Study of the effects of in-person attendance at academic conferences on the health of the attendees under COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of in-person attendance at an academic conference held during the Covid-19 pandemic on the health of the attendees, as assessed based on symptoms such as fever and cough attributed to infection with the Covid-19 virus. METHODS: A questionnaire was used to survey the members of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) about their health during the period from August 7 to August 12, 2022, after the 74th Annual Congress of the JSOG, which was held August 5 to 7. RESULTS: Our survey yielded responses from 3054 members (1566 of whom had attended the congress in person and 1488 of whom had not attended in person); 102 (6.5%) of the in-person attendees and 93 (6.2%) of the people who did not attend in person reported problems with their health. No statistically significant difference was found between these two groups (p = 0.766). In a univariate analysis of factors affecting the presence of health problems, attendees with age ≥60 years had significantly fewer health problems than attendees who were in their 20s (odds ratio: 0.366 [0.167-0.802; p = 0.0120]). In a multivariate analysis, attendees who had received four vaccine shots had significantly fewer health problems than attendees who had received three shots (odds ratio: 0.397 [0.229-0.690, p = 0.0010]). CONCLUSION: Congress attendees who took precautions at the congress to avoid being infected and who had a high vaccination rate did not develop significantly more health problems associated with in-person attendance at the congress.

The impact of COVID-19 on the format and nature of academic conferences in mathematics education.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity to re-examine the possibility of organising virtual conferences in mathematics education, in which the social needs of participants can also be addressed. In this study we investigated the future impact that this change may have on the format and nature of mathematics education conferences. The study was conducted in two phases. We used an online questionnaire in which we asked participants to give us some input on the issues above. In the second phase of the project, focus group interviews were conducted with international mathematics education researchers. This study is an exploratory study, in which the sample was not developed in a way that could generate comparisons. The aim of the study was to raise possibilities about what may be the future of mathematics education conferences. Findings indicate that although academics are pro-actively thinking about alternative conference formats, the proven value of face-to-face conferences is still very real, showing that it is too early for us to have a clear vision of the future format of academic conferences.

SDG 13 and Sustainability of Academic Conferences during the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing rules have impacted on the academic community. Air travel to national and international conferences ceased and virtual conferences and meetings are increasing in momentum. This article seeks to discuss two models of academic conferences in relation to their main benefits to participants and the broader implications to the environment and SDG 13 “Climate Action.” While many participants recognize the benefits of virtual conferences, it is questionable whether this new wave of online (virtual/ video) conferences will continue post pandemic. Thus, universities should actively encourage academic and research communities to take a greater part in SDG 13 and to travel CO2-neutral or convert to virtual conferences and meetings moving forward.

An inclusive venue to discuss behavioural biology research: the first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference

Social media platforms, such as Twitter, provide the opportunity for academics to network and to disseminate research to colleagues and the general public. More recently, Twitter in particular has become a platform for hosting academic conferences in addition to or as an alternative to either traditional in-person academic conferences or virtual conferences, now typical since the onset of COVID. The Animal Behavior Society (ABS) and the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) hosted their first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference in January 2021, in which researchers in animal behaviour from around the world shared recent work with fellow academics. Here, we explore the impact of the first global Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference (#AnimBehav2021) using questionnaires and Web site analytics to assess the dissemination of research and networking opportunities the event provided. Ultimately, this Animal Behaviour Twitter Conference increased the global reach and the accessibility of communicating animal behaviour research in comparison to in-person events. Furthermore, we use this case study to describe the logistics of organizing a Twitter conference in the field of animal behaviour, the novel opportunities this conference brought along and how other academic societies in behavioural biology can adapt our approach and benefit from this conference format.