On October 8th, Agadir (Morocco) welcomed us with a stunning sunshine for the third workshop of the PAGES-sponsored SISAL working group.
Compared to previous workshops, where the group agreed on the structure of the SISAL database and discussed isotope-enabled model evaluations using the database, this workshop focused on presenting the work that has already been done on the regional reviews that will be part of our Quaternary Special Issue as well as working on four Science papers that we plan to submit in the coming year.
The workshop schedule was intense but, thanks to the energy and commitment of the researchers that are pushing SISAL forward – mostly the Early Careers – and the opportunity of working face to face for four full days (a real luxury compared to always holding our discussions in on-line teleconferences!), we managed to get some promising preliminary results and get the wheel spinning for these four SISAL projects. Some of the participants will agree with me that the non-science highlight was the range of delicious Moroccan sweets provided to us by the Ibn Zhor University during the breaks. Thanks for fueling our brains in between hard-working sessions!
Apart from the exciting science, great friends, colleagues, support for ECRs, commitment to gender equality, and advancement of climate science and scientists in all countries, the favourite part of @PAGES_IPO @SISAL_wg Workshops is always the cakes. pic.twitter.com/T8BiQQ3n5F
— Nick Scroxton (@StalagNick) October 9, 2018
As female early-career researcher myself, I am proud to see that the group I’m coordinating is formed predominantly by researchers who are within 6 years of graduating from their PhDs, and that some of the most active members are female. In this workshop in particular, almost half of the participants came from developing countries, making it a big success in terms of inclusivity. I hope these trends keep getting better as SISAL continues growing!
