How AquaConSoil 2025 Empowers Young Environmental Scientists

Marissa van de Wijngaard-Frambach on AquaConSoil 2025's commitment to Young Professionals

As AquaConSoil 2025 approaches, the Programme Committee is taking a proactive step toward inclusivity—for instance by emphasizing the involvement of young professionals. Marissa van de Wijngaard-Frambach, member of the AquaConSoil 2025 Programme Committee, plays an important role in shaping this focus.

With an audience of over 500 experts expected, the 2025 conference is set to showcase the latest innovations in environmental sciences while also acting as a launchpad for the next generation of groundbreakers. Read more on Marissa’s insights into the importance of engaging young professionals, the value of their contributions, and the new opportunities available at this year’s conference.

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Marissa’s role on the Programme Committee

Young Professional involvement 

As a Programme Committee member, Marissa de Wijngaard-Frambach has been actively involved in consolidating the content and themes of AquaConSoil 2025, focusing on selecting topics that reflect the latest developments and pressing needs in soil and groundwater sciences. A central part of her role is ensuring that young professionals are not only welcomed but empowered to play a significant part in the event. Marissa believes that involving early-career scientists is essential for maintaining the conference’s innovative spirit and for keeping the environmental sciences community connected to emerging ideas and perspectives.

Enriching the program

By quoting Henry Ford’s famous words, “If you do what you did, you get what you got,” Marissa emphasizes the importance of AquaConSoil embracing new research and innovation. Young professionals, she notes, bring a fresh approach to many topics, as they often arrive fresh from academic programs with cutting-edge research. Their contributions will not only enrich the conference but also help inspire the broader community.

Addressing the silent crisis beneath us

Need for new ideas 

As an example, Marissa highlights a pressing issue often overlooked: the “silent crisis” beneath our feet. Soil degradation and biodiversity loss are advancing, putting ecosystems and environmental stability at risk. "There is a need for new ideas and innovations to reverse this trend and restore our ecosystems,” she explains. Estimations show that about 50-75% of the world's biodiversity lives in our soils, but we only have little research on the impact of soil degradation on soil biodiversity. Young professionals, equipped with fresh and innovative insights and new methodologies in soil science and biodiversity, are key to sparking the discussions and progress needed for impactful change.

Broader perspective

In the past decade, soil science has evolved from a narrower focus on soil contamination to an integrative approach that connects soil quality to larger societal issues. Marissa sees this shift as essential, emphasizing that "we need this integrative perspective to restore our soils." Today’s emerging scientists are trained to link soil health with topics like climate action, food security, and ecosystem resilience. This new generation brings both technical knowledge and a broader understanding of environmental challenges—an approach that AquaConSoil aims to foster and support.

Making networking more accessible

Engaging young researchers

With a large conference setting like AquaConSoil, Marissa understands how daunting it can be for newcomers to engage and network. “During your studies, you constantly hear how extremely important it is to get acquainted with the network,” Marissa says, “but it might be challenging to find the people you would want to meet and connect with”. Therefore, we are working on ways to connect and involve young professionals at the conference. One of the new features this year is a conference app, allowing participants to chat with one another and make connections in a more accessible way. This app aims to break down barriers to networking, particularly for those in the early stages of their careers, and make it easier for them to reach out to established professionals.

Next to the app, AquaConSoil 2025 is introducing new formats, specifically designed to showcase the work of young professionals.

Opportunity for chairing 

AquaConSoil will also offer selected young professionals to assist in the chairing of sessions or presentations, giving them an opportunity learn about the steeringroles during the conference. A dedicated group of young professionals will work closely with the Programme Committee to help coordinate these initiatives, ensuring they are meaningfully integrated into the event’s structure.

The impact of young professional involvement

Marissa is confident that the inclusion of young professionals will have a lasting, positive impact on both AquaConSoil and the environmental sciences field at large. She believes that giving younger professionals a voice and a platform to share their ideas will inspire innovation, collaboration, and intergenerational learning. “Do not doubt your own research and hard work,” she advises young professionals that are considering submitting their work for AquaConSoil 2025. The conference is designed to be an open and encouraging space where early-career scientists can confidently present their findings and connect with the network.

Looking towards a lasting legacy

Ultimately, Marissa and the other colleagues of the Programme Committee hope AquaConSoil 2025 will become a cornerstone event for young professionals, serving as a space where they can grow, connect, and find inspiration. As AquaConSoil 2025 approaches, young professionals are encouraged to seize this opportunity to join a global network that values innovation, inclusivity, and collaborative impact.