The Bog Blog: My First EGU Experience in Vienna – A Memorable Journey
By Dr Nannan Li
I had the incredible opportunity to attend the EGU General Assembly in Vienna this year – my first time both at the conference and in the city. It was a fantastic experience from start to finish.
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Vienna welcomed us with sunny skies and warm spring weather, making it an ideal setting to explore between sessions. The city itself is beautiful and full of history, and the food – especially the schnitzels – was absolutely delicious.
At the conference, I was proud to present preliminary datasets from my research sites as part of the PCARB project, supported by Research Ireland. Our work focuses on how past climate change have influenced the carbon storages Irish blanket bogs, and it was exciting to share early results and get valuable feedback from the peatland community. PhD Student Cathal Ryan also presented part of his PhD project; he is working on long-term carbon dynamics on blanket bogs and climate interactions.
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The conference was the opportunity to meet and reconnect with colleagues from across Europe – and even including China. I met a lot of my past colleagues during the conference and we had dinners together. It was an enjoyable and information-rich conference. I learned a great deal from the diverse range of presentations and discussions.
EGU is more than just a scientific meeting – it’s a space where new collaborations form, fresh ideas spark, and early-career researchers like myself can gain visibility and confidence. I’m grateful for the support from Research Ireland, which made this experience possible.
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All in all, it was a highly productive and rewarding week. If you're considering attending EGU in the future, I highly recommend it – especially in the spring, when both the science and the sunshine are in full force.