning virtual water trades, and how human activities such as damming rivers for hydroelectricity and using water for farming impact the water cycle. Integrated water resource management as a solution to transboundary river management disputes was also explored using a role-play scenario. Second, students were introduced to storytelling communication tools and strategies to inform, educate and influence individuals and communities to tackle water issues. Students then applied gained knowledge to create an audio product related to water using narratives and stories which were integrated into a radio piece for broader impact.
Using a survey questionnaire at the start and end of the course, we assessed students’ knowledge of global water challenges and solutions as well as their level of awareness towards local watersheds, drinking water, and global water footprints. We also assessed students’ confidence and skills in, and attitudes towards water communication through storytelling. In this presentation, we share the survey results, offer samples of students' audio work, and discuss the challenges and opportunities we faced in course implementation.
How to cite: Koch, I., Mohadjer, S., Schwarz, L., Gehrig, C., and Schneider, K.: 'A water journey: from glaciers to rivers and lakes through storytelling' - Learnings from an online transdisciplinary course, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12363, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12363, 2025.
In hydrological modelling classically educators at the MSc and PhD level teach their students using the one model they personally are familiar with. The eWaterCycle platform for Open and FAIR hydrological modelling was developed to allow researchers to more easily work with each other’s models and data. Recently we have started to use eWaterCycle in our MSc level teaching and made our teaching material available as Open Educational Resources using the novel ‘teachbooks’ framework for interactive online educational material. Using eWaterCycle students are able to explore their own hydrological research questions and answer those using models developed at different institutes. The teachbook framework allows us to easily share this educational material with any teacher in the world.
How to cite: Hut, R. and Schilperoort, B.: Sharing educational resources on hydrological modelling between institutes using eWaterCycle and Teachbooks, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8836, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8836, 2025.
Groundwater represents more than 97% of the globally available freshwater resources. Groundwater is situated in geological structures in the subsurface and is therefore not visible, and difficult to characterize and manage. As a consequence, it is often not adequately considered by authorities, the general public – and in education. However, teaching and learning Hydrogeology and Groundwater Management at universities, as well as continuing education training for professionals, is essential to deal with future challenges. For this reason, it is important to use suitable educational materials to improve understanding of the complex topic of groundwater among these target groups. An ongoing Erasmus+ cooperation project named iNUX – interactive understanding of groundwater hydrogeology aims to address the need for digital teaching material (www.gw-inux.org). The iNUX project aims to achieve an interactive and digital learning environment in hydrogeology and groundwater management with a European but also global target of teachers and students.
Existing experience in teaching relevant groundwater subjects from highly reputable European universities is used to develop provide open source interactive and digital teaching material focusing on fundamental and applied hydrogeology. The teaching material covers basic theory in combination with field and laboratory applications in different European environments (Northern Europe, Central Europe, and the Mediterranean). The teaching material comprises (1) various types of videos (e.g., field experiments, lab experiments, screencasts of calculations and software use), (2) interactive educational documents based on Python like Streamlit Apps and Jupyter notebooks that combine explanation with live code, (3) various types of questions and problems that allow different assessments to enhance self-controlled learning of students. All materials are intended as open source and publicly available. The iNUX activities also comprise initiatives to establish interest groups to combine efforts towards larger pools of commonly developed digital teaching material (e.g., open source repositories like https://github.com/gw-inux/, question pools, and more) and to link with other activities like the 'Groundwater project' (https://gw-project.org/). The presentation will include existing examples of digital teaching materials and initial evaluation results to investigate the effect on student learning.
How to cite: Reimann, T., Liedl, R., Barthel, R., Giese, M., Birk, S., Grießer, E., Fernandez-Garcia, D., and Bertran, O.: Interactive understanding of groundwater hydrology and hydrogeology – the iNUX project , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18126, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18126, 2025.
The EGU Education Committee (EC) provides an increasingly wide range of support for all those who teach geosciences at the university level, including PhD students, postgraduates, research fellows, and permanent academic or teaching support staff. New initiatives are being proposed in the hope of having a greater impact on the university community. Initiatives include:
The support of 1 Early Career Scientist (ECS) with experience in teaching Earth, planetary, and space sciences at the university level and in conducting research in the field of geoscience, by receiving a fellowship.
Geoscience Distinguished Lectures series at university: The EGU EC offers an annual series of Geosciences Distinguished Lectures, to be given by top scientists from Europe who have previously participated as speakers in GIFT workshops during the EGU General Assemblies. University teachers from the European region are welcome to request a lecture, for which the EGU Committee on Education will cover the travel and subsistence costs of the speaker. Lecturers and topics should be selected among the ones given in the last 5 years in any EGU General Assembly GIFT Workshop, whose programs can be viewed on the GIFT webpages. The distinguished lectures will be in hybrid mode to ensure a broader visibility of the initiative. More than one university could participate in the event.
Support for the creation of teaching material for higher education: EC awards each year 5-10 grants to fund the preparation of university level geoscience teaching materials. The teaching material can be on any geoscience topic, including laboratory or fieldwork.
The EC is also planning the creation of a professional network in LinkedIn for the promotion of Tertiary Education in Geoscience among university students and university educators.
EC webpages themselves (https://www.egu.eu/education/ ) are a valuable collection of slides, videos and teaching materials.
How to cite: Kourtidis, K. and the EGU Education Commitee: EGU Education Committee initiatives in support of Higher Education teaching, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1628, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1628, 2025.
