The European Association of Geochemistry (EAG) aims to promote geochemical research and to provide essential support to early career scientists in the field. Through its Student Sponsorship program, the EAG sponsors twelve students to attend geochemistry related short courses, summer schools, workshops or conferences in Europe each year. We caught up with four recent recipients of EAG sponsorship who attended the EGU 2019 General Assembly in Vienna: Danijela Mavric from Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, Sabina Rakhimbekova from Western University in Canada, Michaela Reay from University of Bristol in UK and Konstantinos Thomaidis from the University of Lille in France.

EAG: So, to begin, could you tell us a bit about yourselves?

DM: Over the past four years I have worked on developing fit-for-the-purpose tools such as using plant geochemistry in mineral exploration. The aim of the research was to distinguish signatures of non-traditional isotopes (Cu & Zn) in hawthorn leaves and soils over the Zn-Pb Orebody in comparison to the natural background. Nowadays, high demand for metals and extensive usage has an effect on the environment. Therefore, using multi-element geochemistry and stable metal isotopes we can fingerprint element pathways and contribute to the better understanding of biogeochemical metal cycling. This research is a part of project called IsoNose – Isotopic Tools for Novel Sensors of Earth’s Surface Resources and is related to Innovations in Metal Ore Exploration (Working Program 4) funded through Marie Curie Actions.

SR:  After getting my Bachelor degree in Environmental Engineering in the US, I joined the RESTORE research group at Western University in Canada. RESTORE stands for research for subsurface transport and remediation and focuses on groundwater quality and remediation techniques. My research is focused on understanding the role of groundwater surface water interactions on fate and mobility of inorganic pollutants such as metals and nutrients in lake environments. While groundwater surface water interactions have been well studied in marine and riverine environments, the role of lacustrine groundwater discharge and the geochemical processes that might affect the fate of pollutants prior to their discharge to lakes are not well understood. With my research, we aim to understand the factors affecting groundwater and surface water quality in the Great Lakes region but also to contribute to filling the current knowledge gap related to the lacustrine environment.

MR: I am currently in the final throngs of my PhD, which is part of the NERC funded DOMAINE project (Dissolved Organic MAtter IN freshwater Ecosystems). As part of this we have developed and applied novel ¹⁵N-stable isotope probing (SIP) approaches to investigate the role of the microbial community in soil in assimilation of fertilizer nitrogen in an agricultural setting. We have used this to trace the fate of fertilizer N throughout a grassland system, from application as fertilizer, through a grazing animal and re-application as excreta. This has provided a detail mass balance of a grassland system, including losses to the wider environment which can inform better agricultural management to improve soil health and efficiency. This research was undertaken in the Organic Geochemistry Unit at the University of Bristol, with the support of the NERC funded National Environmental Isotope Facility (NEIF, @isotopesUK).

KT: I started my PhD in the Earth and Planetary Materials research team six months ago. Together with my supervisors, we are employing a novel approach to answer a question that has remained unanswered for over 25 years: do mantle xenoliths preserve the water signature from the lithospheric mantle? Water presence as OH point defects in the main upper mantle minerals (opx, cpx, ol) is affecting many of the fundamental properties of the upper mantle. It is widely assumed that the water signature recorded in these minerals, contained in mantle xenoliths, is representative of mantle conditions, but this conclusion is still a hypothesis. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of the transport of mantle xenoliths, in the concentration and distribution of water among the mineral phases of cpx and opx. We will attempt to determine the diffusion mechanisms that control hydrogen exchange between the xenoliths and the host magma; looking at the role of bulk diffusion versus grain boundary diffusion through experiments and numerical modelling.

EAG: Is this your first time at an EGU conference?

KT: Yes, my first time and first time in Vienna. I can see Michaela waving, so I guess it’s the first time for her as well.

MR: Yes, it is my first time at EGU too! I didn’t know there would be so many geoscientists!

SR: Sadly, I was not actually able to attend the EGU conference in person due to some visa issues, but I was lucky enough to be able to switch my oral presentation to a poster presentation and to share my recent findings and my research with international audience that way. I was very appreciative of how accommodating the organizing committee was.

EAG: Which sessions did you attend?

DM: Among the many scientific sessions, EGU 2019 also offered numerous short courses such as Balancing work and personal life such as scientist. Nowadays, an increasing and demanding work environment can cause mental overload and affect our personal and social lives. The modern academic world recognizes this challenge and this type of short course has become a common part of conferences. Gender (in)equality is one of the glaring problems in science. For example being woman in science often puts you in an unequal position when trying to combine motherhood and professional work. Therefore, programs such as Horizon 2020, offer Individual Fellowship Marie Skłodowska-Curie grants for scientists who want to return from a career break such as parental leave. The aim of these grants are to encourage scientists, especially women, to continue and pursue their scientific careers.

