from June 10th to June 12th, 2024

NERC Tech Forum

hosted by the British Antarctic Survey

Thank you to everyone who made it in person and online! Plans are in motion to hold the next NERC Tech Forum in 2025.

What is it?

The NERC Tech Forum is an old concept that we’re bringing back. It is intended to be a regular (annual or biennial) meeting where engineers and technologists from all the NERC centres and affiliated institutes can find out what other bits of NERC are doing. In this forum our definition of technology is the equipment and systems that help us to deliver science and encompasses:

Instrumentation; Sampling equipment; Hardware platforms; Model development; Analysis techniques; Software engineering

Who is it for?

Anyone involved in the above, especially encouraging new employees in NERC who haven’t built networks outside their home institute.

What do we want to achieve?

· The primary aim of the meeting is networking within technology areas in NERC

· This is also an opportunity for technologists to engage with professionals in a similar area outside of their home institute

· Finally, through strategic links with NERC colleagues this creates an opportunity to influence NERC about how technology is delivered

A photo of BAS engineer Hessel Gorter presenting on the Dobson automation project.

Schedule overview

Day 1

Monday's schedule
12:30 - Registration13:00 - Welcome & scene setting13:30 - Centre introductions15:00 - Coffee break15:45 - Strategic talks from NERC & partners18:00 - Social activity

Day 2

Tuesday's schedule
10:00 - Thematic talks (1)11:15 - Coffee11:45 - Thematic talks (2)13:00 - Lunch & networking 14:15 - Thematic talks (3)15:15 - Breakout session discussions (1)16:00 - Coffee break16:30 - Breakout session discussion (2)17:30 - Pizza social at BAS

Day 3

Wednesday's schedule
09:30 - Morning coffees10:00 - Workshop: The role of science engineering & tech within NERC: opportunities and challenges? 11:00 - Panel discussion: Collaboration between Tech Forums & building community within NERC12:00 - Vote on institute to host next meeting and closing remarks12:45 - Visit to Duxford to see BAS Twin Otter or BAS tours

See full detailed schedule

Read through presentations

NERC Tech Forum: information and updates

If you'd like to get updates on what the core working group is up to and upcoming events, please sign up to the mailing list via this form.

Inclusivity and event code of conduct

The British Antarctic Survey is committed to making its events productive and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, nationality or belief. We will not tolerate harassment in any form. All delegates are expected to adhere to the following key principles during our in person and virtual events:

Delegates are required to behave professionally - harassment and/or sexist, racist, or exclusionary comments or jokes are not appropriate. Harassment includes sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, sexual attention or innuendo, deliberate intimidation, stalking, and photography or recording of an individual without consent. It also includes offensive comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race or religion.
All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people from many different backgrounds. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate.
We expect individuals presenting at the event to work towards making their content as accessible as possible. To learn more about how to do this, please use this guidance on making presentations more accessible to all.
Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other delegates.

If you have feedback for us or would like to discuss concerns, please get in touch with Pilvi Saarikoski via email.

BAS organising team

To contact the organising team of the 2024 Forum, please email pilchi@bas.ac.uk.

Pilvi Saarikoski (they/them), Impact Facilitator

British Antarctic Survey

Julius Rix, Head of Engineering and Technology

British Antarctic Survey

Other contributors across NERC:

British Antarctic Survey (BAS): Julius Rix, Head of Engineering & Technology; Beatrix Schlarb-Ridley, Director of Innovation and Impact

British Geological Survey (BGS): Phillip Meldrum, Senior Research Engineer; Rob Lyon, Geomagnetic Electronics Engineer; Harry Harrison

Centre for Ecolofy and Hydrology (CEH): Nick Everard, Senior Hydrometric Scientist; Anne Askquith-Ellis, Technical Project Manager

National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS): Barbara Brooks, Scientific Services and Facilities Director

FAAM: Hannah Price, Science Partnership Lead

National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO): Martin Wooster, EO scientist

National Oceanographic Centre (NOC): Helen Oldridge, Head of Scientific Engineering

Plymouth Marine Laboratories (PML): Matthew Palmer, Head of Science - Digital Innovation & Marine Autonomy; James Fishwick, Senior Technologist; Daniel Clewley, Research Software Engineer

Scottish Association for Marina Science (SAMS): Phillip Anderson, Head of Robotics; Phillip Peterson, Electronics Engineer

NERC: Anna Angus-Smyth, Associate Director: Digital Environment, Infrastructure, and Data; Simon Gardner, Head of Digital Environment

The 2024 NERC Tech Forum was made possible through the sponsorship from Kongsberg.

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