Within the frame of the Master in Oceanography of the University of Liège (Belgium), a two-week research stay is held every year at research station STARESO (Station de Recherches Sous-Marines) in the Bay of Calvi in Corsica (France). During these two weeks, the students can put in practice the theoretical concepts they have acquired during their classes. This includes pelagic and benthic measuring campaigns to measure ocean currents, temperature and salinity, fluorescence, dissolved oxygen, etc. The students also dive to observe the Posidonia meadows, their extension and density, as well as the inhabitants of this rich ecosystem.
Since 2023, and with the support of the University of Liège, we have developed the program “Drifters Do it Yourself” (D2iY), in which the students build deriving platforms (surface drifters) equipped with different sensors, that they deploy during the 2-week field trip. The drifters measure the ocean currents and temperature of the water, and are built out of wood (the mast) and fabric (the sails) in order to keep the price low and prioritising sustainable materials. This project aims at developing a wide array of student competences, going from the conception and building of the platform, the programming of a Raspberry Pi that commands the measurements and communication with the shore, the design of the measuring strategy and the analysis of the results obtained. Working in groups of 3-4 students, cooperation and teamwork are necessary in order to successfully finish the project. The students are driven to think about the best strategies to sample the Bay of Calvi, including the depth and frequency of measurements. The robustness of the drifters is put to a tough test when deriving with the ocean currents, which also makes the students think about the special needs of measuring in harsh environments. Once the drifters are recovered, they analyse the results and compare them with other sources of information, which also allows them to assess the accuracy of their data. Being able to build a project from scratch makes the students much more aware of what it is needed to design a successful measuring campaign and allows them to integrate the knowledge they acquire in the different theoretical lessons and put it to work in a fun and cooperative way. The project keeps evolving year to year to include new sensors and platform designs, and also to integrate suggestions provided by the students after their experience with the drifters. The complete source code to log and send the position via the GSM network and post-processing the data to compute surface currents is available at https://github.com/gher-uliege/drifter-raspberry-pi.
How to cite: Alvera-Azcárate, A., Barth, A., Dechenne, A., Delforge, C., Gobert, S., Laur, L., and Pujol, C.: Drifters Do it Yourself (D2iY), an integrated project to learn oceanography by building and deploying surface drifters., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19144, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19144, 2025.
Fieldwork is an essential component of many higher education programs, but in marine sciences fieldwork opportunities are scarce. We have therefore designed a digital learning experience. Our virtual fieldwork is suitable for students, early-career scientist and staff who want to practice conducting an expedition and can openly be adjusted to other fields of research.
Virtual fieldwork is a relatively new concept, often incorporating Virtual Reality (VR). It has the potential to offer many benefits to students, such as being more inclusive, building student skills and confidence, and increasing engagement in the topic studied. The virtual ship classroom has been designed as an authentic learning environment[1] that reflects real-world oceanographic research practices and planning where students are empowered through choice to direct their own learning.
Students formulate a research question, plan and prepare for an expedition, and virtually measure ocean fields. The data is generated by our python tool in such a way that the output closely resembles the datafiles that are generated by the equipment onboard research vessel. This allows students to work with and interpret realistic data files while investigating a phenomenon of their own choice.
We have recently added VR in the form of 360° videos to the virtual ship classroom. We are actively investigating the added value, engagement and immersion students experience though design-based research[2].
We collaborated with course instructors to set intended learning goals and evaluated the virtual fieldwork (in four graduate-level classes so far) using interviews with students, instructors and teaching assistants, surveys, rubrics, and notebooks/assignments.
We find the Virtual Ship Classroom contributes positively to learning outcomes and student satisfaction, because the learning is highly student driven and perceived as authentic. The students reported high levels of engagement in class and with the learning materials. They appreciated their growth in terms of content knowledge, real world research planning skills, data analysis and collaborative problem solving. As such, we believe this type of authentic virtual fieldwork will help students develop critical 21st century skills and should be transferred to other fields of research as well.
All material is open source and available online: github.com/OceanParcels/virtualship. We welcome anyone in the world to use and contribute to the Virtual Ship Classroom.
[1] Herrington, J., Reeves, T. C., & Oliver, R. (2014). Authentic Learning Environments. In J. M. Spector, M. D. Merrill, J. Elen, & M. J. Bishop (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology (pp. 401–412). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_32
[2] Design-Based Research Collective. (2003). Design-Based Research: An Emerging Paradigm for Educational Inquiry. Educational Researcher, 32(1), 5–8. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X032001005
How to cite: Daniels, E. and van Sebille, E.: Virtual Fieldwork for Oceanography: the Virtual Ship Classroom, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18623, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18623, 2025.
Geoscience investigations frequently make use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Nevertheless, becoming proficient in GIS poses significant challenges. It necessitates a foundational understanding of geography and cartography, such as principles of map projections, methods for operating computers, and associated technology, along with skills in graphics, spreadsheets, and database applications. Furthermore, contemporary ideas and technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), web mapping, and drones, have been incorporated into modern GIS. Thus, a thorough GIS education for aspiring students and researchers is crucial for advancing geoscience. Given this need, we have created GIS instructional methodologies and online resources. These encompass web-based GIS tools for exploring GIS applications, freely accessible online resources for mastering GIS software, and resources for utilizing drones, AR, and VR in conjunction with GIS. Our latest project focused on hands-on training in disaster risk management by leveraging innovative geomorphological research, concentrating on GIS and associated technologies. Our educational initiatives cater to a diverse range of learners, including graduate and undergraduate students, high school learners, and researchers from various disciplines. We implement practical applications of the educational resources developed by these participants and assess the materials' effectiveness through surveys, among other methods. The findings assist in enhancing the teaching resources. This presentation outlines our initiatives and examines their influence to set future directions.
