AGU Conference Guide: Navigating, Networking, and Sharing Your Research
🌎 🔬The greatest achievement of scientists is not just to conduct research, but to share it with the world and advance the future. In other words, connecting with one another to share our passion about Earth science, GIS, Environmental Justice, and more!
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of Earth and space scientists with over 25,000 attendees, both international and domestic. The purpose of gathering at AGU is to share the latest in research and connect with friends and colleagues. Take this opportunity to meet with people who are passionate about the same causes and research as you are!
My name is Lisa Tanh, National Government Health & Sciences Solution Engineer at Esri, and this blog introduces tips and tricks to navigate your way through AGU to get the most out of the event (I like to call it a science party 🎉😎🌪). If you have any more suggestions, please feel free to comment below!
Prepare for AGU Ahead of Time
🌋 Identify your overall objective for attending.
Prior to the attending AGU, spend some time to think and document what you want to learn and accomplish by attending:
- Is there a specific research interest you are pursuing?
- Is there a topic you are curious about?
- Are you looking for collaborators? For example, I’m interested in remote sensing, Environmental Justice, and climate change.
- Do you want to grow your network?
- Are you seeking employment opportunities?
🤔 Understand the layout ahead of time. Once you’re at the conference, you may learn that convention centers can be difficult to navigate. There are often multiple floors, buildings, and each talk has a unique room number. It takes some serious navigating to get to the right poster section and poster number as well! Research the convention center layout ahead of time.
👩💻 Download the AGU App. To save yourself some frantic navigation and to prevent yourself from missing talks/poster sessions/events, download the AGU Events app. Seriously! It’s annoying to download apps, but you can delete it after the conference. You can search for the authors, topics, talks, and whatever else you are interested in and add it to your schedule. Then, your phone will tell you when to go and what the best route is!
✏️ Get a Notebook. Keep notes when making connections! You will stuff so much knowledge into your brain during the conference! Take notes so you won’t struggle to remember which publication contains that one figure you need from a poster or presentation you saw at AGU. You can also keep track of names and emails of the people you meet along the way and the context you met them in. I'm looking at the "I remember faces, not names" people 😂! If you forget to bring a notebook or pen, no worries! Hunt and gather in the exhibit hall for some free merchandise while saying hi at the different booths! 🌰🐿
AGU Seasoned Secret: NASA calendars are always the highest in demand for merch... be vigilant on figuring out how NASA is distributing them so you can snag one!!! 👀 🚀
Advice and Tips While at AGU
🐥 Networking Tips for AGU
It can be hard to put yourself out there, but I promise you will meet nice people who care about the same causes and things as you. Take the opportunity to connect with folks that you typically wouldn’t be able to meet in person. Reunite with your friends, such as past classmates. Make new connections with people in your field.
If you’re looking for a graduate school opportunity, meet students and professors from different schools! I encourage you to chase your curiosity and learn from others about their experiences and knowledge. You can chat with scientists at their posters, after their talks, following up via email, and visit each booth in the exhibit hall.
Bring business cards for those who want to get in touch with you. Make your LinkedIn QR code your phone wallpaper for easy access to get connected quicky. If you receive a business card, write a note on the back of it about any follow up actions.
After the conference, share photos and reflections from the conference on LinkedIn to build your online presence. Be sure to tag some of the people you met! This is especially valuable for networking and connecting post-conference.
☕🐢 Self-Care at AGU
When thinking about what to wear, I encourage you to embrace your personal style while dressing professionally. Keep comfort in mind, you will be walking between 10,000 – 20,000 steps! Take care to wear comfortable shoes. If you wear dress shoes or heels, make sure to pack a second pair! Add gel insoles to your dress shoes and heels prior to the conference journey.
AGU is in a different location every year, always prepare for the weather in each locality. My first AGU was in Chicago, and it snowed on one of the days! My second was in San Francisco and we trekked through steep hills in windy Bay Area weather. This year will be in Washington DC, so pack a coat with you! In 2025, AGU will be in New Orleans AGU, so you may want to dress for the warmer weather in that case. Plan a safe route from your hotel, have a walking buddy, and plan whether you will be walking or taking public transport. Dress comfortably!
There is always free coffee and tea between talk sessions! It can be very tiring learning so much, so make sure you are getting your caffeine and rest. There are water stations everywhere, so bring your reusable water bottle! Make sure you are eating well. Food inside the conference can be overpriced, and you can plan fun lunches and dinners with your friends and colleagues ahead of time.
