Last week, we could finally meet all together in person. The currently low COVID-19 numbers in Germany and some precautionary measures (all tested, mostly outside and inside with mask) allowed us to sit together without the help of digital devices for the first time since the project started in August 2020.

We used this day to reflect on the first months of the project and to work on various team products. For example, we could further develop a joint publication on the potentials of the telecouplings concept – grasping distant cause-effect mechanisms – for the new field of Socio-Hydrogeology. We also discussed what we actually mean by transdisciplinarity and how we seek to fulfil our double role as faciltators and experts when initiating such a research process in our case study in Saxony-Anhalt (Germany).

Even though we established in the past a good mix of digital tools (cloud, videocalls, messengers, etc.) to keep up a good communication, we all realised that for important decisions or complex topics a physical meeting can be both more convenient and productive. Thus, not only because of the pizza in the evening we are already looking forward to realise from now on such in-person team days on a regular basis.