meeting

On June 25th and 26th, 2024, the iCRAG annual summit was held at the Hodson Bay Hotel in Athlone. Researchers from multiple universities and institutions across Ireland attended, focusing on Geoscience research. Prof. Jennifer McElwain and Dr. Sate Ahmad from the Plant-Climate Interactions Lab, Botany Department, were among the attendees.

The summit featured updates on recent research in Earth System Change, Earth Science and Society, and Earth Resources. The iCRAG Census results were presented, highlighting areas for improvement in equity, diversity, and inclusion. This was followed by training on Education and Public Engagement (EPE) and innovation, covering intellectual property and patents. Dr. Ahmad presented preliminary results on estimating transpiration and evapotranspiration from upflow willow-based treatment systems during a poster session.

Day 2 began with a morning dip in Lough Ree, followed by breakout sessions within and across different research areas. Prof. McElwain, leading the Earth System Change challenge, moderated the discussion around how to best get insights into Ireland’s future climate by analyzing its past climate through the Cenozoic era, using paleoproxies and climate archives. The summit brought together scientists from various disciplines to collaborate towards a better future.

by Dr. Sate Ahmad