Big scientific conferences return and emphasize the human context of science

During the COVID pandemic, researchers considered whether conferences might change in permanent ways, perhaps to be held remotely or otherwise become more inclusive. The proceedings of two large scientific meetings—the International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB) and the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America (ESA)—held in July and August 2023 suggest that scientific meetings have changed, but not in all the ways many thought they would. Namely, the meetings were held in-person, were expensive to attend, and contributed to the emission of greenhouse gases as scientists flew long distances to the meeting venues. Both meetings, however, emphasized diversity, inclusion, and the human context of science much more than we had seen at previous ecology and conservation conferences. The meetings provided excellent opportunities to learn about new projects and directions in ecology and conservation, and their emphasis on diversity, Indigenous science, and working with local communities brought new voices and perspectives and added to the vibrancy and quality of the meetings.