Conveners and co-conveners should access the chats of their sessions through their moderator link given on the session dashboard for conveners. Chairpersons might ask conveners for this link.

During EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online, we open a text-based chat channel per scheduled session, where authors and attendees can actively discuss the presentation materials. Please note that this does not involve live presentations or streaming. The start and end times are given in the online programme at each session and are according to Central European Summer Time (CEST).

Chat walkthrough videos

General functionalities

  • EGU opens one text-based chat channel per session linked in the online programme. The link becomes active 15 minutes prior to scheduled session start and disappears 30 minutes after the scheduled end of the session.
  • All chat channels use the software sendbird run on servers of Amazon Web Services (AWS) located in Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
  • The sendbird chats only work for the following operating systems in combination with the following browsers in current versions:
    • Windows: Chrome, Firefox, and Edge (from version 80);
    • MacOS: Safari, Chrome, and Firefox;
    • Linux: Chrome and Firefox;
    • Android: Chrome;
    • iOS: Safari.
  • Chats are not recorded and archived. The posts are deleted after the session ends. In order to foster an open discussion, EGU strongly asks all attendees to refrain from any means of recording the chats individually.
  • When entering any chat channel of any session for the first time, you will be asked to (a) provide your email address, (b) provide a nickname, and (c) certify that you adhere to EGU's Code of Conduct.
  • Your nickname is shared with sendbird to allow you to participate in the chat. No other information is shared with sendbird.
  • Your nickname and email address are forwarded to Copernicus for temporary storage. This information will be deleted after EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online.
  • Nicknames on sendbird must be unique and appropriate. Please see below for specific guidelines for authors, conveners and chairpersons, as well as attendees.
  • Your nickname is stored in your browser cache on the device you used to access the chat (e.g. notebook, smartphone, or PC). This enables you to revisit any EGU2020 chat channel at any time and to visit multiple chat channels in parallel. As long as you use the same browser on the same device, you cannot generate a new nickname. However, should you switch browsers and/or devices, this information is lost. Please ensure to use one device and one browser and try to avoid emptying your browser cache during EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online.
  • Whenever you revisit a chat channel or access another EGU2020 chat channel, you will be asked to reconfirm your nickname. Hereby, you have the chance to change your nickname.
  • Each chat channel allows you to see the chat as well as the list of abstracts and presentation materials of a session on one page so that you can easily open presentation materials while chatting.
  • If you aim to attend multiple chat channels at the same time (in the same time block), please use multiple tabs in the same browser.
  • Conveners, co-conveners, and chairpersons of the sessions reserve the right to ban nicknames showing abusive behaviour or violating EGU's Code of Conduct. Attendees who feel unjustly banned can contact egu2020@copernicus.org with their nickname, the session number, and an explanation. Copernicus tries to follow up as soon as possible.

Tips and hints for using the chat

  • Please use recent versions of Chrome or Firefox for Windows, MacOS, or Linux, as well as Safari for MacOS. On mobile devices, use Chrome for Android and Safari for iOS.
  • Please ensure that your PC or notebook has your actual time zone set. As long as your or any other official time zone is set, the session chat links will appear on time. However, should you manually change the time of your device (not the time zone, the actual time), so different to your actual time zone, the link to the session chat will not appear on time.
  • Please follow the nickname guidelines (name + affiliation + role).
  • Pay specific attention to convener posts shown in light-red (other posts are grey).
  • Add line breaks with SHIFT+ENTER when writing.
  • Cite a previous chat post through copy-and-paste.
  • Adjust the font size of the chat, if necessary.
  • New posts auto-scroll to the bottom of the chat by default but you can lock the scrolling.
  • Consider using the chat in full-screen mode.
  • When replying to a specific comment or question please clarify which comment you are addressing by referring to the originator's nickname. Example: @JohnSmith please name your model used.
  • Authors should prepare a 1-2 sentence summary in advance which you can paste in when your display is called up for discussion.
  • If you are typing a longer response to a question, please first post "I will reply, one moment please", so that participants in the chat know that a response is coming.
  • Conveners should prepare a short introduction to their session giving guidance on the order of the chat to paste in when the session starts. Example: Welcome to session CL4.17. We will discuss the displays in the order of appearance in the programme. In the last half hour we will discuss overarching questions we as conveners defined from the displays.
  • Please use the same device (e.g. notebook, smartphone, or PC) with the same browser for the entire EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online week. Switching devices and/or browsers will not allow you to re-enter any EGU2020 chat channel with your original nickname.