How to cite: Oguchi, T., Yamauchi, H., Ogura, T., Song, J., and Iizuka, K.: Seeking New Types of GIS Education for Geoscience Students and Researchers, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5830, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5830, 2025.
The UN sustainable development goals, of which climate action forms a part, are increasingly being taught within higher education. In France, for example, all institutions receiving students at the undergraduate level are required to provide core education relating to the ecological transition for sustainable development, regardless of the student’s chosen discipline. There is thus a need to communicate basic climate science to students who are not directly studying this topic.
In the geosciences, masters level programmes typically include one, or several, courses on data analysis. However, both the quantity of data available, and the tools that are available to analyse this data have changed dramatically over recent decades. These questions of how to practically manage the analysis of very large quantities of data and how to apply data science techniques are relatively new, and as such have not historically formed part of the typical geoscience data analysis curriculum. Further, these questions may require a knowledge of both computer science and applied mathematics that is substantially beyond that required for simple data analysis tasks.
Motivated by these problems, a course entitled “Big data and cloud computing for climate” has been developed by a multidisciplinary group of educators from different institutions, comprising an IT engineer, a statistician and two physical oceanographers. For the past 10 years, this course has been delivered to a multidisciplinary group of students, composed of engineers and physical oceanography masters students. The aim of the course is for students to learn to use data science tools on appropriate clusters of machines to treat questions related to climate change.
In the initial phase of the course, the students follow around 20 hours of theoretical and practical classes, which cover topics such as cloud computing, the map-reduce concept, some widely-used libraries (xarray, Dask, zarr), as well as descriptive and predictive statistics, applied to ocean data. The students then spend approximately 15 hours working on group projects, mentored by one of the members of the teaching staff, in which they manipulate large data sets to investigate a specific climate question. Because the students are enrolled in different programmes, they have complementary skills for this phase of the course: the engineering students have better knowledge of data science techniques, and the physical oceanography students have better knowledge of climate science. They are thus able to collaborate to address the scientific question more efficiently.
The learning outcomes for the course depend on the students’ backgrounds: for the engineering students, they improve their understanding of the physics of climate change, and gain insight into the potential applications of the data science techniques that they have studied previously. For the oceanography students, they learn to efficiently manipulate large quantities of data and apply modern statistical analysis techniques. Student feedback about the course has been consistently positive, and the teaching collaboration has also led to research collaboration amongst the teaching staff.
How to cite: Close, S., Tandeo, P., and Maze, G.: A multi-disciplinary approach to teaching climate change and data science, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12914, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12914, 2025.
With the increasing reliance on data-driven methods in geosciences and the growing popularity of programming languages such as Python and R, equipping researchers with data science skills has never been more critical. The BMBF-funded project “DataNord” addresses this need by establishing an interdisciplinary data competence center for the Bremen region. The center offers researchers from all disciplines, including geosciences, and career stages a wide range of services to enhance their data handling skills throughout the entire data lifecycle.
As part of the U Bremen Research Alliance – a network comprising the University of Bremen and 12 non-university research institutes –, DataNord leverages extensive expertise in research data management and data science. A central element is the University of Bremen’s Data Science Center (DSC), where an interdisciplinary team of data scientists develops training programs and provides consultation services through the DataNord help-desk. Their target audience includes researchers from renowned institutions in the geosciences, such as the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), the University of Bremen’s MARUM, the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), and the Max Planck Institute (MPI). By addressing their specialized needs, DataNord aims to foster a stronger foundation in data science across the geoscientific community.
To connect foundational data science skills with their application in specialized fields like geosciences, DataNord develops domain-specific training modules, for example, focused on analyzing and visualizing climatic and geological time series using Python. These modules use context-relevant datasets and examples, fostering greater engagement and practical impact. However, such domain-specific resources remain underrepresented in many current curricula and online resources.
To address this gap, DataNord has systematically curated open-source digital learning and teaching materials tailored to geoscientists. This includes self-guided training resources, that cover essential data science methods and feature data and code presented alongside tutorials, demonstrations, or combined exercises with solutions – making them directly applicable for researchers in self-study or valuable for teaching in workshops.
By summarizing and offering such readily accessible resources, DataNord aims not only to support more tailored and efficient data science training in higher education but also to reduce redundancy and increase efficiency in developing geoscience-specific training programs across institutions. Ultimately, this approach aims to enhance data literacy in the geosciences and promote sustainable, transparent, and reproducible research across the scientific community.
Finally, domain-specific training material also allows for rethinking the presentation of scientific knowledge in adherence to the FAIR principles – requiring data to be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reproducible. It exemplifies for researchers how integrating narrative code, data, and methodological explanations (e.g., in Jupyter Notebooks) can result in executable research documents that enable researchers to share their workflows more effectively and, ultimately, become part of promoting data science skills in the geoscience community themselves.
How to cite: Nolte, A., Steinmann, L., and Drechsler, R.: Open Resources for Geoscience Data Science Training: Insights from the Data Competence Center “DataNord”, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-11877, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-11877, 2025.
