Virtual academic conferences: A mixed-methods study of equitable participation according to gender and country-income level

Abstract Scientific conferences are crucial to fostering knowledge exchange, career development, and transdisciplinary research to address complex problems. Recent transitions to virtual formats are shown to increase attendance and potentially address equity concerns by mitigating structural, financial, and logistical barriers. However, the social, behavioural and intellectual implications of moving conferences online are less well understood. We examine participation in a well-established scientific conference in its second year fully online, according to gender and country income level of videoconferencing attendees. We interlink these data with rich qualitative insights to look beyond attendance and to understand the nature and experiences of actual participation. We find that virtual conferences facilitate equitable access for women and researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) through removing visa requirements and travel costs, and by enabling attendance alongside family care obligations. Alongside technological advances, this contributes to disrupting power dynamics in academia. However, loss of human connection and multi-dimensional stimulation of in-person attendance may be detrimental to collaboration and sense of community. Advancements in the equity, diversity, and inclusion of scientific exchange are accelerating but organisers must ensure that transitions to virtual or hybrid conferences does not create a two-tiered system in which researchers with limited access to resources are excluded from the rich intellectual and social benefits of in-person conferences.