Specific information for authors

  • Authors are asked to upload their presentation materials as soon as possible and to take part in the public commenting from 1 April to 31 May.
  • Also in case you do not upload presentation materials, we strongly encourage you to use the opportunity to actively participate in the chat in order to answer questions to your abstract or simply take part in the discussions. Authors not able to be present during the sessions' chat channels are asked to indicate their absence.
  • On the day of your session, ensure to enter the chat early enough, ideally 15 minutes prior to session start. The link will be given at your session in the online programme.
  • For the session where you are author, your nickname should include your real name, a short version of your scientific affiliation, and your role as author. This helps the attendees to identify you as author of one of the abstracts discussed in the chat. Example: John Smith from the University of Los Angeles could use "John Smith UCLA (author)".
  • Any time you enter a chat channel you need to reconfirm your nickname. At that stage, you can also adjust your nickname. Authors are advised to use the extension "(author)" only in a session where they are authors. If you enter a session where you are not author, you are advised to change your nickname. Example: "John Smith UCLA (author)" to be changed to "John Smith UCLA".
  • Please prepare a 1-2 sentence summary in advance which you can paste in when your display is called up for discussion.
  • Prepare yourself to answer questions to your uploaded presentation materials or your abstract in general.
  • Please be active in the discussion of the presentation materials of your colleagues.

Specific information for conveners and chairpersons

  • Please get in touch with your authors through your session mail tool. Encourage them to upload presentation materials and inform how you aim to guide the chat.
  • Consider uploading session materials and/or a session summary to give further information on your session. The materials need to be in one file of less than 50 MB in a format that works across different platforms.
  • Please prepare a short introduction to your session giving guidance on the order of the chat to paste in when the session starts. Example: Welcome to session CL4.17. We will discuss the displays in the order of appearance in the programme. In the last half hour we will discuss overarching questions we as conveners defined from the displays.
  • As conveners or chairpersons you are asked to moderate the chats. You can introduce the session, ensure that all displays get some attention, and ask questions to stimulate the discussion. Please visit our Top 10 tips for promoting good online engagement for conveners.
  • For the session you convene or co-convene, we give you permission to ban abusive chat attendees. For this feature you must access the chat of your session through the link given on your session dashboard. You can then click on a nickname in the chat and you are asked to confirm that you want to ban that nickname.
  • Please feel free to share this link with your chairpersons who are neither convener nor co-convener. Please do not share this link with any other colleagues.
  • For the session you convene or chair, your nickname should include your real name, a short version of your scientific affiliation, and your role as convener or chairperson. This helps the attendees to identify you as moderator of the chat. Example: John Smith from the University of Los Angeles could use "John Smith UCLA (convener)".
  • Any time you enter a chat channel you need to reconfirm your nickname. At that stage, you can also adjust your nickname. Conveners and chairpersons are advised to use the extension "(convener)" or "(chair)" only in a session where they are moderator. If you enter a session where you are not convener or chairperson, you are advised to change your nickname. Example: "John Smith UCLA (convener)" to be changed to "John Smith UCLA".

Specific information for regular attendees

  • Browse the EGU2020 online programme to find your sessions of interest. Consider creating your personal programme in order to streamline your EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online week.
  • On the day of the session start, ensure to enter the chat early enough, ideally 15 minutes prior to session start. The link can be found at your session of interest in the online programme.
  • When entering any chat channel for the first time, you will be asked to create a nickname. As regular attendee, your nickname should include your real name and a short version of your scientific affiliation. Example: John Smith from the University of Los Angeles could use "John Smith UCLA". Should you be author and/or convener on another session, please read the respective sections above.
  • Prepare yourself by watching presentation materials prior to scheduled session start and take notes for your questions. Try to formulate your questions precisely and keep them short.
  • Participating in any EGU events, including EGU2020: Sharing Geoscience Online, implies that you adhere to EGU's Code of Conduct. Abusive behaviour can be penalized by conveners through muting or banning individual nicknames from the session's chat channel. EGU reserves the right to follow up on such violations.