NetCDF files are a standard format widely used for storing and sharing scientific data, particularly in geospatial analysis. However, analyzing these files often requires advanced programming skills, creating a steep learning curve for students and researchers without a coding background. While existing tools for NetCDF analysis are helpful, they are often optimized for specific purposes, which can limit their flexibility in addressing diverse user needs. As a result, programming languages remain the primary method to fully leverage their potential, creating a technical barrier that hampers accessibility and slows the learning process.
To address these challenges, we introduce a chatbot powered by large language models (LLMs) that offers a novel approach to remote sensing education. Designed to facilitate the analysis of NetCDF datasets, the chatbot allows users to interact directly with their own data, dynamically tailoring responses to their individual expertise levels and informational needs. It provides personalized guidance, generates Python code snippets, and offers interactive visualizations, enabling users to explore their datasets intuitively and effectively. By learning through hands-on interaction with their own data, users not only overcome technical barriers but also develop a deeper understanding of geospatial analysis techniques.
The system incorporates Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to enhance its capabilities, seamlessly integrating natural language processing with geospatial analysis tools. Unlike other generative AI solutions, such as ChatGPT, our chatbot not only prioritizes data privacy by ensuring that user datasets remain entirely local but also offers a functional advantage by generating Python code that can be executed directly when requested by the user. This feature allows users to visualize, analyze, or manipulate their data on demand, unlocking virtually unlimited possibilities for geospatial data exploration. By combining privacy, flexibility, and functionality, the chatbot becomes particularly valuable for researchers working with proprietary or confidential data, as well as for those seeking an all-in-one solution tailored to their specific needs.
Preliminary evaluations show that the chatbot significantly enhances user engagement and comprehension of complex geospatial data structures. By eliminating technical barriers and empowering users to analyze and learn directly from their own datasets, this tool represents a transformative approach to remote sensing education. It shifts the focus from navigating technical challenges to fostering discovery and deeper insights, making it an invaluable resource for both education and research.
How to cite: Pascual, R., Díez-Pastor, J. F., Latorre-Carmona, P., and Aroca-Fernández, J. M.: Adaptive Chatbots for Remote Sensing Education: A Natural Language Query System to Simplify Complex Geospatial Data Understanding, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-1188, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-1188, 2025.
Computer-based interactive learning environments have the potential to enhance student learning outcomes, perceptions, and employability. This work examines the use of interactive learning resources from the Groundwater Project website to introduce students to the principles of environmental modelling in the context of hydrogeology.
The approach addresses challenges often faced by postgraduate students who generally find the concept of environmental modelling technocentric and daunting. By leveraging computer-based interactive tools, we evidence how teaching technical subjects such as environmental modelling can be made engaging and accessible. It empowers students by simplifying complex scientific concepts, boosting their confidence, and equipping them with practical, job-relevant skills that enhance their employability.
This work demonstrates how contemporary educational strategies and tools can address gaps in technical understanding, create equitable learning opportunities, and position students for professional roles in Environmental Management. The adoption of these approaches within academic programmes contributes to improving educational and career outcomes.
How to cite: Vucinic, L., Ajia, F., Freitas da Silva Vucinic, M. I., and O'Connell, D.: Enhancing environmental modelling education with computer-based interactive learning tools, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12035, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12035, 2025.
Understanding geological processes is essential to tackling theenvironmental and social challenges of the future, such as the sustainable management of natural resources and the mitigation of geological hazards. However, the inherent complexity of Earth Sciences and the lack of engaging methodologies to broader audiences make the dissemination of this knowledge to the society a significant challenge. At the same time, the digital transition is transforming science and education, a shift accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the limitations of traditional field and laboratory methodologies. This scenario calls for a deeper integration of digital technologies to overcome accessibility barriers, while simultaneously enabling the preservation of ephemeral outcrops, and enhance society’s understanding of geological processes.
Whithin this framework, the UB-GEOMODELS Research Institute of the University of Barcelona leads a series of projects, driven by the GEODIGIT project (TED2021-130602B-I00) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 for the European Union “NextGenerationEU”/PRTR, which aim to develop, apply and validate advanced methodologies levearing digital and disruptive technologies to transform how geological content is generated, analysed and disseminated. Its primary goals include:
-Generating scientific knowledge through digital and disruptive technologies applied to outcrops, rock samples and 3D analogue models to address the demands of the energy transition.
-Enhancing the dissemination and teaching of geological content for the scientific community, educators and societyat large.
-Promoting scientific culture to inspire future generations to engage with Earth Sciences.
This project combines cutting-edge technologies, including LiDAR, photogrammetry, and UAVs, to build photorealistic 3D digital models of outcrops, rock samples, and sandbox models. It also incorporates disruptive technologies like Virtual Reality and 3D printing, pushing the boundaries of traditional geology dissemination. Furthermore, the project will establish an open-access digital library of geological content designed to benefit students, researchers and professionals. These tools will be tailored to inclusive educational methodologies that integrate individuals with functional diversity.
With this project, a new pathway emerges to connect Earth Sciences with society through the power of the technology, enhancing both scientific knowledge and it dissemination across various societal sectors.
