The Geoscience and Society Division (GS) will represent any researcher focused on the connection between geoscientific topics across the Earth, planetary and space sciences, and social subjects, from communication, psychology and ethics, to policy, societal impact, education, economics–and beyond.
The decision to create a new scientific division was not one taken lightly by EGU’s organising Council, but given the demand from members and the clear role that social geoscience subjects have in helping us to combat the greatest scientific issues we face as a society, it was essential that EGU stepped forward in this way to support the community.
Interim President, Dr John Hillier, Reader in Natural Hazard Risk at Loughborough University, explained why the new Division is so necessary.
He said: “It's important because as scientists we often don't engage well enough with society. Many try, but it can end up as an add-on; a secondary thing to do. Despite that, there is a thriving community of researchers working in just this space, so by creating a Division, and giving these socially-interested geoscience researchers a ‘home’ in EGU, we hope it will bring people together, sharing this incredibly valuable experience with purer physical-process geoscientists, whilst supporting the advancement of the field.”
The creation of the new Division will have several key benefits:
- To provide better recognition for the high scientific value of work done at the intersection of geoscience and society
- To promote the ability of social geoscientists to self-organise and build community within EGU
- To better integrate social research within EGU’s governance and decision-making structure, and make this research more visible and available to EGU members
- To normalise meaningful engagement with social science (and adjacent) collaborators
EGU President Peter van der Beek said of the new Division. “The creation of a new Division is always a big step, and the Geosciences and Society Division really opens up new horizons for EGU. The importance of science for policy, education and outreach, as well as questions of EDI in the geosciences have grown significantly, and these pursuits require data and research.
"The new division will bring together practitioners and researchers on these issues, give a home to a community that, up to now, was somewhat dispersed within EGU, and provide it with a voice in the governing structure. I strongly welcome that."
Over the next 12 months the Geoscience and Society Division will be run by interim President John Hillier and interim Deputy President Caitlyn Hall, with an election for the first Division President to be held in autumn 2027, who will then serve as Deputy President for a term in the normal way before becoming President.
To find out more about how you can volunteer for this new Division, please visit the GS Division webpage.
