My appearance on ABC Radio Sydney this morning (2 December 2024) discussing the state of Earth Science in Australian universities. Let's hope we can save Earth Science at the University of Wollongong, who have just closed their community consultations.
#geology #earthscience
It's been happening since at least covid. Smaller disciplines just getting cut from programs. Looks like Wollongong expects that Earth Science department needs to make a 60% profit to remain "viable" and cover the admin overheads...
Abraham, you'd think so. About 60% of export income is from the resources sector, but to mention the way earth science is needed for food/water/energy security, to help us deal with natural hazards, to help us decarbonise the economy, etc...
Wellll at least it's not 48degC... 😂
Yep this would need to involve reps from around the country. Hope you and family are having a restful weekend!
Sure, the more input and suggestions, the better. Have reached out to Iain Stewart and suggested we also make this international so that people are not reinventing the wheel. Could work via IUGS or unesco.
Australian Earth Science communities are united and mobilised. We will not give up on preserving Earth Science in our universities to serve society and address the biggest challenges that we face. Here's a full page ad from the newspapers, along with a social media and advocacy campaign.
We had 200 people attend the meeting, from academia, industry, and the community. United and extremely engaged, I've never seen a meeting like it. We are pushing this issue on all fronts. I've written some rough notes. docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Flyer containing info on the Town Hall meeting - text is in the post
Urgent GSA Town Hall meeting:
The future of Earth Sciences at Australian Universities
Date: Wednesday 27 November (next week)
Time: 4 to 5:30 pm (Sydney time)
Zoom registration: us06web.zoom.us/j/82562977038
#geology #education
And to make the decision easier, come along to hear our invited speaker Dr Sebastian Steinig who led the development of the amazing Climate Archive community tool. climatearchive.org
EGU 2024 flyer for Earth Systems session
Still not sure what EGU session you want to submit your abstract to? Then look no further, anything to do with components of the whole Earth System has a home in our session! Abstracts are due TODAY (13.00 CET)!
meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU24/sessio...
Flyer for EGU session
For anyone working on deep-time Earth models, data collection, lab work, or anything related to deep-time Earth Systems, please join our session at EGU this year. 🌋😊 Abstract submission closes **this Wednesday**! meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU24/sessio...
But did you see the original session description? I thought it was totally and utterly uncontroversial and really nicely written. My brain glitched just trying to see how it could be interpreted as something controversial or sinister. Goes to show how easily triggered folks like that are.
We need to call it out immediately, and in public. More men need to step up and be better allies. We need to set better examples. If we don't, the resulting toxic and exclusive culture will turn away the very talent we need. You're clearly doing your part. Rock on! 😎😊🧭🌍✌️
And we wonder why the younger generations don't want to join our discipline? It's because the culture of the discipline is much as what we see in those comments.
