In 2020 as an emergency response to the COVID-19 outbreak, we at EGU pivoted to an online-only conference in a very short period of time. Although this meant that lots of things that we normally enjoy about our General Assembly were lost, some things were also gained, as we were able to experiment with digital solutions to the challenges of digitally presenting science. One of these solutions, the online pre-uploads of display materials and longer-term commenting on them, was very popular, so we are bringing it back again for vEGU21…. with a few adjustments. So how do you upload your displays and comment on materials this year? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1: Add display materials!

From 31 March to 31 May, all accepted abstracts will have a space provided to upload display materials. These materials can be whatever you want – a quick slide show, a poster-style image, or a long-form version of your presentation slides – much like you can have in a regular PICO session. You can also, in addition to your data materials, upload a video that can even be a full-length recording of your talk! Your only limit is in the file size: you have 50 MB per abstract for *.pdf, *.ppt/pptx, *.pps/ppsx, *.png, and *.jpg files, and 200 MB for *.mp4 video files.

2: Create a vPICO summary slide!

During the first part of each vPICO session, each author has a scheduled time slot to give a 2-minute summary of their research. This 2 minute summary will help your audience to decide what ideas they want to follow up with speakers when discussing the work in more detail during the subsequent chat session. To facilitate your live 2-minute presentation, you need to upload a single summary slide as a *.png or *.jpg with a resolution of 150 dpi and 16:9 dimensions (in addition to your longer display materials).

3: Commenting is cool!

Like last year, commenting will be open on all uploaded display materials between 31 March and 31 May. The main difference for 2021 is that during this time, only registered conference attendees will be able to comment, unless the abstract authors have opted out of the commenting feature (in which case comments will be turned off). Authors will be notified of any new comments by email.

We are very excited to see all your wonderful and diverse display materials uploaded before 19 April 2021, though you’ll be able to make adjustments at any time during the two-month commenting period. The 2-minute summary slide has to be uploaded at least 24 hours ahead of your scheduled presentation time, so we are ready to help you present your work for 2021.

How to cite: Gibson, H. and Cook, T.: How to vEGU: display uploads and commenting, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-16601, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-16601, 2021.

This year vEGU21 has flexible networking tools available to conveners and attendees, allowing people to engage and socialise with, and learn from one another in almost any way they wish. Networking is facilitated by three key tools: the Networker community-building platform, the conference Handshake tool, and the Pop-Up Scheduler.

This year the Networker will help attendees find, meet, and talk with one another and forge lasting connections. Build your profile by adding in your expertise, social media, contact information and other details; you can even add stickers to quickly showcase your Division, whether you are an Early Career Scientist, and your pronouns amongst other choices! During the Assembly you can find other members with similar interests on the Networker, share your profiles with people you meet at the conference, or start group text chats with other members in your network. The Networker isn’t just for the Assembly either: after building your network at the Assembly members will be able to keep connected and meet others all year-round!

One of the quickest ways to build your network during the Assembly is by using the conference networking tool: Handshake. Handshake lets you quickly initiate contact with other attendees in your virtual conference room and share your networker profile or start a text chat.

If you want to run your own event then the Assembly’s Pop-Up Scheduler allows you to set up networking opportunities of any kind, from small events focusing on a particular scientific topic to spaces for you to build a community. Perhaps you’ve been inspired by member-led events like the Games Night or Rhyme Your Research and want to explore more ways to get involved in geoscience communication! The Pop-Up Scheduler allows you to do all this and more: simply choose a date, time, and provide a link to a platform of your choice. Once submitted it will be added to the conference programme. You can link to any platform you like: the scheduler is designed to be flexible and meet the needs of the membership, so members should feel free to organise events using platforms from Animal Crossing to Zoom! Unsure which one to choose? Check out our uploaded display materials for inspiration and suggestions.

How to cite: Clark, S., Gibson, H., Cook, T., and Hill, C.: How to vEGU: networking, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-16602, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-16602, 2021.