Manuscript writing workshop
When: Morning 4th January 2023
Writing a manuscript is very hard. For some (most?), this is the hardest part of the scientific process and, as a result, some scientists (and this is certainly not limited to early-career scientists) find themselves doing literally anything else to avoid facing the daunting task of manuscript writing. The goal of this workshop, drawing from my own experiences, is to simply try to make this process less daunting. During the workshop, I will give presentations that will be sandwiched between in-class exercises. And there will be plenty of time for questions! I certainly don’t have all the answers, and everyone has their own preferred style and approach, but hopefully you’ll be able to take home some useful tips to help you with your current writing projects!
This workshop will be given by Mike Heap
POSTPONED Volcanoes and Crises: Past Practice, Present Tensions and ? Future Improvements
On behalf of the organisers, we are sorry to communicate that we have reluctantly decided to postpone the workshop on Volcanoes and Crises: Past Practice, Present Tensions and Future Improvements.
The decision is motivated by the announced strike day for national railworkers on 3rd of January. Considering that the 3rd is after a bank holiday, and a bank holiday in Scotland, we thought that it would be difficult and stressful for you all to travel in the morning of the 3rd and arrive in time for the workshop. This will give everybody some extra travel time to get to London on time for the starting of VMSG 2023 on the 4th.
We hope that you understand that we did not take this decision lightly. We are only postponing the workshop and looking at possible dates in March to hold the workshop 11am to 3pm to make it possible as a day visit in London.
When: Afternoon 3rd January 2023 2-5pm
Where: John Flett Theatre, Natural History Museum
Volcanic crises around the world present unprecedented opportunities to observe, measure and understand the natural phenomena that created them, either via remote instrumental networks or by deployment of field teams and their instruments. The U.K academic community has access to these opportunities because of rapid response funding from NERC Urgency Grants, and well- established access to remotely sensed datasets.
However, the exploitation of scientific opportunities can create tensions. Those who monitor these events may be left out of the later scientific analysis, or their contributions may be insufficiently recognised. Further, observations made in the moment by lay observers are often critical to the understanding of the phenomenon.
Two ongoing projects(*) ‘Decolonising UK Earth Science’ has been exploring the present-day legacy of past practice in geology and developing materials to share and highlight relevant information. ‘Curating Crises’ has been using the lens of past geophysical crises in the Caribbean to explore the tensions above. An expert panel will explore present practices.
This workshop will benefit from these insights but a large part is set aside for group discussion.
Workshop Details
Session One: 14:00-15:30 ‘Using the historical lens to explore worst and best practice, and its role in shaping the value and longevity of datasets’
14:00-14:20 Jazmin Scarlett (UEA) ‘Past crises in the Caribbean – challenges and outcomes from exclusionary science practices in the historical past -does it apply today?’
14:20-14:40 : Rebecca Williams/Munira Raji (University of Hull) ‘Past practices in mineral resource and geological exploration and legacy today’.
14:40-15:30 Discussion: Is the past the key to better practice in the future?
Coffee – 15:30-16:00
Session Two: 16:00-17:30 close ‘the NERC Urgency Grants and other actions: processes and experiences and best practice.
Panel: What might we do better now? Is there a difference according to nature of crisis or grant applications? How can we influence change?
Panel details fully TBC (Eliza Calder, University of Edinburgh, Jon Stone, UNDRR, representatives of funding and monitoring agencies)
Who this may interest: researchers who are interested in responding to and learn from geophysical crises (who can contribute experience and learn from one another). Early Career Researchers (who would benefit from insights into obtaining or applying for this type of support), VMSG community members interested in the history of the discipline.
This workshop will be free of charge for VMSG community members and is run by Jenni Barclay, Martin Mahony and Jazmin Scarlett (UEA), David Pyle (University of Oxford) and Chiara Petrone (Natural History Museum)
(*)Within the ongoing ‘Hidden Histories’ AHRC/NERC work, https://www.ukri.org/news/hidden-histories-informing-the-environmental-research-sector/ two groups of volcanologists have been working on projects of relevance to the VMSG community.