Fieldwork is essential in geoscience, it offers direct, hands-on experiences, generates essential data, validates hypotheses, contextualizes findings, fosters discovery, and contributes to addressing real-world challenges. Much of geoscience knowledge and practice is built upon field-based insights. However, even with the best planning, the reality of capturing in-situ processes can prove challenging, with unforeseen failures with technology as broken or missing hardware threatening to halt further data collection over inclement weather and environment to issues influencing the mental well-being such as field team dynamics, sexism, racism, etc.
This session invites contributions that explore the diverse dimensions of fieldwork in both education and research. We particularly welcome discussions on:
• Innovative methods for planning, teaching, and conducting fieldwork in safe, inclusive, and accessible ways.
• Best practices for managing field teams effectively.
• Addressing sensitive or stigmatized aspects of fieldwork (e.g., personal hygiene and safety equipment).
• Collaborating with local communities and leveraging shared infrastructure and expertise across institutions.
• Handling fieldwork fails: building resilience and flexibility when technology, logistics, or conditions disrupt planned data collection.
The session aims to create a safe and open space to exchange ideas on inclusive fieldwork practices. By sharing strategies and experiences, we seek to ensure that fieldwork in geoscience remains a welcoming, equitable, and enriching experience for all members of the EGU community. We welcome contributions from researchers and technicians at all career stages, and particularly encourage early career scientists, teachers, fieldtrip leaders, and colleagues from diverse backgrounds to share their perspectives.