YES-Africa 2011 - Abstracts deadline: 10 August 2010

Remember to submit your abstracts for the YES-Africa 2011 Symposium by 10 August 2010.

Abstracts are being accepted for the following major themes:

• Earth’s Resources and Sustainable Development of Africa
• Post Gondwana Geodynamics of Africa
• Environmental Geology and Geohazards (Natural Hazards vs. Man-made Hazards)

Additionally, there will be the following two round table sessions at the YES-Africa 2011 Symposium:

• Natural Hazards in Africa: Climate change, earthquakes, landslides, hydrological hazards, etc.
• Creating Local and Regional Professional Development Resources for Young and Early-Career Geoscientists

Visit the YES Network's website (http://www.networkyes.org/index.php/meetings/yes_africa_2011/) for more information about these sessions and about the YES-Africa 2011 symposium.

YES Network - Tanzania now online!

The YES Network - Tanzania National Chapter is now online! You can stay up to date on YES Network activities in Tanzania by visiting their website, and you can follow them on Facebook by joining the YES Network -Tanzania Group. Additionally, you can watch presentations on YouTube rom the first YES-Tanzania Scientific Forum about the launch of the YES Network-Tanzania website and the closing remarks by Prof. Sospeter Muhongo.

The YES-Tanzania Scientific Forum was held on the 23rd-24th of July. This event was very successful as it was attended by over 200 participants from secondary schools, universities, colleges, government organisations, NGOs and many more. Photos from event will be posted soon and the YES Tanzania Bulletin will be distributed twice a week. The meeting summary report is currently being compiled, and will be released soon. Check the YES Network-Tanzania website for more information!

YES Network sessions at the AGU 2010 Fall Meeting!

The YES Network will be chairing the following two sessions at the AGU 2010 Fall Meeting (13-17 December 2010) in San Francisco, California.

AGU abstracts submissions will open on 21 July and close on 2 September. 

Visit the AGU 2010 Fall Meeting website (http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm10/) to submit your abstracts, obtain travel, visa and registration information, and find out about travel grants (http://www.agu.org/meetings/).

ED27: Creating Professional Development Resources for Early-Career Geoscientists
 
Session Convenors:
Leila Gonzales
American Geological Institute
YES Network, Communications Team ex-officio member

Syed Ajijur Rahman
YES Network, Professional Development Support Team Chairperson
Poverty Environment Network, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

This session aims to address the low percentage of geoscientists graduates that transition successfully into the profession. NSF data indicates that approximately 14% of all geoscience graduates work in their core profession, and another 22% work in closely-aligned disciplines. With approximately 50% of the current workforce expected to retire within the next 10-15 years, there is a critical need for establishing professional development resources that will boost the flow of geoscience graduates into the profession and enable these graduates to develop the skills and experience to become future leaders within the profession, thus effectively replacing the cohort of retiring senior geoscientists.

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NH05: Strategies for Earthquakes and Natural Hazard Mitigation

Session Convenors:
Joanne Venus
YES Network President
The University of Leeds

Wang Meng
YES Network, Working Group Advisory Support Team Chairperson
China University of Geosciences

Tragedies in the past few years due to earthquakes have emphasized the critical need for the development and implementation of strategies to effectively understand and mitigate the effects of earthquakes. This has also highlighted the need for increased interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge transfer to early career specialists. Strategies developed include a range of predictive modeling, infrastructure improvements, public outreach, and policy intervention.

5th TWAS-ROSSA Young Scientists’ Conference on Exchanging Knowledge on Climate Change Impacts and Vulnerability in Africa: The Role of Networking

TWAS, the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World - Regional Office for Sub Saharan Africa, (TWAS-ROSSA), will hold its fifth Young Scientists’ Conference in Nairobi, Kenya from 6-8 December 2010.The theme of the conference is “Exchanging Knowledge on Climate Change Impacts and Vulnerability in Africa: The Role of Networking.”

