GDB2 | Will digital technologies close or widen gaps within the geosciences?
Programme
Thu, 10:45
EDI
Will digital technologies close or widen gaps within the geosciences?
Convener: Monique Kuglitsch | Co-conveners: Maria-Helena Ramos, Elena Xoplaki, Ilias Pechlivanidis
Programme
| Thu, 01 May, 10:45–12:30 (CEST)
 
Room E1
Programme
Thu, 10:45
Digital technologies — including artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning, digital twins, and extended reality — can bring benefits across the geosciences. For example, AI can be used to process large climate data sets, support detection, causation, and attribution of climate impacts, and provide climate services. Digital twins can enable us to monitor and simulate large-scale processes and their interactions. Finally, the use of extended reality to integrate observations into decision making has been explored in several areas such as natural hazards, disaster risk reduction, and spatial sciences.
In this debate, we will discuss:
- How feasible is it for domain experts to stay up to date with digital technology?
- How well should a domain expert understand the digital technology that they are applying?
- How can we keep the balance between our understanding of the processes and dynamics of our discipline and the potential of digital technology?
- As digital technology enables certain regions of the globe to prosper, how do we ensure that we are not leaving other parts of the globe behind?
For the latter, we will look at initiatives to fill data and communication gaps, to support digital education, and to develop best practices and standards.

Programme: Thu, 1 May | Room E1

The oral presentations are given in a hybrid format supported by a Zoom meeting featuring on-site and virtual presentations. The button to access the Zoom meeting appears just before the time block starts.
10:45–10:50
5-minute convener introduction
10:50–12:00
Digital technologies: practices and reflexions from panellists
12:00–12:30
Q&A from the audience

Speakers

  • Begüm Demir, TU Berlin, Germany
  • Michele Ronco, Joint Research Centre, Italy
  • Jacqueline Le Moigne, NASA, United States of America
  • Francisco J. Doblas-Reyes, ICREA and Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS), Spain