WASHINGTON--The press conference schedule and online media center are now live for Fall Meeting 2020, when more than 20,000 attendees from 110 countries are expected to assemble virtually for the largest worldwide conference in the Earth and space sciences.
This year, the Fall Meeting runs 1-17 December 2020, with most scientific programming concentrated from 7-11 December. The online meeting platform can be accessed beginning on 1 December.
We encourage you to test your login before the meeting begins and log into the online platform the week of 1 December to ensure you can access the meeting platform. Press registrants are encouraged to download the latest version of the Zoom software before Fall Meeting begins on 1 December.
Please visit the Fall Meeting Media Center and review AGU's press overview and FAQs for Fall Meeting 2020 for information about navigating the Fall Meeting.
Online press registration is open and will remain open throughout the meeting. To register, visit the Fall Meeting Media Center and click on the "Register Now" button. For eligibility information, please visit the Press Registration Eligibility Requirements page.
Included in this advisory:
- 1. Press event schedule
2. Press event and meeting logistics
3. Fall Meeting media center
4. Media resources and FAQs
5. Fall Meeting virtual press room and press social events
6. Scientific program
7. Keynote lectures and noteworthy sessions
1. Press event schedule
AGU's media relations department has planned a series of press conferences, briefings and roundtables to help reporters cover new developments in the Earth and space sciences.
The Fall Meeting 2020 press event schedule, including event links, is listed below and the schedule is posted online in the Fall Meeting Media Center. Additional information about the press events, including speakers, descriptions and associated presentations/slides, is listed on the full schedule on the Fall Meeting Media Center event page. Press conferences and briefings will also be recorded and will be available on the event page and AGU's YouTube channel. Media roundtables will not be recorded. Reporters can also download the full list of press events and their descriptions here.
Press conferences cover new research and breaking news being presented at the AGU Fall Meeting. Press briefings provide background information on research presented at the AGU Fall Meeting, including mission updates and new tools across the Earth and space sciences. Both types of press events will be hosted on the Zoom Webinar platform with a discussion room opening immediately afterward for additional Q&A on the Zoom Meeting platform.
Media roundtables are about research being presented at the AGU Fall Meeting or information about a topic in Earth and space science. Generally, these will not be breaking news but could still contain new research findings and topics in the news. Experts will provide information and answer reporters' questions about that subject in an informal, conversational setting. These will be held on the Zoom Meeting platform.
Note: Press events are listed in U.S. Eastern Time (ET). Press events are subject to change before and during Fall Meeting. Panelists may be added or dropped, and event titles or emphases may change. Updates, changes and additions to the press events schedule will be posted to the Fall Meeting Media Center.
Monday, 7 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Briefing: Drought 2021
1:00 p.m. Eastern Time - Press Conference: Impacts of covid-19 on people and the environment, as seen from space
Tuesday, 8 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Press Conference: 2020 Arctic Report Card
Wednesday, 9 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Press Conference: Unequal impacts of heat, pollution and climate change
1:00 p.m. Eastern Time - Briefing: Listening to a quieter ocean in the pandemic to track impacts on marine life
Thursday, 10 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Briefing: Solar Orbiter science begins
1:00 p.m. Eastern Time - Briefing: Overhaul to take Human Occupied Vehicle Alvin to greater extremes
Friday, 11 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Press Conference: 29 and counting: Latest NASA Juno Mission science results
1:00 p.m. Eastern Time - Press Conference: Wildfire-driven thunderstorms and their role in the climate system
Monday, 14 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Roundtable: The pandemic and implications for the world food supply
1:00 p.m. Eastern Time - Roundtable: Life in the clouds of Venus? Lessons from studying life in Earth's atmosphere
Tuesday, 15 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Roundtable: MOSAiC Arctic expedition: After the ice
1:00 p.m. Eastern Time - Roundtable: Year of the asteroids! Missions to the building blocks of the solar system
Wednesday, 16 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Roundtable: What will we learn from Solar Cycle 25?