How to cite: Aulinas, M., De Matteis, M., Ferrer, O., Roca, E., Gratacós, O., Albert, H., Arbues, P., Batenburg, S., Borras, F., Carola, E., Garcia-Selles, D., Guinau, M., López-Blanco, M., Granado, P., Massana, E., Molins, J., Muñoz, J. A., and Snidero, M.: Advancing Earth Sciences through digital tools: key challenges from field and laboratory datasets , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-19173, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-19173, 2025.
Fissured Rock Hydraulics is a crucial aspect of hydrogeological and geophysical education. It is highly relevant in fields such as water management, rock stability, and reservoir engineering. However, teaching this topic presents challenges due to the distinct features of fractures compared to porous media, the scale-dependence of processes like dispersion, and the natural heterogeneity of the systems involved. These factors can make it difficult for students to grasp the concepts fully.
This contribution uses a Problem-Based Learning approach to demonstrate how 3D printing can enhance the teaching of fracture flow. In this approach, student groups were tasked with designing experimental setups to showcase various fracture flow features. The resulting setups were then used in combination with video recordings to highlight specific processes and effects. This work presents solutions for:
- Solute transport along a fracture profile
- Macroscopic dispersion in a fracture network
- Flow channeling along a rough fracture surface
Finally, this contribution reflects on the learning outcomes and provides links to the developed methods for easy adaptation in other courses.
How to cite: Heinze, T.: Using 3D printing in a Problem-Based Learning approach about fissured rock hydraulics, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12595, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12595, 2025.
Drones as remote sensing platforms have rapidly been adopted and incorporated into higher education coursework in geography and across the geosciences. Not surprisingly, students and faculty alike are interested in broadening their conceptual knowledge while also enhancing practical geospatial skills. Through a survey of 45 instructors, this study examines how drone content is being taught in university-level geography courses (primarily in GIS and remote sensing) in the USA. Instructors as a whole were consistent in emphasizing how drones enhance their instruction due to the hands-on (field-based, from the ground up) factor, but responses reflect disagreement among instructors in terms of what content is important to stress within these courses (i.e. photogrammetric concepts vs. flight school/aircraft operation preparation). Instructors face many challenges in drone-focused courses from equipment purchase and upkeep to institutional factors (e.g., research universities vs. community colleges). Importantly, these instructor insights provide a curricular snapshot and foundation from which instructors can build a more cohesive curriculum moving forward.
How to cite: Mathews, A. and Morgan, G.: Drone-focused curriculum in geography higher education: insights from instructors, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-3, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-3, 2025.
In geosciences and civil engineering, a key aspect of professional expertise is gaining experience in perceiving and understanding the three-dimensional interactions within the subsurface, as well as between the subsurface and structures, as part of a complex catalogue of competencies. This is typically achieved through geological fieldwork, mapping, and site inspections. However, students facing various challenges—such as those related to socio-cultural status, insufficient financial resources, or physical and mental impairments—may not benefit equally from educational field programs. Additionally, the number of participants in fieldwork is often limited due to factors like safety regulations, and some teaching content is only temporarily available, especially in the context of construction sites, or may be inaccessible.
DRAGON Ruhr.nrw is an interdisciplinary teaching project aimed at reducing barriers to fieldwork at the nexus of engineering geology and civil engineering by offering digital teaching content.
We have developed a contextualized catalogue of regular and 360° videos, 3D models, games, animations, and digital lectures. In addition to digitally guided recordings of outcrops and sites via 360° tours, samples, and tools, augmented reality (AR) elements and 3D virtual reality (VR) experiences are incorporated. A video game was created to collect discontinuity data from a digitized outcrop, and a VR game guides users through the excavations of an abandoned mine.
The content created within DRAGON Ruhr.nrw complements regular classes and field courses by providing high-quality supplementary teaching materials. It enhances accessibility for a diverse audience, helps to prevent potential discrimination in the curriculum, attracts prospective students, and can be used by authorities or as part of professional training.
How to cite: Duda, M., Bartmann, K., Seiling, A.-D., Pastaschuk, R., Ogan, M., Kosmann, B., Perau, E., Könemann, F., Godlewska, J., Backers, T., Ulbrich, J., and Seifart, J.: DRAGON Ruhr.nrw: reducing barriers in geosciences and civil engineering education through digital innovation, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20433, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20433, 2025.
Fieldwork is a key learning component of geoscience training and education, providing students with hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of geoscience concepts plus 3D spatial awareness of complex geological structures. Research shows that extended field trips significantly enhance these skills compared to lab- or theory-based activities alone. However, taking students to all world-class outcrops and fascinating geological sites is unfeasible due to cost, logistical challenges, environmental concerns, or restrictions during pandemic events.
To address this challenge, our Geosciences Department introduced the IglooLab in 2024, an innovative immersive learning laboratory (https://lio.univ-lyon1.fr/formation/les-plateformes-pedagogiques/plateforme-pedagogique-igloolab). The IglooLab is a 360-degree projection room, measuring 6 meters in diameter and 2.5 meters in height, equipped with five short-throw projectors and a surround sound system built by Igloo Ltd. It accommodates up to nine students and a teacher, offering high-resolution, interactive 360° media, such as photospheres, 360° videos, virtual tours (created with KRPano), and 3D digital outcrop models displayed using game engine frameworks.
This cutting-edge platform has been integrated into three distinct teaching modules for undergraduate geoscience students:
- Fieldwork Preparation: Training students in essential field practices, including the use of geological compasses, topographic maps, and field notebooks to ensure safety and efficiency in real-life fieldwork.
