The Future of Meetings
banner
futuremeetings.bsky.social
The Future of Meetings
@futuremeetings.bsky.social
Evolving from an online CSIRO symposium in 2020, we are continuing to explore a more accessible, inclusive and sustainable future of meetings - join us! #TFOM
We would love to hear your thoughts and what you might be interested in for this series! Please use this form to send us an EOI with your input 🙌 #TFOM5YL

🔗 Link: forms.gle/BUm3Dyu3DuB5...
#TFOM5YL Future: EOI Form
As we reflect on lessons learned from the past five years, we're also looking to the future with a goal of focusing TFOM efforts on where we can have the most positive impact. In 2026, we are hoping...
forms.gle
September 17, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Our aim is to bring an interested #community together online, framed around exploring best practice for online interaction and experimenting with new #technologies / approaches to facilitate this 💡 We also plan for it to be #VR first, to maximise immersion and engagement opportunities 🌏 #TFOM5YL
September 17, 2025 at 2:49 PM
8) @walkaboutminigolf.bsky.social
🔗 www.mightycoconut.com/minigolf

If there was any single #VR app with the highest chance of convincing people of the value of immersive social, it’s #WMG. There's so much #TFOM love for this amazing game, both for fun and for true distributed connection! #TFOM5YL
Walkabout Mini Golf — Mighty Coconut
www.mightycoconut.com
September 16, 2025 at 3:35 PM
7) SciConf 📜
🔗 vu.nl/en/about-vu/...

SciConf was a project by European historians: “The Scientific Conference: A Social, Cultural, and Political History” - examining evolution of the scientific conference in the 20th century. It was interesting how, in some ways, very little has changed! #TFOM5YL
The Scientific Conference: A Social, Cultural, and Political History - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
International conferences are standard features of scientific life today. This project investigates the popularity and functions of scientific conferences.
vu.nl
September 16, 2025 at 3:33 PM
6) ETH Zürich Air Travel project ✈️
🔗 ethz.ch/en/the-eth-z...
📖 www.research-collection.ethz.ch/entities/pub...

We contributed to Ariane Wenger’s research in academic conference travel, linked to the ETH Air Travel project which aims to reduce travel as part of sustainability efforts #TFOM5YL
Air Travel Project
The Air Travel Project of ETH Zurich motivates affiliates to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions from work-related air travel in a participatory, evidence-based and solution-oriented approach.
ethz.ch
September 16, 2025 at 3:31 PM
5) IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach/Education 🌌
🔗 iauoutreach.org
🔗 astro4edu.org

@iauoutreach.bsky.social and @astro4edu.bsky.social are offices of the #IAU focused on #outreach and #education. We collaborated on a #virtual gallery in #Spatial to showcase winning astrophotography! #TFOM5YL
IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach
The International Astronomical Union's Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) connects the science and discoveries of astronomy with people worldwide. Through global outreach programs and its National Ou...
iauoutreach.org
September 16, 2025 at 3:30 PM
4) IAU Office of Astronomy for Development 🗺️
🔗 astro4dev.org

@astro4dev.bsky.social is an office of the International Astronomical Union dedicated to how #astronomy can help make the world a better place. We worked with them on @astronomy2024.bsky.social! #TFOM5YL
Home page - IAU Office of Astronomy for Development
The Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) aims to further the use of astronomy as a tool for sustainable development globally.
astro4dev.org
September 16, 2025 at 3:28 PM
3) The University of Queensland EECS HCC 🧑‍🎓
🔗 eecs.uq.edu.au/human-centre...

It’s been great collaborating with researchers from Human-Centred Computing! We’ve co-supervised students together and contributed project briefs in #TFOM and #astronomy themes @mashhuda.bsky.social #TFOM5YL
Human-Centred Computing - School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science - University of Queensland
eecs.uq.edu.au
September 16, 2025 at 3:26 PM
2) A4E: Gokus et al. 2024 📈
📖 academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...

We contributed to this #A4E paper led by @agokus.bsky.social, which analysed #travel emissions from 2019 #astronomy #conferences. Figure 7 shows that those at #conferences are overwhelmingly from countries with a high #HDI ✈️ #TFOM5YL
Astronomy’s climate emissions: Global travel to scientific meetings in 2019
Abstract. Travel to academic conferences—where international flights are the norm—is responsible for a sizeable fraction of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissi
academic.oup.com
September 16, 2025 at 3:24 PM
1) Astronomers for Planet Earth 🌏
🔗 a4e.org

