The changing face of scientific conferences : face to face, online or a hybrid model?

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented novel challenges in all aspects of life. The arena of scientific conferences was no exception. Such meetings were forced to move to online platforms as face-to-face events were not permitted to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an urgent need to maximize communication between members of the scientific community to share knowledge and insights into the quickly evolving emergency.1 Currently, many scientific conferences and meetings are returning to face-to-face events, but many are now combining these with an online option, called a hybrid format. There are pros and cons to each format, and in this editorial, we explore the advantages and disadvantages of face-to-face, online and hybrid scientific conferences. [Excerpt]