Our Publications

Most of us know how beneficial scientific conferences are. Unfortunately, scientific conferences are not equally accessible or welcoming to all.

Two organizations found ways to be more intentional about encouraging participation by a diverse spectrum of attendees at scientific meetings—the scientific community can learn from their experiences.

Postdoctoral scholars sometimes feel isolated and disconnected from others while in their research environments. “It is a constant, and unexpected, challenge to not feel lost,” says Curtis Walker, PhD, postdoc at the NSF’s National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). “While some individuals know exactly where they are headed next, a common question amongst postdocs is: ‘What’s next?’”

This commentary provides examples of a spectrum of existing bilingual outreach efforts as conducted by three geoscience facilities. We discuss ways in which the geoscience community can learn from these and other existing efforts, develop research-informed practice, and share ideas and approaches to increase access to a broad audience of Spanish speakers.

Scientific meetings can be invigorating, promote the exchange of ideas, foster new collaborations, and provide opportunities to reconnect with existing colleagues. However, not all scientists have positive experiences when they attend scientific meetings.