- Geomorphology and Landscape Deciphering: Through a virtual tour of the Gulf of Corinth, Greece, students analyze markers of active tectonics at multiple scales, from outcrop features and landslide geometries to large-scale terrace extensions.
- Petrology and Volcanology: Using 360°video of eruptions combined to 3D models of explosive and effusive volcanic edifices, students identify and describe morphotectonic features, link volcanic products to eruption dynamics, and analyze how these features relate to geological processes described in previous lectures. Adjacent teaching room allows students to work with geological maps and rock samples to complement (back and forth) the immersive experience.
The IglooLab does not replace traditional field trips but enhances fieldwork teaching in multiple ways. It serves as a multifunctional tool for virtual visits to world-class outcrops, preparation for field safety and best practices, and post-field trip debriefing and report corrections in an immersive, interactive environment. This innovative approach ensures that students receive a well-rounded, practical education while overcoming logistical barriers and expanding their exposure to diverse geological settings.
How to cite: Metois, M., Triantafyllou, A., Martelat, J.-E., Calassou, E., Passot, S., Daniel, I., and Van Reeth, N.: Enhancing And Diversifying Fieldwork Teaching Through Immersive 360 Projection Space, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2766, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2766, 2025.
Field education remains a cornerstone of geoscience training, yet logistical, environmental, and accessibility challenges necessitate innovative approaches to complement traditional field-based learning. This study investigates the potential of digital field representations (DFRs), like digital photogrammetry dataset, drone-based imagery, geographic information systems, 3D globes, map layers, etc., as scalable and accessible tools for geoscience field education in virtual reality applications. These DFRs allow geoscience students and professionals to remotely explore geological sites with enhanced realism and interactivity, bridging the gap between traditional fieldwork and the growing demand for digital alternatives.
A key outcome of this study was the framework for integrating DFRs in virtual field experiences within the VR Svalbard platform (https://vrsvalbard.com/). The resulting outputs demonstrated their adaptability for collaborative and asynchronous learning environments. While well-groomed virtual field guides have been analyzed in prior research, this study prioritizes practical workflows and accessibility, showcasing DFRs as flexible and scalable tools for digital geoscience field education.
This study focused on evaluating the usability and adoption of DFRs using the technology acceptance model (TAM) in Arctic geoscience and geophysics courses conducted between 2021 and 2023 at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS). The results of student surveys, conducted before and after virtual and physical field expeditions in the high Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard, highlight the acceptability of these technologies, emphasizing their role in preparing learners for fieldwork and reinforcing concepts post-expedition.
The findings reveal the transformative impact of digital technologies on modernizing field education. By addressing logistical and environmental barriers, DFRs extend opportunities to institutions with limited resources and empower students with disabilities or time constraints to participate in field-based learning. These tools enhance traditional field experiences by promoting inclusivity and allowing users to revisit geological sites for further analysis. This research aligns with initiatives such as Svalbox and iEarth, fostering collaboration and data integration to enrich geoscience education.
This study is part of a four-year PhD project at the intersection of geoscience, technology, and pedagogy, conducted in collaboration with iEarth, focusing on advancing digital tools and methodologies to complement and elevate geoscience fieldwork.
How to cite: Horota, R., Vander Kloet, M., Senger, K., Jonassen, M., and Eide, C. H.: Digital Field Representations: Enhancing Accessibility and Technological Integration in High Arctic Geoscience Field Education , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4236, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4236, 2025.
Spatial understanding of complex geological structures is a fundamental component of geoscience expertise. However, when teaching geological mapping, students often face challenges in grasping 3D concepts through ‘traditional’ 2D or projected teaching materials, such as geological maps and cross-sections. In this perspective, we developed a specialized course for Master's students in the Geosciences program at Lyon (https://lyongeologie.fr/m1-geosciences/), using the Visual KARSYS app (https://www.visualkarsys.com/).
Visual KARSYS is a free web-based platform that enables users to construct geological and hydrogeological 3D models by integrating various data types, including those inferred from drillhole logs, field survey observations, structural data (e.g., bedding geometry, unit contacts, fault planes), and geophysical imaging products. Geological models are computed using the GmLib library (implicit approach based on potential-field method), developed by the French Geological Survey (BRGM).
As part of the course, over fifty students were tasked with building a 3D geological model of the Mont-d’Or Lyonnais massif (MOL, northwest of Lyon, France). The MOL massif comprises a monoclinal sedimentary series ranging from Triassic sandstones to Upper Jurassic carbonates, underlain by a Variscan orthogneiss basement and overlain by Quaternary units to the east. Most students had previously visited the MOL during a field trip and were familiar with its geology, providing a solid foundation for their modeling work. The course is structured around three primary learning objectives:
(i) Building a 3D Geological Model: Students learn to construct a geological model using Visual KARSYS, developing an understanding of the fundamental principles of the potential-field method employed by the GmLib library. This involves working with different types of data (e.g., hard data such as drillholes and field measurements, and soft data such as inferred contacts and fault geometries) and defining the lithostratigraphic framework of the model.
(ii) Comparing Model-Driven and Non-Model-Driven Approaches: Students are asked to compare two geological cross-sections with identical endpoints—one derived from the 3D geological model (supported by hard data only) and another hand-drawn by each student using a geological map. Students quantitatively assess the similarities and differences between the two products, evaluating which approach yields a more realistic representation. Interestingly, most students tend to favor their manually drawn cross-sections, often influenced by preconceived notions of the local geology.
