IS POOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ACADEMIC AND APPLIED GEOSCIENCE CONTRIBUTING TO AN ILL-PREPARED WORKFORCE? OUR KNOWLEDGE GAPS - WHAT ARE THEY? WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF NARROWING THEM? HOW CAN WE BRIDGE THEM?

This contribution will aim to draw together the themes in the presentations made during the session and provide a framework for discussion about improved approaches for better preparing the non-academic geoscience workforce during undergraduate programmes and in the transition from university to the workforce.

It will take the form of a panel discussion session chaired and moderated by Ruth Allington, current Chair of the IUGS Task Group on Global Geoscience Professionalism (TG-GGP, www.tg-ggp.org). The panel will comprise speakers from the session, who will be invited, following a short introductory presentation from the Chair, to provide their personal responses to, and to stimulate a debate on, the over-arching question: “Is poor communication between academic and applied geoscience contributing to an ill-prepared workforce?” Comments and questions will be invited from participants in the session and it is hoped that geoscientists with a broad range of experience and perspectives (including and especially students and early career geoscientists) will contribute.

As an output of the discussion, it is anticipated that knowledge gaps will be identified, the advantages of narrowing them will become clear, and strategies and responsibilities for bridging the gaps will begin to emerge. This will help the session sponsors, TG-GGP and other interested parties to develop an action plan for continuing debate on this topic, and for the development and dissemination of guidance and support in this important area.