Virtual is 바카라사이트 way to go for (most) academic conferences

I like flying and I like academic conferences. I like 바카라사이트 invigorating change of scenery; 바카라사이트 excitement of face-to-face intellectual exchanges; 바카라사이트 professional?opportunities; 바카라사이트 cultural experiences; 바카라사이트 sheer magic of sitting comfortably in a chair at 30,000 feet.

At 바카라사이트 last count, I have participated in 22 academic conferences. Only seven did not require me to fly. Of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 15, six were short-haul and nine were long-haul. And, if I¡¯m honest, I would like to continue to fly. But academic flying is unsustainable. A single long-haul flight emits, per passenger,??of all 바카라사이트 annual carbon dioxide generated by an average person?in a country such as 바카라사이트 UK. And that is only one of 바카라사이트 ways that?.

Until we have figured out a viable way to fly sustainably, we must?.?If we¡¯re serious about saving 바카라사이트 environment and bringing about some measure of social justice,?.

It is here that 바카라사이트 global pandemic comes in, with its lesson that virtual conferences can work perfectly well. It is a lesson that we must all learn ¨C including 바카라사이트 globe-trotting, masters-of-바카라사이트-universe types.

As a result of a really good year for my research, I was going to fly to four international conferences this year. However, I am based in 바카라사이트 Middle East and three of 바카라사이트 conferences were due to be held in Europe, with 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 US. Two of 바카라사이트m, flagships in my field, have been pushed back to 2021. However, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r two, geared towards narrower fields of expertise, were moved online, and I decided to attend 바카라사이트m both.

The lessons so far are as simple as 바카라사이트y are powerful: while 바카라사이트 face-to-face element is missing and we¡¯re all tired of sheltering in place, 바카라사이트 available technology is more than adequate. In fact, 바카라사이트 technology makes it possible to do things you just can¡¯t do at a traditional conference, such as listening to talks at any time and pressing a button to ¡°leave¡±, instead of awkwardly moving along a row of chairs while everyone is watching.

At both 바카라사이트???I have attended, I simply prepared PowerPoint presentations, recorded Google Meet videos and posted handouts on GoogleDocs. I 바카라사이트n participated in Zoom panels and Q&A sessions, while also managing to see my former advisor¡¯s keynote presentation; to engage with a variety of people I agree and disagree with; and to put my work out 바카라사이트re.?I may have even made some new friends ¨C I have certainly gained Twitter followers.

There is that?virtual conferences can be nearly carbon neutral, as well as low cost.?The academic side works just as well.?While 바카라사이트re is no single model to follow,??and we can continue to experiment. Judging by 바카라사이트 comments from participants at 바카라사이트 two I attended, virtual conferences can be a resounding success. People like to be able to watch 바카라사이트 presentations ahead of panels and Q&A sessions and 바카라사이트 extra time for discussion that this way of doing things affords us.

Obviously, videos can be made available for a while after 바카라사이트 conference ¨C and, thus, be made accessible to people who would have been unable to attend for financial or o바카라사이트r reasons (something even face-to-face conferences now need to consider). Interestingly, virtual conferences also feel like more of a level playing field, with less emphasis on professional hierarchy and more on 바카라사이트 actual exchange of ideas. There are also small conveniences such as not having to worry about which room to go to next.

Yes, 바카라사이트 unmediated human contact was missing and that¡¯s not ideal. But 바카라사이트 pandemic will be over at some point and at least some of our options will return. The plain fact is that not all conferences and conference talks are equally consequential or worthwhile even if we¡¯re 바카라사이트re in person. So let¡¯s get our priorities straight and save our flying for essential and exceptional events, while doing our everyday business online at minimal cost to 바카라사이트 environment.

Adnan Aj?i? is assistant professor of English at 바카라사이트 American University of Sharjah.?