Dua Nick, Fyrenius Mattias, Johnson Deborah L, Moos Walter H
Keystone Symposia Silverthorne CO USA.
Bonnier Carlsen Stockholm Sweden.
FASEB Bioadv. 2021 Feb 20;3(6):420-427. doi: 10.1096/fba.2020-00139. eCollection 2021 Jun.
Given the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, life as we knew it has been turned upside down, but the need for science to go on has never been stronger. In the realm of scientific conferences, with the requirement for social distancing, the importance of wearing face coverings, and travel restrictions, only virtual meetings have been possible during the pandemic. But many are asking: What is the new post-pandemic normal likely to be? Do we still want to have in-person meetings when the restrictions are eased? Assuming we do, when will they be possible again, and under what conditions? Regardless of what the benefits of virtual symposia might be, are they here to stay? These questions, and many more that are being asked around the world today, are the subject of this perspective. Herein, we attempt to provide useful context and insight into where scientific meetings have been, where they are today, where they are going, and how they will get there. Our conclusion is that the pandemic has created an accelerated opportunity to make the world of future scientific conferences better in a "both/and" collaborative in-person/virtual scenario, not the more limited "pick one" choice.
鉴于新冠疫情造成的破坏，我们所熟知的生活已被彻底颠覆，但科学继续发展的需求从未如此强烈。在科学会议领域，由于社交距离要求、佩戴口罩的规定以及旅行限制，疫情期间只能举行虚拟会议。但许多人不禁要问：疫情后的新常态可能是什么样？限制放宽后，我们还会希望举行面对面会议吗？假设我们希望如此，何时以及在何种条件下才能再次举行面对面会议？无论虚拟研讨会有哪些好处，它们会就此成为常态吗？当今世界各地正在提出的这些问题以及更多问题，正是这篇观点文章的主题。在此，我们试图提供有用的背景信息，并深入探讨科学会议的过去、现状、未来走向以及实现途径。我们的结论是，疫情创造了一个加速的契机，使得未来科学会议的世界能够在面对面与虚拟相结合的协作场景中变得更好，而不是局限于更有限的“二选一”选择。
