Digital Geoscience Champions
In 2021, members of the Atkins (a member of the SNC Lavalin Group) geo-digital community formed a team in response to a volunteer opportunity offered by the Geological Society entitled “Digital Geoscience Champion”. The remit was extensive and required a wide range of experience. To meet this remit, we felt the position was best tackled as a team, utilising a collaborative approach.
Our application for the role was accepted, and we are working with the Society to embed digital awareness across their science programme of lectures, conferences and publications. The aim is to embed digital ways of thinking within the Society’s strategic
themes of:
- Energy Transition
- Geohazards, Geoengineering and Georesilience
- Climate and Ecology
- Planetary Science
Our initial focus has been on understanding the current levels of digital engagement throughout the Society, focusing on the specialist groups and commissions. Our aim is to clarify what digital techniques are used, the level of digital skills and the barriers, as well as to gain an understanding of what the various groups and stakeholders feel the Digital Geoscience Champions should focus on (for example, data management, programming, automation etc.).
Over the coming years, we will work with the scientific theme leaders, conference convenors and others to encourage the representation of digitally driven research in the Society’s events, activities, and outreach. We will bring our expertise and leadership to identify and facilitate opportunities for science initiatives, roundtables, and other events within the broader digital theme.
Additionally, we will look outwards to bring a wider variety of digitally minded people into the team, across the whole spectrum of the Society’s interests.
The Atkins Digital Geoscience Champion team includes Richard O’Brien, Craig Parry, Petra Lincoln, Shona Brown, Vicky Corcoran and James Fleming.
