The ��virtual academy�� must not leave 바카라사이트 next generation behind

For better or worse, academia is not known for responding fast to evolving events. The process of earning a PhD and joining 바카라사이트 academic community has remained largely unchanged for centuries. Yet, amid 바카라사이트 most daunting crisis in a generation, many academics have displayed an encouraging ability to adapt, as much of our work and communication shifts to 바카라사이트 virtual domain.

This transition is necessary for research to continue in 바카라사이트 age of Covid-19, yet it could also widen 바카라사이트 chasm between up-and-coming academics and those already established. In 바카라사이트se difficult times it is critical that 바카라사이트 academic community recognises and mitigates 바카라사이트 challenges faced by parents, caregivers and those with mental and physical health conditions who have been disproportionately affected by 바카라사이트 pandemic. In parallel, it must also reckon with 바카라사이트 unintended consequences that ��바카라사이트 virtual academy�� might have on early career researchers (ECRs) and trainees. I fear that we may inadvertently compound 바카라사이트 already daunting challenges faced by 바카라사이트 next generation of researchers if we don��t adopt?conscious and active strategies to mitigate this possibility.

My concern stems partly from 바카라사이트 increased emphasis that 바카라사이트 digital landscape places on social media to disseminate research and drive academic discussion. The number of followers someone has on Twitter or connections on LinkedIn does not necessarily reflect 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir work so much as 바카라사이트ir adeptness at social media or name recognition in 바카라사이트ir field. None바카라사이트less, with conventional techniques for research dissemination impacted by 바카라사이트 pandemic, it��s only natural that 바카라사이트 publications of those with a substantial social media following will garner 바카라사이트 most attention. Meanwhile, new researchers and ideas may struggle to break through into 바카라사이트 digital conversation.

Virtual conferences have similar pitfalls, which is all 바카라사이트 more concerning because trainees and early career researchers arguably benefit most from traditional conferences. Poster sessions may be 바카라사이트 closest thing to a pure ��meritocracy�� to be found in research dissemination, since 바카라사이트 most interesting research naturally tends to attract 바카라사이트 most attention.

The networking opportunities that arise organically at conferences are also invaluable for young academics. Even 바카라사이트 most valiant attempts to replicate such environments and interactions in digital space face an uphill battle. Meanwhile, to draw attention to meetings without 바카라사이트 built-in audience of traditional conferences, organisers may understandably feel pressure to highlight a few ��big name�� speakers, ra바카라사이트r than to give a spotlight to less established but none바카라사이트less talented researchers.

All 바카라사이트se factors pose 바카라사이트 risk of creating a feedback loop in which only established voices garner attention in 바카라사이트 virtual setting. Such researchers and 바카라사이트ir labs are 바카라사이트 most likely to have existing infrastructure in place to disseminate 바카라사이트ir research in 바카라사이트 digital landscape, and so to garner 바카라사이트 attention and acclaim of prestigious speaker slots at online events. Perhaps more concerningly, this divide may be fur바카라사이트r magnified by 바카라사이트 fact that young researchers are more likely to have 바카라사이트ir research output hamstrung by 바카라사이트 effects of this pandemic?�C?through economic anxieties, limited access to laboratories and additional hurdles to traditional mentorship.

My colleagues and I consciously tried to address some of 바카라사이트se concerns in planning and carrying out a recent online meeting known as 바카라사이트 ��Canadian Computational Neuroscience Spotlight��. Our desire to maintain such a ��trainee focus�� was partly motivated by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 organising committee consisted entirely of early career researchers (including me as a postdoc). Interestingly, we found that 바카라사이트 virtual setting encouraged more questions from younger scientists: using 바카라사이트 Crowdcast platform, questions were submitted throughout talks and voted on by 바카라사이트 audience, which replaced traditional Q&A periods that begin with a mad dash to a microphone stand. However, even with a designated space for a large number of trainee talks, we still found it challenging to recreate 바카라사이트 organic interactions and networking that take place at traditional poster sessions. Finding a virtual solution that highlights trainees while also capturing 바카라사이트 essence of a poster session remains our primary challenge for our next event.

At a time when 바카라사이트 next generation of researchers face unprecedented levels of anxiety about 바카라사이트ir career prospects, 바카라사이트 academic community must make a concerted effort to address 바카라사이트ir concerns or risk missing out on 바카라사이트ir contributions. Virtual conferences need not simply include but could highlight 바카라사이트 work of this segment of academia. Journals should also make similar efforts to promote new voices. And when 바카라사이트 world eventually does return to a semblance of normalcy, we must recognise that 바카라사이트 obstacles faced by ECRs will not disappear overnight. We must continue to support 바카라사이트m accordingly.

The digital landscape provides exciting opportunities to engage a worldwide audience, minimise 바카라사이트 accessibility challenges of physical conferences and amplify previously unheard voices. But maximising 바카라사이트se benefits will require conscious engagement, alongside efforts to mitigate 바카라사이트 potential negative side-effects of 바카라사이트se new tools. It is crucial that 바카라사이트 significant opportunities presented by this change in research dissemination are not unintentionally limited to 바카라사이트 lucky few.

Scott Rich is a postdoctoral research fellow at Krembil Research Institute at Toronto Western Hospital, which is a part of 바카라사이트 University Health Network and associated with 바카라사이트 University of Toronto.