Thursday, 17 December
11:00 a.m. Eastern Time - Roundtable: Health of mountain water tower systems around the world
1:00 p.m. Eastern Time - Roundtable: Powering a renewable future through lithium extraction from unconventional sources
2. Press event and meeting logistics
You can access press events by selecting "Press Events" from the "Schedule" dropdown menu in the online Fall Meeting platform, which will be available beginning 1 December. Press events can also be accessed directly from the press events section of the Fall Meeting Media Center or the links in the schedule above. If you are having trouble accessing the events, please email news@agu.org.
The online meeting platform can be accessed using your AGU username and password that you used to register for the meeting. We encourage you to test your login before the meeting begins and log into the online platform the week of 1 December to ensure you can access the meeting platform. Press registrants are encouraged to download the latest version of the Zoom software before Fall Meeting begins on 1 December.
During press conferences and briefings, questions can be submitted via a text question box and will be asked to the presenters by AGU staff. Only registered journalists may ask questions during a press conference. When asking a question, reporters must identify themselves by name and affiliation. There will also be a discussion room with the presenters immediately following the press conference or briefing for additional Q&A where reporters can ask the questions via video and/or audio. During media roundtables, reporters can ask questions via video and/or audio in the Zoom Meeting platform.
3. Fall Meeting Media Center
The Fall Meeting Media Center includes press resources, press releases, tip sheets on various topics, and information on press events, including press conferences, press briefings, media roundtables, the virtual press room and press social events.
The Media Center will also house press conference materials, such as presentation slides, images, videos and scientific papers, as well as other press-related items as they become available before, during and after Fall meeting. Press conferences and briefings will be recorded and will be available on the event page and AGU's YouTube channel. Press materials associated with press events, including slides, will be available on the event page on the Fall Meeting Media Center.
4. Media resources and FAQs
AGU's media resources include press releases, highlights, tip sheets and FAQs to help you cover the 2020 AGU Fall Meeting.
Press releases
Press releases from AGU and other institutions will be released regularly during the AGU Fall Meeting. You can find AGU's press releases in the AGU newsroom. Press materials from other institutions can be found under the featured research section of the AGU newsroom.
For PIOs
Public information officers who wish to add press releases, tip sheets and other materials to the featured research section of the AGU newsroom can submit materials via the featured research submission form. All materials submitted through the form must include a link from another website to the press material (e.g. a press release submitted through the form should link to the release on your institution's website). Any multimedia for download should be available through the link you provide.
PIOs can submit featured research materials at any time before or during the meeting. PIOs can also schedule items to publish at a specific date and time.
Note: Only PIOs from recognized scientific societies, educational institutions, government agencies and non-profit Earth and space science research organizations are eligible to submit press items. The AGU press office may not publish any items submitted by PIOs who do not meet these criteria.
AGU tip sheets
Browse AGU's tips on potentially newsworthy Fall Meeting research presentations by topic, including new research on climate change, COVID-19, natural hazards and planetary exploration.
Press FAQs
AGU's press overview and FAQs for Fall Meeting 2020 provides tips for navigating the Fall Meeting, including an overview of press resources and the scientific program, FAQs about press events and how to navigate the online meeting. Please review these FAQs to find the information you need for Fall Meeting 2020.
5. Fall Meeting virtual press room and press social events
Virtual press room
AGU media relations staff will be available during the following hours in the virtual press room to answer your questions.
Tuesday, 1 Dec. - Friday, 4 Dec.
- 7-9 a.m. ET. Monday, 7 Dec. - Friday, 11 Dec.
- 7-9 a.m. ET.
- 3-5 p.m. ET.
- Note: The afternoon press room will not be held on Tuesday, 8 Dec. Instead, there will be an informal reception for the 2020 journalism award winners at 3 p.m. ET. Monday, 14 Dec. - Thursday 17 Dec.
- 7-9 a.m. ET.
AGU journalism awards reception
Join us in the virtual press room to congratulate the 2020 AGU journalism award winners, Maya Wei-Haas and Joshua Sokol, at an informal journalism awards reception for Fall Meeting press registrants on Tuesday, 8 Dec. at 3 p.m. ET.
