STEM Involvement Gets a Boost from Virtual Conferences

Recent studies indicate that virtual conferences benefit the environment as well as inclusivity, and may be a solution to boosting STEM involvement.

(Image courtesy of Getty.)

(Image courtesy of Getty.)

While the latest data points to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers becoming the future of the economy, there are still challenges when it comes to promoting and boosting involvement in STEM, especially for women and underrepresented groups. However, recent studies are indicating that the evolution of virtual conferences—one unexpected benefit of facing a global pandemic—has become a potential boon to tackling those challenges.

Back in March, a paper published by the Ecological Society of America addressed the benefits that virtual conferences provide. A more recent study by a research team with representatives from the University of Southern California, the University of Texas at Austin and Arizona State University completed a similar analysis of virtual science conferences. The conferences being compared included the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) annual conference, International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR) annual conference, American Astronomical Society (AAS) conferences, Photonics Online Meet-ups and International Water Association Biofilms online conference. Both studies indicate that along with cost-savings, flexibility and increased involvement, going virtual opens the door to more diversity.

In the realm of science, in-person conferences have historically been the primary way to present research, make professional connections, promote job or research opportunities and much more. However, for many students, as well as many professionals, the cost of the conference ticket, travel and lodging often make attending an in-person conference a nearly impossible venture. The most recent study estimated that the cost for attendees from Africa was “between 80 percent and 250 percent of their country’s annual per capita gross domestic product (GDP).” For participants from Asia, that number was 15 percent, while the U.S. was 3 percent.

Virtual conferences not only create more opportunities for people to attend events relevant to their interests and careers, but they also reduce the conferences’ carbon footprint while reaching people across the globe. According to the UT Austin research, on average, “the cumulative footprints of 7,000… was comparable to the average footprint of a single attendee.”

The latest labor statistics for science and engineering (S&E) careers show that the number of women in STEM careers only grew from 1.3 million in 2003 to 2 million in 2017. Similarly, underrepresented groups made up 9 percent of S&E careers in 2003 and only rose to 13 percent in 2017. While there is no single solution for creating more inclusivity for these groups, virtual events may provide a more welcoming entry point. Women in attendance at virtual events increased by 253 percent when compared to in-person conferences. The study also showed that at two of the conferences, attendees from underrepresented institutions increased by 72 percent and 106 percent. There were also increases in student participation across academia levels.

A conceptual figure on the benefits and costs of virtual conferences. (Image courtesy of ESA.)

A conceptual figure on the benefits and costs of virtual conferences. (Image courtesy of ESA.)

While cost, diversity and other benefits are evident, there still remain challenges in creating a balance between in-person and virtual gatherings. For many, the lack of in-person engagement may be a deterrent from participating. During one of the conferences, an estimated 75 percent of participants indicated that they preferred in-person networking while 96 percent of participants at another conference felt the same.

As the pandemic continues and virtual is becoming the new normal, these conferences need to find new ways to solve the downsides, such as the lack of human interaction and social activities. One suggestion by the ESA researchers revolves around establishing virtual microcommunities, which they defined as “a small network of individuals who are in a similar career stage and who share the goal of helping each other meet their goals.” When incorporated into conferences, they may provide a safe, familiar environment to encourage attendee participation. Similarly, the creation of centralized hubs, where people from the same area attend the virtual conference together, may be another solution to increase engagement and interaction.

Interested in other ways that coping with a pandemic is changing the future of work and education? Visit the ISEF science fair hosted by ProjectBoard or check out these stories: How Startups Learned to Turn Challenges into Opportunities During the Pandemic and The Rise of Blended Learning: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Shaping the Future of Engineering Education.