The Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces (GTWS) meeting occurs every 5 years and brings together approximately 150 scientists from countries all over the world. This topic is globally-important - the most widely-known example of air-water gas transfer is the ocean’s uptake of ~30% of the atmospheric carbon dioxide resulting from fossil fuel burning. The ocean’s absorption of carbon dioxide has slowed the impact of anthropogenic climate change, but is also causing ocean acidification and negatively impacting the marine ecosystem.
The Gas Transfer at Water Surface Conference will be held in Plymouth in 2020 – the year of the Mayflower 400 commemorations, which are centred in this city. 400 years ago, pioneers set off from Britain on the Mayflower, on a bold venture into what they considered a new world. They travelled over a relatively unpolluted ocean in a time before the industrial revolution and the human-led climate change we are experiencing today. The health of our seas is globally important, and we are pleased to host this conference of pioneering marine work/study in Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City, on the anniversary of the Mayflower voyage.
Plymouth is a global centre of excellence for the marine sector, with a cluster of specialist marine businesses linked to a strong advanced manufacturing sector and world-class research expertise.
The focus is on the physicochemical and biogeochemical processes that govern atmosphere-water gas exchange and fluxes, which include turbulence, shear, breaking waves, bubbles and natural and anthropogenic surfactants. Biological and chemical processes within the microlayer can also impact on gas fluxes. Many of these mechanisms also govern the exchange of heat and momentum and thus the conference is attended by many in the community studying a wide range of processes that occur across gas-water boundaries or within the near-surface layers close to those boundaries. The scope of the conference covers all domains where atmosphere and water meet, which include but are not limited to, fresh water, estuarine, mountain, glacial, marine (coastal and open ocean) and polar regions.
Topics include: field observations, laboratory and numerical studies, near-surface processes, biological effects including surfactants, the micro-layer, remote sensing, global scale processes and many more.
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Important dates
15th November 2019 - Early bird registration and early career support registration closes
28th February 2020 - Standard registration and student / attendees from developing countries registration closes (previously 14th February 2020)
28th February 2020 - Abstract submission closes (previously 14th February 2020)
25th March 2020 - Successful abstract notification deadline
12th May 2020 - Late registration closes
19th May 2020 - Conference begins
Ticket prices
£175 - Students / attendees from developing countries (register by 14th February 2020)
£250 - Early bird registration (register by 15th November 2019)
£300 - Standard registration (register by 28th February 2020)
£400 - Late registration (register by 12th May 2020)
*Please note: The registration for this event is handled by a third party (EventBrite), collected information (excluding payment information) will only be shared amongst those involved with event administration. It will not be shared with other third parties. Click here to read our Privacy Notice which details how we handle your data and how we confom to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Draft Programme
Tuesday 19th May
Morning: Plenary talk / presentations
Afternoon: Presentations / discussion
Evening: Ice breaker
Wednesday 20th May
Morning: Plenary talk / presentations
Afternoon: Poster session / presentations
Evening: Social event (details to be confirmed)
Thursday 21st May
Morning: Plenary talk / presentations / discussion
Afternoon: Poster session / presentations
Evening: Conference dinner
Friday 22nd May
Morning: Plenary talk / presentations / discussion
Lunch: Meeting ends
Keynote speakers
Lucy Carpenter (University of York) - The role of chemistry in air-sea fluxes
Christa Marandino (GEOMAR, Kiel) - Gas transfer in the open oceans
Sally McIntyre (University of California) - Freshwater gas exchange: from reservoirs to flooded forests, from the Amazon to the Arctic
David Woolf (Heriot Watt University) - The peculiar characteristics of air-water gas transfer across a broken surface
Invited Early Career Presentations
Sophia Brumer - Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale
Luc Deike
After Dinner Speaker
Prof Peter Liss FRS (University of East Anglia) - Claw - Dead or Alive?
More to be confirmed..
Registration
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-8th-international-symposium-on-gas-transfer-at-water-surfaces-tickets-60472493857
Please note: The registration for this event is handled by a third party (EventBrite), collected information (excluding payment information) will only be shared amongst those involved with event administration. It will not be shared with other third parties. Click here to read our Privacy Notice which details how we handle your data and how we confom to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Cancellation policy
A written notification of cancellation must be sent to GTWS by email to GTWS2020@pml.ac.uk.
If you have paid and cancel before 21 April 2020, an administrative fee of £30 will be retained.
The remaining will be refunded. Requests for refunds cannot be processed after 21 April 2020.
Financial support
The European Space Agency (ESA), The Ocean Carbon Biogeochemistry (OCB) program and Surface Ocean - Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) have kindly agreed to provide financial support to help support Early Career Scientists and to promote women in science (where ECRs are defined as an undergraduate or postgraduate (Masters/PhD) student or a scientist who has received their highest degree (BSc, MSc, or PhD) within the past seven years).
Applications for this funding have now closed. Those successful will be notified by email on or before 13th March 2020.
** Please ensure you also register for the event even if you have applied for ECR funding support and are awaiting an outcome of your application **
If you are a current PhD student please register for a student ticket, if you are a post-PhD researcher please purchase the full registration ticket.
Register for the event
Contact
For any enquiries relating to this event please email: GTWS2020@pml.ac.uk or call Plymouth Marine Laboratory on +44 (0)1752 633 100
Event administrator
Geri Browne
Science Support Administrator
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Visa Information
Please note it is the delegates own responsibility to check their own visa requirements to attend the symposium and complete their visa application if applicable. Visa requirements can be checked here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
Please email Geri Browne at GTWS2020@pml.ac.uk if you need an invitation letter provided for your visa application, ensuring you list all the details you need to include in your invitation letter.
Working towards a more sustainable symposium
As environmentally focussed scientists we are acutely aware of the anthropogenic pressures on our environment and climate. We, the local organising committee of the 8th International Symposium on Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces, are intending to organize a more sustainable symposium by limiting the event’s carbon and overall environmental footprint.
Limiting emissions from waste
Waste production, water and energy use will be reduced or avoided wherever possible, such as concerning single use plastics. Materials will be reused or sorted and recycled. Recycling bins are provided throughout the laboratory.
Reducing travel related carbon emissions
Reduced UK train fare tickets have been made available for travel within the GWR network in the UK. The symposium venue is in walking distance of the City Centre, the waterfront, train and bus station and the event’s social venues. For those with a requirement to travel by taxi, hybrid taxis are available in the city.
Limiting printing and paper related carbon emissions
The programme and symposium materials will not be printed; they will be downloaded onto re-usable pen-drives that can be handed back at the end of the symposium for use at future meetings.
Limiting emissions from food production
Catering provided at Plymouth Marine Laboratory will consist of sustainably and responsibly sourced seafood, and locally sourced, seasonal vegetarian produce where possible.
Limiting emissions from future symposiums
There will be an open discussion during the symposium to discuss the approach for the next symposium to ensure its future sustainability in relation to the carbon and the environment.
For any questions or suggestions please email: GTWSNOSPAM2020@pml.ac.uk
Poster printing
If you are bringing a poster to the Symposium you may wish to use one of the poster printing services below:
www.netprinter.co.uk - A printing company based in Plymouth, UK.
https://scienceposters.co.uk - Offers the ability to print on fabric so it can be packed in your luggage rather than as a separate poster tube.