D.C. Science Writers Association holiday party
The D.C. Science Writers Association (DCSWA) invites all Fall Meeting press attendees to their annual holiday party. Join DCSWA members and friends for a free festive celebration on Gather Town, a virtual platform designed for networking, on Thursday, 10 December from 6-8 p.m. ET.
6. Scientific program
The full scientific program, including more than 1,000 sessions and nearly 20,000 submitted abstracts, is available online. AGU will have an online Fall Meeting platform, which will be available beginning 1 December. This platform will serve as the virtual conference center where you will be able to access all scientific sessions, including oral sessions, keynotes/plenaries, poster presentations, AGU Central and exhibitors. Scientific sessions, including posters and recorded oral session content, can also be accessed directly through the scientific program.
The online meeting platform can be accessed using your AGU username and password that you used to register for the meeting. We encourage you to test your login before the meeting begins and log into the online platform the week of 1 December to ensure you can access the meeting platform. Press registrants are encouraged to download the latest version of the Zoom software before Fall Meeting begins on 1 December.
Pre-recorded content and posters will be available starting 1 December. All live sessions will be recorded. The recording will be available for attendees during the meeting, usually within 48 hours. The recordings will be available from the session listing in the scientific program and by navigating to the session via the online platform.
The Fall Meeting default time zone is Pacific Standard Time (PST) or UTC -8. Once you are logged in to the scientific program, you can toggle between PST and your time zone through the widget at the bottom left-hand corner. You can also use a time zone converter online.
Once in the scientific program, you can browse presentation abstracts by day or session type, or search for keywords or people. The schedule at-a-glance allows you to see an overview of the Fall Meeting scientific program. You can select your closest time zone to see when sessions will occur.
AGU's press overview and FAQs for Fall Meeting 2020 provides tips for navigating the Fall Meeting, including an overview of the scientific program and how to navigate the online meeting. Scientific sessions include:
- Oral sessions, which are pre-recorded presentations with a scheduled one-hour live Q&A with a group of presenters. Pre-recorded presentations will be available starting 1 December and the Q&A will occur at the date and time listed in the scientific program. Live oral sessions will take place 7-11 December and 14-17 December.
- eLightning sessions, which are one hour in length, start with a three-minute lightning presentation from each presenter who will provide an overview of their digital, interactive poster. This will be followed by a group discussion as time permits. Presenters are also requested to be available for one hour after the live session for direct text chat with attendees. Presenters will have the option to schedule additional text chat times during the meeting at their discretion. Virtual posters will be available starting 1 December. Live eLightning sessions will take place 7-11 December and 14-17 December.
- Poster sessions, which consist of a virtual poster with a poster session scheduled over the course of one day during the meeting. Presenters will designate the time they will be available for text chats to discuss their digital poster. This information will appear on their poster in the poster gallery and also in the scientific program. Authors also have the option of scheduling additional text chat times during the meeting at their discretion. Additional engagement including group discussions or virtual "poster walks" and engagement, similar to but more flexible than that of eLightning sessions, will also be available, and will be listed in the scientific program. Virtual posters will be available starting 1 December. Poster sessions will be held 7-11 December and 14-16 December.
7. Keynote lectures and noteworthy sessions
Fall Meeting Keynote Lectures cover different and exciting topics applicable across all fields of Earth and space science. Keynotes can be accessed through the online meeting platform and will be recorded. Keynotes include:
The AGU Fall Meeting includes sessions covering a variety of important and/or timely issues. This year, please consider attending these noteworthy sessions. Topics will include all aspects of COVID-19; late-breaking sessions on the global dynamics, impacts, effects and implications of recent natural hazards; research related to the possible presence of phosphine on Venus; and sessions and events on diversity, equity and inclusion. Other suggested itineraries covering additional topics are available as well.
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AGU (http://www.agu.org) supports 130,000 enthusiasts to experts worldwide in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, we advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.
Additional AGU press contacts:
Nanci Bompey
+1 (202) 777-7524
news@agu.org
Lauren Lipuma
+1 (202) 777-7396
news@agu.org
Liza Lester
+1 (202) 777-7494
news@agu.org
This media advisory is also available online at: https://news.agu.org/press-release/fm20-press-event-schedule-and-media-center-now-live/