The first GEORGE training session, called Technical Forum I, was held in May 2024 in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. The four-day training focused on ocean observing platforms. According to feedback from participants, the training provided valuable learning opportunities. The call for applications is now open for the second Technical Forum, organised in Oostende, Belgium in October 2025.
The first Technical Forum, organised in 2024, brought together technicians, engineers, and scientists mainly from ICOS, EMSO, and Euro-Argo. The training focused on ocean observing platforms used in the three GEORGE partner RIs, and provided both the project team and participants the valuable opportunity to discuss planned enhancements to the platforms under the GEORGE project.
Hands-on sessions were regarded as valuable
The organisers collected feedback through an online form to improve future training sessions. According to feedback from participants, the training was well-organised and provided valuable learning opportunities, particularly in the hands-on sessions. While many attendees found the event beneficial, they also suggested areas for improvement to enhance future editions.
Key takeaways:
- 92% of participants agreed that the forum met their expectations.
- 85% felt that the format suited the topics covered.
- 92% said they had learned something new.
- 77% agreed that they could apply what they had learned in their professional roles.
Practical sessions, such as working with Argo floats, were highlighted as particularly useful. One participant noted, “Having instruments on site is important. Hands-on experience is very valuable.”
Several participants valued the opportunity to engage with colleagues from different Research Infrastructures. One attendee noted, “The discussions between people from different RIs during the presentations and hands-on sessions were particularly useful.”
As an area for improvement, some participants suggested the workshop could go even deeper and explore cross-RI cooperation in more detail. They felt there could have been more discussions between the RIs and practical examples of how to adapt instruments and sampling strategies to work with other instruments from other RIs. This feedback has been taken into account and used while developing content for the Technical Forum II. Furthermore, cross-RI cooperation is also planned to be a primary focus for the third and final Technical Forum, taking place in 2026.
The call for applications is now open to Technical Forum II, which focuses on sensor and sampler technologies. The training session will be organised on 6-10 October in Flanders Marine Institute – VLIZ, in Oostende, Belgium. The Technical Forum I and II are not connected, so participants are encouraged to apply even if they did not take part in the previous session.
Read more and apply by 14 April 2025.
Photos from GEORGE Technical Forum I in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France in May 2024. Photos by Ian Alvarado.