The EGU General Assembly is one of the most significant geoscience conferences in Europe, bringing together experts from a variety of disciplines. I attended EGU25 in person from April 28 to May 2, 2025, in Vienna, Austria. As a final-year Ph.D. student and part of the growing agrogeophysics community, I presented my work on using ground-penetrating radar to investigate small-scale soil-plant features to an international audience of geoscientists and soil scientists. The conference was pivotal in showcasing the potential of applied geophysics as a valuable tool in precision agriculture, as well as in exploring potential collaborations for future research projects. As part of the growing community of agrogeoscientists, I was honored to present my work on using GPR to promote soil health and protect groundwater in the agricultural industry. During the poster session, I discussed new approaches for my research with several researchers. The conference provided a platform for interaction with renowned researchers who shared their insights and helped me further refine my path to becoming a successful scientist. Additionally, I attended several sessions and discussions on scientific communication. There, I learned about the challenges of communicating scientific data and results to people outside of academia. These sessions provided useful insights for my research and introduced me to the potential of science communication as an interesting career option. Thanks to the GSGS's travel funding, I was able to present my work to the European geophysical community and discuss my research with influential people who provided valuable insights. The contacts I made and the discussions I had helped me better shape my future in academia.
Sophia Schiebel
PhD student
Institute of Bio- and Geoscience: Agrosphere (IBG-3)
Forschungszentrum Jülich
Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology
PhD project: “SoilRootRadar”
Poster presentation: Investigating the effect of maize roots under different nitrate applications using crosshole GPR