Legacy of the First Workshop on Gravitational Wave Astrophysics for Early Career Scientists

TL;DR

The paper summarizes the first interdisciplinary workshop for early career scientists in gravitational wave astrophysics, highlighting its role in community building, skill development, and fostering future research collaborations.

Contribution

It documents the organization, activities, and outcomes of GWAECS, establishing a foundational reference for early career scientists in the field.

Findings

Built a diverse, interconnected community of early career scientists.

Provided interdisciplinary training and skill development.

Facilitated informal exchanges with leading researchers.

Abstract

Gravitational wave science is a dynamical, fast-expanding research field founded on results, tools and methodologies drawn from different research areas and communities. Early career scientists entering this field must learn and combine knowledge and techniques from a range of disciplines. The Workshop on Gravitational-Wave Astrophysics for Early Career Scientists (GWAECS), held virtually in May 2021, planted the seeds of an interdisciplinary, well-connected and all-inclusive community of early career scientists working on gravitational waves, able to exchange relevant information and ideas, build a healthy professional and international environment, share and learn valuable skills, and ensure that ongoing research efforts are perpetuated and expanded in order to attain the main scientific goals envisioned by the whole community. GWAECS was the first event unifying early career scientists belonging to different communities, historically associated with different large-scale gravitational wave experiments. It provided a broad perspective on the future of gravitational waves, offered training on soft and transferable skills and allowed ample time for informal discussions between early career scientists and well-known research experts. The essence of those activities is summarised and collected in the present document, which presents a recap of each session of the workshop and aims to provide all early career scientists with a long-lasting, useful reference which constitutes the legacy of all the ideas that circulated at GWAECS.