(iii) Exploring Model Sensitivity: Students build an initial 3D model using only hard geological data (e.g., boreholes, field observations) and subsequently enhance the model by progressively incorporating ‘softer’ data (e.g., lithological contacts or fault structures extracted from geological maps, geophysical interpretations). With each iteration, students analyze the impact of additional data on the model, gaining insights into its sensitivity and the implications of integrating interpretative datasets.
This teaching approach provides students with practical experience in 3D geological modeling while fostering critical thinking about data integration, model-driven approaches, and geological model sensitivity.
How to cite: Triantafyllou, A., Calassou, E., Malard, A., Watlet, A., Bailly, B., and Van Reeth, N.: Teaching 3D Geological Mapping and Modeling Sensitivity Using Visual KARSYS, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-3865, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-3865, 2025.
Living labs can be defined as: “a physical or virtual place where partners and users from open innovation networks further develop and test innovations together” (Endedijk et al., 2024). The use of living labs as dynamic teaching tools are increasingly emerging in geosciences as they can integrate real-world challenges and collaborative learning to engage students in addressing societal issues. However, the lack of a unified definition and diverse methodologies for implementing living labs create challenges in programme development, as well as uncertainty for students about expectations and preparation. A key difficulty lies in distinguishing living labs from traditional natural sciences fieldwork while balancing societal and policy aspects to simulate realistic, interdisciplinary environments.
We are developing a Living Lab course within the MSc programme Water Management for Climate Adaptation, aiming to educate students on the integration of natural sciences and governance in water management. This initiative is part of a broader educational effort linked to the newly established Delta Climate Center in Zeeland, fostering transdisciplinary learning around local water management challenges.
We take a three-pronged pedagogical approach:
- Understanding and learning how to undertake research, including the empirical research cycle and designing a proposal
- Development of skills that are required to undertake a thesis during skills labs, including fieldwork, labwork, modelling and qualitative data gathering.
- Management of interdisciplinary projects in a real-world setting, through creation of an policy report in student teams approaching issues from different perspectives.
In the development of the programme, we have run into some interesting questions including: how can these living labs be placed in a broader curriculum? What is the optimum method for assessment in a Living Lab? How can we choose the best locations for field visits or undertaking research?
We are interested in hearing from others in the session about how Living Labs are perceived, challenges, suggestions or ideas from different experiences.
References:
Endedijk, M., Kornet, A., Schipper, T., den Ouden, M. & Schram-Wesselink, N. (2024). Is dit een Learning Community? Een multi-level framework om het concept Learning Communities verder te duiden en vorm te geven in praktijk en onderzoek. TechYourFuture, October, 2024.
How to cite: Cox, J., Kuller, M., and de Boer, H.: How should we design a Living Lab? , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8807, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8807, 2025.
The importance of quantitative education is increasing in environmental sciences. This may entail a systematic restructuring of course offerings and topics in many faculties. At our institute, we also have identified a need for bachelor’s students to demonstrate and communicate their competence in specific quantitative skills that are relevant to their careers beyond university. To achieve this, we have redesigned the quantitative curriculum for bachelor’s environmental science students and are implementing a “Certificate de Compétence,” or a skills portfolio that describes the specific and general quantitative skills they have accumulated over their studies.
The skills portfolio is a formal document that outlines and validates the quantitative competencies acquired by Bachelor students. It emphasizes “hard skills,” such as programming, numerical modeling, statistical data processing, version control, and reproducible workflows, as well as essential “soft skills,” including ethical AI practices, teamwork, and critical code assessment. Additionally, students will develop transferable skills through the creation of a version-controlled eBook hosted on GitHub, which will serve as a portfolio of their work.
We present the process of formulating the skills portfolio within our faculty and the reasons for its potential importance. Our choices in choosing what skills to highlight and the document’s desired outcomes are also discussed.
How to cite: Delaney, I., Beucler, T., Kasier, C., and Lüthi, J.: Developing a Skills Portfolio for Quantitative and Programming Skills in Environmental and Geoscience Education, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-7261, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-7261, 2025.
The rapid development of knowledge and evolving societal demands necessitate an education system that is both flexible and resilient. Such adaptability is crucial for fostering innovation and cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset, ultimately delivering a highly skilled workforce that drives a greener, more sustainable, and inclusive society.
This contribution introduces a novel co-creation method for course development, where stakeholders take an active role in shaping course objectives, content, assessment, and even participating in teaching and evaluation processes. This approach was piloted successfully in two phases, leading to the creation of a course focused on green transition and societal inclusion. Building on this success, the method was later applied to develop two additional courses related to business creation and entrepreneurship, demonstrating its versatility across a broad range of subjects.
In this contribution, we will present the co-creation method, showcase the outcomes of the courses developed using this approach, and discuss its potential to address diverse educational needs. We will also engage with the academic community to explore how this method can be refined and adapted for developing courses in geosciences and environmental studies, further supporting a future-ready education system.
How to cite: Abu-Alam, T., Marinov, A., Garcia, E., Voropai, O., Taylor, R., Roig, R. M., Baeza, A. J. A., Simeonov, S., Garcia, E. S., and Marcilla, A. M.: Co-creation of Flexible and Resilient Courses to Meet Stakeholder Needs, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16361, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16361, 2025.
