Planning a conference right now and while we were grappling with the realities of planning in the current context (locked into pre-COVID contracts for example!) that was my statement when people were talking about equity in conference attendance: conferences are not equitable! (Virtual ones are a bit better but bring up another host of issues, like who gets dedicated time, they aren’t actually carbon neutral, registration fees are still prohibitive.) In a specialization where there’s an incredibly stark dividing line (academic health sciences librarians tend to have PD funds, hospital librarians tend to have nothing), this is something that we grapple with alllll the time.
I enjoy a conference, probably because of my privilege, plus the fact I’ve been able to scrape some support together a number of times. For someone who spends most of the year alone and talking to her computer, that in-person conference is a balm to the soul. But we’ve got a looooong way to go to fix conference culture, like you’ve pointed out here.
Great points! And virtual isn’t the fix people think it is, but it is a start. I’ve been compiling info on how to make hybrid conferences work, but can foresee people balking at the additional resources needed. There’s also something about in-person that has magic that virtual doesn’t quite capture, but I don’t think that’s a reason to run away from what we’ve learned either (that’s what I’m seeing in some spaces, anyways).
Hybrid conferences are essentially running two conferences at the same time, on top of one another. The resources are staggering. But also - do we need yearly conferences? Something for associations and bodies to consider.
"If the physicians representing your organization actually understood this reality, it’s highly unlikely you would propose that invited patients should book their own flights, pay for their own hotel accommodation, and undergo grueling physical stressors that few healthy event organizers can even imagine – all so that you can check off the “Patients Included” tick box. . ."
Nice account, and it sounded very much like a small conference I attended in the mid-1990s at a museum near Wake Forest University. I have to say, though, that the prospect of organizing an event that excludes no one sounds daunting in quite a different way. How can one possibly organize a limited gathering that doesn’t exclude someone?
Fair point, and I think what can stop some folks in their tracks early in their planning. Plus it’s hard to know who was excluded sometimes, even when you ask who isn’t there. I think it’s more about adopting a learning mindset to do better, and be open to feedback for improvement. And perhaps considering the purpose of engaging via conference in the first place. If it’s to share new ideas, build on existing discourse, where are the places these conversations are happening outside the conference hall? How can we link them all up to keep sharing (that isn’t a paywalled journal either)?
Another excellent learning experience that you have shared with us, Bryn.
Thanks James!
Planning a conference right now and while we were grappling with the realities of planning in the current context (locked into pre-COVID contracts for example!) that was my statement when people were talking about equity in conference attendance: conferences are not equitable! (Virtual ones are a bit better but bring up another host of issues, like who gets dedicated time, they aren’t actually carbon neutral, registration fees are still prohibitive.) In a specialization where there’s an incredibly stark dividing line (academic health sciences librarians tend to have PD funds, hospital librarians tend to have nothing), this is something that we grapple with alllll the time.
I enjoy a conference, probably because of my privilege, plus the fact I’ve been able to scrape some support together a number of times. For someone who spends most of the year alone and talking to her computer, that in-person conference is a balm to the soul. But we’ve got a looooong way to go to fix conference culture, like you’ve pointed out here.
Great points! And virtual isn’t the fix people think it is, but it is a start. I’ve been compiling info on how to make hybrid conferences work, but can foresee people balking at the additional resources needed. There’s also something about in-person that has magic that virtual doesn’t quite capture, but I don’t think that’s a reason to run away from what we’ve learned either (that’s what I’m seeing in some spaces, anyways).
Hybrid conferences are essentially running two conferences at the same time, on top of one another. The resources are staggering. But also - do we need yearly conferences? Something for associations and bodies to consider.
Thank you Bryn for mentioning my Heart Sisters blog post - here's the link to the original post ("My Open Letter to 'Patients Included' Conferences") : https://myheartsisters.org/2016/03/06/my-open-letter-to-patients-included-conferences/ - where I wrote:
"If the physicians representing your organization actually understood this reality, it’s highly unlikely you would propose that invited patients should book their own flights, pay for their own hotel accommodation, and undergo grueling physical stressors that few healthy event organizers can even imagine – all so that you can check off the “Patients Included” tick box. . ."
Thank you Carolyn for sharing the original post here!
Nice account, and it sounded very much like a small conference I attended in the mid-1990s at a museum near Wake Forest University. I have to say, though, that the prospect of organizing an event that excludes no one sounds daunting in quite a different way. How can one possibly organize a limited gathering that doesn’t exclude someone?
Fair point, and I think what can stop some folks in their tracks early in their planning. Plus it’s hard to know who was excluded sometimes, even when you ask who isn’t there. I think it’s more about adopting a learning mindset to do better, and be open to feedback for improvement. And perhaps considering the purpose of engaging via conference in the first place. If it’s to share new ideas, build on existing discourse, where are the places these conversations are happening outside the conference hall? How can we link them all up to keep sharing (that isn’t a paywalled journal either)?