Daniel Marenda
$390,382
Adrienne J Sponberg
Jane Rogosch
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Biological Sciences (BIO)
For decades, professional scientific societies and individual scientists have relied on in-person conferences to share cutting edge research and build collaborative research networks: conferences are instrumental for developing individual careers and scientific progress. However, in-person conferences have significant barriers to access and inclusion, often excluding scientists and institutions with less financial resources and individuals for whom long-distance travel is difficult. The shift to virtual conferences during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated these historical barriers, as conferences were attended by more diverse groups of scientists. This research investigates how and whether virtual and hybrid conferences in ecology, environmental science, and allied fields have increased participation by individuals from a diverse set of institutions, including academic organizations like universities and organizations outside of academia like government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and environmental consulting firms. By focusing on increasing institutional diversity, scientific conferences can improve collaboration and knowledge exchange between academic and extra-academic scientists, facilitating evidence-based environmental management. The project will also assess whether virtual and hybrid conferences are more inclusive of a diverse set of backgrounds and career stages and assess barriers, attitudes, and preferences related to conference access, attendance, and participation. Lastly, researchers will identify future and alternative virtual and hybrid formats and features likely to best support members from diverse institutions and backgrounds. Short-term outcomes will include guidance for professional societies to develop equitable and inclusive conferences and overcome barriers to access; long-term outcomes will be increased visibility and awareness of a diversity of types of institutions in ecology and conservation communities. In-person conference formats can exclude many scientists and environmental practitioners who can contribute to and benefit from the exchange of ideas and research that takes place at these events, including those from low-to-middle income countries, early career-researchers, student trainees, caregivers, and those from non-research-intensive institutions. In particular, limited knowledge sharing and exchange between academic and extra-academic audiences have stymied integration of research into management and environmental policies. This project will provide professional societies and individual scientists with evidence-based guidance to evaluate tradeoffs in access, participation, and conference experience, to design more equitable conferences that can increase knowledge exchange across institutional boundaries. Through a focus on integration of academic and extra-academic scientists from a diverse range of institutions, this work will also support student and early-career researchers in their need and desire for development toward extra-academic career paths. This project applies quantitative and semi-quantitative approaches to assess if virtual conferences facilitate access for individuals from more diverse institutions, logistical and cultural factors that can expand access, and conference features and formats that are most likely to support inclusion of student and early-career researchers from those institutions. We will accomplish this through analysis of conference attendance prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, surveys of current and prospective members of participating professional societies, and focus groups that iteratively identify approaches for testing as part of a future project. This project will produce multiple peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and an educational webinar. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.