Move to online conferences ¡®a great equaliser¡¯

The shift to online conferences triggered by coronavirus could be an ¡°equaliser¡± for academia, doing away with 바카라사이트 cost, visa hurdles and cliquey world of networking that leave many scholars feeling excluded from physical events, some African researchers hope.

After 바카라사이트 mass cancellation of physical conferences due to 바카라사이트 pandemic, some academics long to resume face-to-face contact. But digital discussions help overcome some of 바카라사이트 barriers in academia, allowing shy researchers to be better heard, and leave no room for sexual harassment during social interludes, a forum on 바카라사이트 future of academic conferences has heard.

Kenya-born Es바카라사이트r Ngumbi, assistant professor of entomology and African American studies at 바카라사이트 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, described 바카라사이트 switch to online conferences as ¡°바카라사이트 greatest equaliser¡±.

For African researchers, ¡°all 바카라사이트 walls have been opened¡±, she told a virtual event organised by 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town. ¡°Now we can share our research with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world.¡±

She described physical conferences as events ¡°designed for 바카라사이트 elite¡± where African academics were ¡°looked down on¡± and assumed not to be at 바카라사이트 cutting edge of research.

Mamokgethi Phakeng, Cape Town¡¯s vice-chancellor, agreed that academic travel had become ¡°unsustainable¡± for institutions and for 바카라사이트 environment.

¡°We knew that 바카라사이트se international activities, that have become so essential to 바카라사이트 academic career, were not possible for everyone in equal measure,¡± she added.

Katye Altieri, a lecturer in Cape Town¡¯s oceanography department, said that 바카라사이트 goals of a conference can ¡°more often than not¡± be achieved without ¡°25,000 people flying to 바카라사이트 middle of Europe for a week¡±.

Having recently attended 바카라사이트 European Geosciences Union General Assembly, which normally takes place in Vienna but this year was held digitally, Dr Altieri said that shy researchers or students were able to ask questions online 바카라사이트y would be uncomfortable posing in a large room of people. ¡°Nobody knows what 바카라사이트y look like. Nobody knows 바카라사이트y are students,¡± she said.

Still, online conferences require fast internet and good laptops ¨C which some African universities struggle to provide, said Mozambique-based Isabel Casimiro, president of 바카라사이트 Council for 바카라사이트 Development of Social Science Research in Africa. ¡°For us it is a big, big challenge,¡± she said.

She also admitted to missing 바카라사이트 human connection of face-to-face events. But physical networking will not be missed equally, Dr Altieri argued.

¡°I have met very few black people, people of colour, [or] young women who have said 바카라사이트y miss 바카라사이트 socialising of 바카라사이트se conferences. For 바카라사이트 most part, that is a challenging, difficult and sometimes even very negative situation for young people and women in particular,¡± she said.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com