21 June 2022
2021 Materials, Mimics and Microfluidics: Engineering Tools in Mechanobiology
Assistant Professor Andrew Holle submitted the first Sustainable Conferencing Grant application for 2021. The 3M2021 was a satellite-based hybrid meeting targeted towards Asian-Pacific researchers.
All scientific talks had a virtual element so that anyone could attend. Furthermore, there were 18 venues connected via satellite across ten Asia-Pacific countries. In each venue the participants could attend physically and engage in venue specific activities. In total, six sessions featured 38 invited speakers. This gave the opportunity to individual venues to organise their own independent meeting as well as to connect with the main venue for the core informative meeting. 600 registrants from 38 countries found the experience very pleasant and the structure of the event convenient, with lots of informative networking opportunities. Learn more about 3M2021.
Key takeaway: A hybrid event can enhance attendance while creating opportunities for networking. Giving a virtual attendance option can be appealing to various participants while at the same time the local events create an inclusive atmosphere that fosters collaboration.
Second Platynereis Virtual Meeting
Professor Michel Vervoort submitted one of the first applications for our Sustainable Conferencing Grants. The Second Platynereis Meeting was fully virtual with 95 participants from 13 different countries. The organisers chose to have it at 2.00pm-6.00pm CET to help attendees from various time zones.
The platform used was GatherTown and it was customised in an effort to optimise the participants’ experience. The scientific talks were held in the auditorium via Zoom. Round tables were set up to discuss specific subjects and ‘Meet the speakers’ sessions were available. Furthermore, separate virtual rooms were created in GatherTown specifically for socialising and to help follow-up discussions. The feedback survey showed that attendees were very satisfied with the platform and its functionalities and felt that there were plenty of opportunities for networking. Learn more about the Second Platynereis Meeting.
Key takeaway: Choose your platform based on its functionality. Creating dedicated spaces for networking will help your attendees have important conversations that are uninterrupted.
We offer Sustainable Conferencing Grants to help finance innovative ideas that enable biologists to collaborate productively while minimising their impact on the environment. Applications are invited from the organisers of a wide range of virtual activities, including – but not limited to – meetings, workshops, conferences, seminars, training and networking in the fields covered by our journals. Learn more about how to apply.
