Getting back to work as a researcher in the ‘new-normal’ means becoming comfortable with alternatives to symposiums, forums and scholarly events.
In the next two weeks, the Interactions Research staff will be participating in five different online events, including a conference on rural women, a forum on gendered transport, a marketing awards event, a women’s networking conference and an online class.
While it is wonderful to be able to connect with colleagues, other researchers and people in the marketing and transport fields, conferences in a remote format lack the zing and zest that come from the possibility of fortuitous meet ups, close collaboration and the important interpersonal connection that, as of yet, can’t be replicated on-line.
The Interactions Research crew is looking forward to our October events, but we are all missing seeing our colleagues in real life.
However, there are some amazing upsides including reaching wider audiences, reducing carbon footprints and increasing the diversity and accessibility of participants. There are some ways in which virtual conferences can actually excel over in-person events. Not only can more people attend, but the flow of information can be better maintained and distributed. This is epically true in open discussion and Q&A sessions. The moderators are able to use prompts to encourage more people to contribute, especially fewer vocal people or introverts. Additionally, the ability to filter and group comments means that the most insightful inquiries can be pushed to the front of a discussion, rather than solely hearing from that one person who made it to the microphone first.
So, although we are missing the IRL experiences, it’s an interesting to see how new formats are bringing new possibilities to the world of conferences and symposiums.
Here are two events you can check out for free this week.
TinnGo Webinar on the International Day of the Rural Woman (October 15, 2020)
Forum on Expanding the Boundaries of Gender Smart Mobility (October 22, 2020)