Don’t just fill your entire schedule with sessions! Allow time to network, take breaks, and recollect your thoughts. Networking and meeting people in the exhibit hall and at social events are equally important, as they may lead to career opportunities such as internships. Other possibilities include collaborating on projects, presenting as a guest speaker, and more! Taking a break to sit is essential, as there can be a lot of walking and social interaction. You’ll likely need to recharge your social battery—beware, introverts!
Learn more about AGU resources such as childcare, grants and scholarships, and volunteer opportunities here! Be familiar with the code of conduct to ensure a comfortable, inclusive environment for all and learn about reporting unacceptable behavior here.
🗺 Esri at AGU
Each year Esri has a booth in the exhibit hall at AGU. This year we will be in booth location no. 739 (across from NASA!) and will be featuring lightening talks at the booth, demos at our booth kiosk, and Esri hosted sessions/workshops. Bookmark this webpage as it highlights all things Esri at AGU.
We will be featuring a demo theater at our booth so take note of the topics you’d like to sit in on. Some demo theater topics include:
- Exploring options for performing GeoAI in ArcGIS
- How to enable your science instruction and research with GIS
- Performing Image Processing and Remote Sensing Analysis using ArcGIS for Microsoft Planetary Computer
- Embracing Open Science using Open Standards and FAIR principles
- Get the Most out of Esri Young Professionals Network
- Esri Student Programs and Early Career Pathways
Esri will be hosting a variety of sessions at AGU. Be sure to factor some of these sessions in your AGU schedule:
- Enhancing NASA’s climate visualizations with ArcGIS SDKs and interactive media layers
- Emerging Technologies for Earth Science Data Access and Visualization
- How Can and Should Modern Geospatial Technologies Be Taught and Learned?
- Exploring the Five Pillars of Open Science: Challenges, Impacts, and Future Directions
Stop by the Esri booth no. 739 to learn how you can incorporate ArcGIS into your research, studies, projects, and more.
Other Opportunities for Students at AGU
🌟 AGU Michael H. Freilich Student Visualization Competition. Do you want visibility on your work and funding to attend AGU?! Don’t miss the chance to present at NASA’s Hyperwall for the Michael H. Freilich Data Visualization Competition. While submissions have already closed, consider attending the presentation and awards ceremony to envision how you can be on stage next year! All applicants can participate in virtual workshops on storytelling with data, receive assistance with the application process, and gain valuable feedback from science visualization professionals. Glow up your resume with this opportunity!
🌊 Dive into the poster hall. The poster hall is a fantastic opportunity to explore rows and rows of amazing projects and engage with fellow researchers. Take the time to introduce yourself, share your research interests, and ask the presenters to give you a tour of their posters. This not only helps you practice your networking skills but also allows you to gather valuable insights and advice for your own research from those who have completed similar projects. Don't hesitate to ask presenters about their publication timelines and when their work will be publicly available. Building these connections can lead to future collaborations and deepen your understanding of your field. Don't dive in blindly! Remember to use your AGU app to navigate to the posters and poster sessions of interest, or you might get lost at sea!
🤓 Socials, Sessions and Workshops for Early Career. The AGU conference is really special for providing valuable events that benefit early career folks. Last year, I grabbed a free, fancy lunch while listening to a talk from a NASA scientist about her career. This year, NASA's Early Career Research Program in Earth Science is hosting a town hall session! To explore more events, check out the student and early career itinerary! You can even hear about ~exclusive~ socials at various booths in the conference (for example, I visited Planet Lab's headquarters in San Francisco last year!)
💃 Presenting at AGU? Practice Ahead of Time! Practice communicating your work before the conference with your professors, colleagues, and family. This will help you articulate your research to a wide range of audiences—some may know your field well, while others may be new to it. Have someone you trust review your work for edits; typos can happen to anyone, but it’s best to catch them! Upload your poster or presentation as a PDF to AGU’s website so that attendees who miss it can view it on an electronic viewer during the conference or at home. Be sure to credit any literature cited and acknowledge the authors involved in your project.
Check out AGU's presenter resources for training and be aware of in-person resources like thumbtacks, availability signs, and markers in the poster hall. I wish you a successful presentation—be proud of your work! Don’t forget to promote your achievements on LinkedIn to gain the recognition you deserve. Enjoy the journey, make the most of this opportunity to grow and connect.
Feel free to comment below with your own tips for navigating AGU and connect with me on LinkedIn!