The Conference will provide a forum for scientists to share their research findings on climate change in the region as well as outline effective networking mechanisms for the advancement of climate change research and implementation of scientific measures to reduce Africa’ vulnerability

Objectives of the Conference

• Bring together scientists from various scientific fields in Africa to take stock of the advancements made in climate change research in the region.

• Assess the impact of their research findings in as far as it is implemented by policy makers, development partners and society at large.

• Assess the importance of collaboration/networking in climate change research.

• Outline strategies for improving collaboration so as to achieve an interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral response to the challenges of Climate Change.

Participation
The Conference is open to Young Scientists (below 45 years of age) from Sub-Saharan Africa who, within their respective scientific fields, are working on Climate Change issues in the region. There will be keynote addresses in plenary sessions by renowned experts, followed by in-depth analysis in working group discussions. Selected applicants will also be requested to make presentations on their research work on Climate Change in the region. The sessions will be chaired by Senior Scientists who will also provide resource and guidance to the young scientists.

TWAS-ROSSA will cover travel (only from within sub-Saharan Africa) on economy class, accommodation, meals and local transportation for selected participants. This support has been made possible by TWAS Offices in Trieste, Italy. Self-sponsored participants should notify the TWAS-ROSSA office in advance i.e. when submitting their applications, that they will cater for their conference costs.

Application forms for the Conference should be filled and submitted electronically together with the applicants’ Curriculum Vitae. All applications must reach TWAS-ROSSA office on or before 1st September 2010. Only successful applicants will be contacted.

Visit the YES Network's Community News webpage to download the conference announcement and conference application form.

GeoConnection Webinar: Geosciences: Towards a Smarter Economy

GeoConnection Webinar: Geosciences: Towards a Smarter Economy
18 August 2010: 10:00-11:00am (US EDT)  (15:00-16:00 BST)
 
Join us to listen to the following speakers discuss this recently released report published by the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), Geological Survey of Northern Ireland (GSNI), and the Royal Irish Academy (RIA). The report details how geoscience can be oriented toward a smart economy, and describes how the geoscience sector can contribute to economic recovery. The report also provides a clear vision of the sector in 2020 and its implications for the geosciences within Ireland. To download the report, visit: http://www.gsi.ie/Geoscience+Initiatives/Geoscience+and+a+Smarter+Economy.htm

Speakers:
Dr. Peadar McArdle, Geological Survey of Ireland
Garth Earls, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland
Prof. Pat Shannon, University College Dublin
Dr. Deirdre Lewis, Institute of Geologists of Ireland / SLR Consulting

This webinar is co-sponsored the Geological Survey of Ireland, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, Royal Irish Academy, and the Institute of Geologists of Ireland.

Participation in this webinar is free.
To register for this webinar, visit AGI's GeoWebinar website: http://www.agiweb.org/workforce/webinars.html


Background Information:
In 2008, a report entitled "Geoscience - Gaining Ground" was published outlining the contribution made by geoscience to the Irish economy and society in terms of employment, research, spatial development etc. The report identified that core geoscience activities were estimated at €1.4 billion and non-core activities amount to €1.9 billion. Total direct value was estimated at 2.24% of GNP in 2006, but because of the relatively low import content, the significance of this activity is greater than the figure itself suggests: the geoscience contribution comes to 3% GNP when indirect value is added.

The report concluded that if Ireland was serious about moving up the value chain in alignment with its knowledge-based economy aspirations, it would have to lay down stronger foundations in the geoscience sector, particularly in areas of research and public service.

On foot of the report, the Royal Irish Academy, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland and Geological Survey of Ireland commenced work on the “Geoscience - Towards a Smarter Economy” report.

EGU 2010 Roundtable Videos and Summary Report online!

Visit the YES Network's "OneGeology Initiative" Roundtable Symposia webpage (http://www.networkyes.org/index.php/projects/yes_egu2010/) to view the videos of the presentations and discussions and download the summary report. Find out how you can get more involved as a YES Network member in the OneGeology Initiative!