Conferences
The scientific conference has traditionally been considered an important place for communicating science, networking, meeting potential collaborators, stimulating discussion and career development.
However, the conference environment is not a welcoming, safe and accessible space for everyone, especially for women, those with caring responsibilities, disabled, neurodivergent, countries, non-white, LGBTQ+ delegates and those from low to middle-income countries.
Consequently, many scientists who cannot attend conferences in person miss out on important career-enhancing opportunities to network and publicise their work, while those who do attend miss out on hearing from and having the opportunity to network with a diverse population of scientists. When organising a conference, it is important to consider potential barriers to participation and how to overcome these barriers.