OptimESM continued its programme of activities aimed at early career researchers with an event addressing the challenges facing young researchers in navigating what can seem like a gulf between research and policy. The so-called Great Debate, entitled “Unleashing your potential as an Early-Career researcher: bridging the research-policy divide”, took place at the European Geosciences Union’s general assembly in Vienna on 15 April, and brought together panellists with a broad range of perspectives from science and policy.
Helena Martins, who led the debate, explains some of the challenges discussed: “It can be about institutional, social, cultural and personal barriers, such as lack of mentoring and trust from senior researchers, lack of professional recognition, lack of access to decision-makers, professional instability or lack of self-confidence and education. During the debate, we looked at how we can enable sustainable engagement in the political landscape. Climate change, biodiversity loss and artificial intelligence are current challenges that require evidence-based policy decisions. It is therefore important that researchers actively contribute insights and expertise to support decision-making.” Discussion focused on strategies and mechanisms for collaboration between young researchers and policy-makers, and on pathways towards an effective dialogue to help lead to evidence-informed actions and decisions.
The debate, organised jointly with EU-funded project ESM 2025, was moderated by Ayesha Tandon from climate science and policy website Carbon Brief. Taking part were panellists Beth Dingley of the World Climate Research Programme; Chloe Hill, policy officer of the EGU; Faten Attig Bahar, an early career researcher from the University of Carthage; Richard Tavares, project officer at funding agency CINEA; and OptimESM researcher Roland Séférian of CNRM (Université de Toulouse, Météo-France, CNRS). We thank them all wholeheartedly for their support and insightful contributions.
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