Research in the polar sciences demands a wide range of practical engineering and field work skills which many early-career researchers (ECRs) do not learn as a part of their formal education. These skills are often learned directly through field experience or from senior colleagues. This perpetuates a culture where only those who are fortunate or judged capable enough by others will gain the skills they need to work safely and effectively in the polar regions, leading to the systematic exclusion of some groups from field-based polar research.
We developed a week-long residential field course, CryoSkills, to provide experience in engineering and fieldwork in cold environments to ECRs, many of whom might not have an opportunity to learn those skills elsewhere. The first iteration of the course took place in Haugastøl, Norway in April 2024, with all costs covered for those selected to attend. The six day course was structured around participants constructing and deploying a bespoke temperature datalogger and deploying it in a snowfield near to the accommodation. To help them achieve this, participants undertook a mix of indoor and outdoor practical exercises covering electronic, mechanical and software engineering, field skills and teamwork. Course materials and design files will be released as open source for use by the community.
We conducted an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) survey of all applicants, and course participants filled out a comprehensive feedback survey on their experience. Course participants reported improved confidence across all areas covered in the course, and particularly noted the positive impact of the inclusive culture on their learning outcomes and experience. The results of the EDI survey show a narrowing in the diversity of participants compared to applicants, which we attribute to the prioritisation conditions of the course funding. Access to funding remains a major barrier to disseminating vital engineering and field skills to the wider polar science community.
How to cite: Craw, L., Bagshaw, E., Doyle, S., Fisher, E., Frater, D., Filhol, S., Hawkins, J., van der Laan, L., Prior-Jones, M., Smith, E., and Young, T. J.: Cryoskills: an inclusive engineering and field skills course for polar scientists, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18442, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18442, 2025.
The WCRP Academy is the research training advisory and coordination arm of the World Climate Research Program. It is the flagship activity for WCRP´s mission: “to develop, share, and apply climate knowledge that contributes to societal well-being” and works to equip current and future climate scientists with the knowledge, skills and attributes required to tackle the world’s most pressing and challenging climate research questions.
The foundation of the Academy is an online portal that connects training providers with users of training materials through a catalogue of climate science training activities and educational materials. The Academy ensures that the training that it shares is of high quality and, as such, is a legitimate source of professional and capacity development. The Academy is also exploring models for effective mentorship, best practice guides for climate science training and a WCRP Future Leaders Programme. The WCRP Academy is building a global community of climate researchers at all career stages to provide global networking and development opportunities to facilitate lifelong learning, global equity, and skills matching for current and future research projects.
The WCRP Academy encourages and invites all research and expert groups, academic and research institutions, government agencies and non-government organizations who provide climate science training and education to register as training providers and contribute to our online training catalogue.
https://wcrp-academy.org
How to cite: van der Wel, N., Francis, F., Hart, M., Lennard, C., Jamero, Ma. L., and Batino, L.: The World Climate Research Program (WCRP) Academy , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9020, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9020, 2025.
Our modern society is becoming increasingly dependent on space. The number of satellites launched to Earth’s orbits continues to rise with several mega-constellations in development, efforst to return humans to the Moon are on-going and crewed missions to Mars in planning. While these enhanced space activities come with many sustainability challenges, such as space debris, they on the other hand, play an important role in solving sustainability issues on Earth. Finnish Centre of Excellence in Research of Sustainable Space (FORESAIL), funded by Research Council of Finland, had launched a MOOC course [1] on sustainable use of space, now and in the future. The course is free, no prior knowledge is need and it can be taken any time at own pace. If (multiple choice) excerises are completed, 2 credist will be provided by the Open Univeristy of the University of Helsinki. The course covers diverse and interdisicplinary topics, including the Sun and its activity, Earth’s atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere, space weather, satellites and their orbits, launchers and manned space flights, space law and ethics. The last chapter introduces key on-going and future space activities and visions, such as return to the Moon, harvesting the space and space tourism.
[1] Kilpua, E.K.J., E. Asvestari, M. Grandin, F. Tesema, and A. Workayehu, Sustainable Space [MOOC], University of Helsinki, https://courses.mooc.fi/org/uh-physics/courses/sustainable-space (2024)
How to cite: Kilpua, E., Asvestari, E., Grandin, M., Tesema, F., Workayehu, A., and Palmroth, M.: Massive Open Online Course on Sustainable Use of Space, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-7367, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-7367, 2025.
Posters virtual: Wed, 30 Apr, 14:00–15:45 | vPoster spot 1
EGU25-20328 | Posters virtual | VPS1
Reflecting on the journey towards integrating Generative AI into understanding and practiceWed, 30 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST) | vP1.7
Generative AI is radically affecting the teaching landscape in Earth Sciences, which includes evertyhting from essays to coding. Staff have a variety of approaches, ranging from enthusiastic early adopters to 'head-in-the-sand' 'if I don't look at it it won't exist' wishful thinkers. How can we best help everyone learn about the pitfalls and advantages, so they are informed enough to use it correctly if they wish to? This abstract will cover reflections from teaching staff along their journey to integrating generative AI into teaching practice and describe workshops held to integrate staff with different levels of experience. The goal was to give beginners a supported first taste with signposted development resources, and share ideas and methods and resources for the more advanced users.
How to cite: Petrie, E.: Reflecting on the journey towards integrating Generative AI into understanding and practice, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20328, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20328, 2025.
