Science is best learned by doing, but the beginning of a scientific career is rarely easy. This session invites reflections on the challenges encountered during research, ranging from forgetting a screwdriver during a field day to not being able to compile software. Sharing challenges and their solutions is critical for Early Career Scientists, as it can (1) lead to the development of better protocols for fieldwork, modeling, and data analysis, (2) reduce impostor syndrome and self-doubt, and (3) highlight the human side of science through people in the community and their lived experiences.

The goal of this session is to bring together a wide variety of experiences, stories, and people. We invite submissions from any geoscientific field in two specific categories:

First, any submissions that showcase a specific problem, your Eureka moment, and your solution. The goal of these submissions is to show that unforeseen problems happen to everyone, but that it is possible to overcome them. Examples may include (but are not limited to):
• Designing computing codes that run with fewer computational resources
• Using sensors, technologies, and data beyond their traditional applications
• Developing computational workflows that integrate different approaches in novel ways (e.g., machine learning, trap cameras, and social media)
• Merging methods from several disciplines into new approaches.

Second, any submissions that provide an Early Career Perspective on the challenges in your field, geoscience in general, or combining life and science, and proposed solutions. Examples may include (but are not limited to):
• Community initiatives that facilitate the use of fieldwork techniques and computational resources.
• Grand challenges framing from a perspective that highlights equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
• Community perspectives and synthesis to reduce barriers of entry in transdisciplinary paths focused on problem-solving.
• Juggling how problem-solving was applied to a research career (e.g., having a family, migration)