Welcome to the OGGM Slack!

Welcome to the OGGM Slack, our community space for all communication related to OGGM and its numerous side projects! We aim to create an inclusive and friendly environment, more personal than a fully open forum where everyone can read and post.

But what is it all about?

This Slack workspace is a place to get support, chat with fellow glacier enthusiasts, and stay updated on what’s happening in the community. Whether it’s asking “how to fix an error in code”, if “someone has tried a particular approach before”, or “who’s going to a meeting or conference and would like to grab a coffee?”, this platform helps foster a sense of community.

Practicalities

Navigating the channels

Slack uses “channels,” which are chat groups dedicated to specific topics. Everyone is in the #general channel, used mainly for announcements and updates relevant to all members. It’s also where invitations to our bi-weekly meetings are shared. The #support channel is typically the best place to ask questions, while #random is a space for lighter conversations—everything from pet photos to nerdy jokes.

In addition to these channels, there are many thematic channels to join based on your interests, such as #tidewater, #surface-mass-balance, #science-and-publications, #hardcore-programming, and #oggm-edu.

You can also chat privately with one or more people at the same time. Slack offers options for text chat or “huddles”—phone calls with or without video.

Best Practices

With over 200 members, maintaining some guidelines (see Code of Conduct) helps keep the platform welcoming and organized.

• To keep discussions organized, please reply to messages within a thread. A “thread” is a focused conversation that branches off from a post.

• When asking a question in the #support channel, ask one question at a time and make it as clear as possible. You don’t need flawless English, but enough context for others to understand the issue helps avoid unnecessary back-and-forth. For more tips on addressing OGGM-related issues, see our error guide.

• Once your question has been answered (usually in the thread below), please add a check mark to the main question with an emoji like ✅. This helps others see at a glance which questions have been resolved.

Community meetings

Everyone in our Slack community is welcome to join the bi-weekly meetings, regardless of background or plans with OGGM. These meetings are informal, so no need to feel nervous or prepare anything. They might be more interesting for those actively using or developing the model, but even if you’re just curious, it’s a great opportunity to meet some of the community’s active members. In fact, new members are encouraged to join at least once to put a face to their name! For the schedule, check out our calendar.

How to Join?

Slack can be accessed through a browser or a local app. Many regular users prefer the app for easier access.

If you’re interested in joining the OGGM Slack, please email info@oggm.org with a brief introduction about yourself and your interest in joining.

Author

• Anouk Vlug

• Creation date: 2022-10-11 (updated since)