MR: I attended a variety of sessions in my field, largely focusing on stable isotopes and soil nutrient cycling. Sessions I particularly enjoyed were Biochemical turnover and recycling of organic C in soil, and the EAG co-organized session Application of stable isotopes in Biogeosciences. I also made sure to attend sessions outside my field, particularly the wide range of sessions investigating plastics in the environment, which is such a hot topic now! Alongside the scientific program, the range of sessions focusing on diversity and equality in science (such as Diversity and Equality in the Geosciences) presented some fascinating work everyone as an early career research needs to engage with to make our field more accessible.

KT: There was also a photography contest, where you could vote for your favorite photo. The winner will be made into a postcard at EGU 2020 next year!

EAG: Did you visit the exhibition?

KT: Yes, I made few “excursions” in search of freebies! I visited the EAG booth several times where I had the pleasure to meet and chat with Marie-Aude and Alice. There were also free copies of the latest Geochemical Perspectives Letters!

MR: There were many interesting exhibitors to talk to throughout the week, including discussing some of our method development work from my PhD. I think I am fully stocked up on pens and memory sticks now until next year! It was lovely to meet all the EAG sponsored students at the EAG booth too, and of course gather more freebies!

EAG: What was your overall experience of the event from a professional point of view?

MD: Absolutely positive! Even though this was my first time attending the EGU conference, I was well aware that this event is one of the biggest in the terms of the number of the attendees. The numbers speak for themselves: 5,531 oral, 9,432 poster, and 1,287 PICO presentations. 683 unique scientific sessions together with 87 short courses and 338 side events; 16,273 scientists from 113 countries participated. I was amazed how well this event was organised and how it covered every possible theme from the field of geosciences.

MR: It was a really useful experience from a professional point of view. Not only was there a world of geoscience to immerse myself in across the week, both within my field and beyond, there were also so many opportunities to network, both at poster sessions during the day, at the ECR networking area and in the networking hour in the evening with a beer! The week definitely sparked ideas for my future research and potential future collaborations as I develop research interests after my PhD.

SR: I got some very positive feedback about EGU from my colleagues. Some of them found EGU to be a more focused and more beneficial conference than AGU due to its smaller size. Many people find AGU very overwhelming, especially the first couple of times you attend it. I am looking forward to attending EGU in the near future.

EAG: And what about your personal experiences? Did you have some time to visit Vienna’s sights?

DM: In my spare time, I did some sightseeing of the Imperial Palaces for which Vienna is well known besides great musicians like Mozart, Beethoven and Johann Strauss. I highly recommend visiting Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence and trying the famous Apfelstrudel with a cup of coffee.

KT: In my free time, I walked several kilometers along Danube. There are paths wide enough for cycling and jogging. It was a very relaxing experience!

MR: I made sure to take some time out of the conference to see Vienna. I particularly enjoyed the Naschmarkt and got lots of amazing Viennese treats! We also explored a lot of different areas for dinner in the evenings, and alongside some great Austrian cuisine, also found a great Italian place and Vietnamese restaurant! It was good to get away from some of the slightly more touristy places of an evening, although wherever I went, I always saw at least a few people also from the conference!

EAG: So, I can see how important is was for you to attend the event. What impact do you feel the experience will have on your career, now or in the future?

DM:  From my point of view this event was important because I wanted to present my final results and the outcome of my PhD project which was successfully defended (Viva Voce) in January 2019. This conference helped me to distribute the idea of using biogeochemistry in mineral exploration as a tool in identifying metal anomalies due to buried mineralisation. Furthermore, new techniques for the discovery of blind targets will be crucial for future resources. Hopefully, this presentation draw scientists and experts from industry who were interested in the potential of using non-traditional stable metal isotopes in deciduous trees as a low-cost exploration method and with minimal impact on the environment. Following discussion and contacts made during this event and within my session will have significant impact on my future career.

MR: It was an important conference to attend at the end of my PhD as I make plans for the next steps in my research career and build my collaborators. It has both helped me do this and sparked some new research ideas I hope to develop further! It was also exciting to showcase my work and I had some great conversations about our newly developed ¹⁵N-stable isotope probing method to target amino sugars in soil. Furthermore, the ECR networking and job advertisements also showed a few opportunities coming up that I’m looking forward to exploring further!

EAG: That is great to hear! So to sum up, what did you enjoy the most at the event?

