On the shoulders of giants…

Let’s begin this long overdue update with a couple photos from the 2021 #AdriftLab Writing Retreat (24 Nov – 4 Dec; sadly, we’re missing a team photo with Dr Steph Borrelle from Birdlife International). Somehow we wrangled the time zones across FOUR continents (AUS, UK, USA, NZ), allowing these incredible folks to come together and make the event a huge success.

There were 8 of us in total and we’re proud to report our team thoughtfully reflected gender balance and career stages (PhD students, Post-docs, mid- and senior-career), while also ensuring indigenous and LGBTQI+ representation 💜 We even kicked butt in the interdisciplinary space, with representatives from at least seven disciplines: polymer science, analytical chemistry 🧪, medical and nuclear sciences ☢️ (including human health), and marine, pollution, and wildlife ecology 🐧

In 10 days, we finished TWO papers and made huge progress on another FOUR. We’re incredibly proud of this monumental contribution to science, and the open & honest approach to collaboration that it reflects. When scientists come together and are kind to one another, we are unstoppable. A reminder to be kind, folks. And collaborative 💚

Finally, a side note (just a little one 😉), last week we were happy to announce Dr Jenn Lavers’ application for promotion at the University of Tasmania was APPROVED.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: our gratitude to everyone who contributed writing, ideas and inspiration, you made the writing retreat magic – Megan Grant, Jack Rivers-Auty, Alexander Bond, Charlie Rolsky, Nick Howell, Richard Banati, Steph Borrelle, Varun Nadesh, Susan Waugh, Catarina Goncalves.