DM:  My biggest enjoyment was to present my final research work during the poster session called The New Roadmap for Mineral Exploration: Challenges and Innovative approaches (co-organized with EAG) as a part of this year’s EGU Assembly. The session itself gave more insight on what geochemists can provide to overcome new challenges in geochemical exploration. A similar session was organized by the Goldschmidt 2017 in Paris where I presented the outcome of the IsoNose project as well. Since the conveners were the same on both conferences there were able to follow the progress of this project to its final stage which was presented at this year EGU Assembly. For me it was very encouraging to hear from them positive comments on the team’s work. On the other hand, I very much enjoyed attending the whole spectra of fascinating lectures.

KT: It was a great chance to see old good friends from bachelor and master studies, colleagues from other universities and old professors. I enjoyed this “cocktail” of science, friendship and beer! Perfect combination!

EAG: One last thing, what advice or tips would you offer to other students who are planning to attend EGU in future years?

SR: The main reason I was not able to attend was to do with the visa application process, therefore my main suggestion if you are travelling from overseas, would be look carefully at the process and apply well in advance! Plan your other trips and look in your schedule to make sure you don’t have trips planned that could interfere with the application process. The visa application takes about 2 weeks during which time you would not have your passport and therefore would not be able to travel internationally. My other suggestion would be looking into funding opportunities to help you to attend the conference (especially if you are not coming from Europe). Also, while there are different ways to engage during a conference, I have found volunteering at this type of conference provides you a much deeper experience, allowing you to meet people and understand the conference operations on much advanced level. It is also great to have a clear goal of why you are attending the conference and always keep in mind your goal while you are there. That way you would get the best out of it.

MR: Definitively take some time out from the conference and see Vienna, as it would be a shame to come to such a beautiful city and not explore. Plus, transport is free with your EGU badge! Make sure to go off the beaten track a little (especially for dinner as the main tourist spots get very busy!). I would recommend planning accommodation and travel early- 16,000 odd thousand geoscientists fill up Vienna! I would also really like to promote improving the sustainability of the conference; make sure to bring a water bottle to fill up, and a reusable coffee cup! 16,000 people can have a big environmental impact, and just small changes can really reduce the environmental footprint of the conference!

DM: There was one occasion where I accidentally missed the lecture room and ended up on the session which would never be on my list to attend. In the end it was so interesting and I learned so much that I would recommend to everyone to attend sessions completely opposite of their interest because you will be amazed for sure.

KT: I could not agree more with Danijela! I attended the Glaciers and ice caps under climate change session because I was a co-author in the project: Mass-budget anomalies and geometry signals of three Austrian glaciers. Although it is not my main research topic, I found it very interesting. Unfortunately, according to the scientists in the session, the European glaciers will be eliminated, up to 90%, by the end of the 21^st century. Furthermore, this can initiate again discussions about what we cause to the environment and how to protect it.

EAG: Indeed, environmental concerns are a “hot” topic.

KT: And not only that. We should not forget that scientists are yet another part of the society that fights for a better future in both scientific and social field. Gender equality and racism are also important issues that we fight every day. Quoting Goethe “science and art belong to the whole world and before them vanish the barriers of nationality”, something to always keep in mind.

MR: It is the first conference I have attended that had sessions focusing on diversity in science alongside the main scientific program. What’s more, there was a lot of engagement from people attending the talks and posters which was great to see. It is still something that needs more engagement and proactive action, but it’s good to see the largest European geosciences conference is encouraging this!

EAG: This has been a really interesting discussion and thank you so much taking the time to talk to us! It was a pleasure to meet you all, and we wish you all the best in your future careers!

About the authors:

Danijela Mavric is a geochemist currently finishing PhD at Department of Geology, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin. Using plant geochemistry and Cu & Zn isotopes she is detecting biogeochemical signature for the purposes of the Pb-Zn mineral exploration. Follow her research career on LinkedIn.

Sabina Rakhimbekova is a PhD student in Environmental Engineering at Western University in Canada. She using field investigations and numerical modelling to understand the role of groundwater lake interactions on behavior and fate of inorganic pollutants. Find more about her research at her research group profile.

Michaela Reay is an organic geochemist working at Organic Geochemistry Unit at the University of Bristol. She uses nitrogen isotope tracing technique to investigate agricultural efficiency. Follow her on Twitter for updates on her research: @Michaela_Reay

Konstantinos Thomaidis is a PhD student at the University of Lille. He is using diffusion experiments and numerical modelling trying to understand if and how mantle xenoliths preserve water signature from the lithospheric mantle. For more science, you can find him at Research Gate.