@a4e.org is a non-profit dedicated to addressing the #climate crisis from the #astronomy perspective. Since #travel is a large component of many people’s carbon footprints, we’ve collaborated on themes of #online and #hybrid conferences/meetings #TFOM5YL
Astronomers for Planet Earth (A4E). A global movement.
Astronomers for Planet Earth (A4E) unites astronomers working globally to address the climate crisis from an astronomical perspective.
a4e.org
September 16, 2025 at 3:22 PM
13) TFOM community 💚💙💜
We have stayed together as an active community of practice consisting of passionate volunteers across the globe, with a key interest in the benefits of #immersive #technology for effective #online #collaboration - get in touch if you would like to connect with us! 💬 #TFOM5YL
September 15, 2025 at 9:31 AM
12) #IAU GA 2024:
📖 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
📖 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

We helped lead the technical execution of the first fully #hybrid General Assembly for the #IAU, @astronomy2024.bsky.social, showcasing affordable hybrid and our dedicated efforts for online attendees 🇿🇦 #TFOM5YL
Accessible hybrid conferences are possible and affordable at large scale - Nature Astronomy
In August 2024, the International Astronomical Union General Assembly was held for the first time on the African continent, as a fully hybrid and open-access conference. This opportunity to approach s...
www.nature.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:29 AM
11) #ASA 2024:
📖 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

We helped to run the first online-first Annual Science Meeting for the @astrosocaus.bsky.social, building a completely #immersive and cross-platform venue and reflecting on the continuing barriers to meaningful online participation 💻 #TFOM5YL
The main barriers to distributed interaction are not technological - Nature Astronomy
For the first time in 2024, the Astronomical Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting was held as an online-first conference, incorporating unprecedented use of immersive spatial venues. This Co...
www.nature.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:29 AM
10) Climate Change For #Astronomers:
📖 iopscience.iop.org/book/edit/97...

#TFOM contributed a chapter to the #CCfA book edited by Travis Rector, reflecting on the history of #meetings, addressing common concerns about #online and #hybrid, presenting case studies and looking to the future 🌅 #TFOM5YL
Radware Bot Manager Captcha
To ensure we keep this website safe, please can you confirm you are a human by ticking the box below.
iopscience.iop.org
September 15, 2025 at 9:28 AM
9) #ASKAP #VR exhibit:
📖 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
📖 capjournal.org/articles/300...

We built a custom VR space to display @CSIRO Australian SKA Pathfinder telescope #science and #technology, sharing at three in-person exhibitions and #online to demonstrate #BeyondBeingThere 📡 #TFOM5YL
Going beyond being there to bring astronomy to the world - Nature Astronomy
The traditional conference format has been with us for more than a century, and yet the contemporary version remains similar in many ways. Can emerging technologies enable conferencing to evolve? The ...
www.nature.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:27 AM
8) #S4PG 2022:
📖 s4pg.tfom.org

Spinning off from a Theo Murphy Initiative workshop on “Science for the Public Good”, we ran a dedicated series of S4PG-focused events in #AltspaceVR ⚛️ #TFOM5YL
S4PG x TFOM – A series exploring science for the public good
s4pg.tfom.org
September 15, 2025 at 9:27 AM
7) Hybrid meetings in 2022:
📖 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

We reflected on the state of #hybrid meetings in 2022, as the world adjusted to a new era following the height of the pandemic, using a particular week in #astronomy as a case study 📰 #TFOM5YL
Around the hybrid conference world in the COVID-19 era - Nature Astronomy
In-person and online conferences each have their benefits, with hybrid conferences intended to blend the best of both worlds. But do hybrid conferences fulfil the promise? Fifteen attendees across thr...
www.nature.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:26 AM
6) IR 2022:
📖 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

We collaborated with the organisers of the online #IR2022 conference, building an immersive space in #AltspaceVR featuring talks, posters and social interaction 🛰️ #TFOM5YL
IR 2022: An infrared-bright future for ground-based IR observatories in the era of JWST - Nature Astronomy
Shortly after the James Webb Space Telescope launched into space, the IR 2022 conference convened to identify and explore synergies between ground-based and space-based infrared observations.
www.nature.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:26 AM
5) #ICWIP 2021:
📖 pubs.aip.org/aip/acp/arti...

#TFOM oversaw the technical execution of the #IUPAP @iupaphysicswomen.bsky.social conference for women in physics, working with organisers to transform it into an impactful online-only meeting for physicists around the world 🌍🌎🌏 #TFOM5YL
Digitally architecting ICWIP 2021—Bringing women physicists together virtually
After three years in the planning, the 7th International Conference on Women in Physics (ICWIP 2020), intended to be held in Melbourne, Australia, had to be pos
pubs.aip.org
September 15, 2025 at 9:25 AM
4) 2WAI 2021:
📖 www.astroscu.unam.mx/rmaa/RMxAC.....

We took part in the #2WAI workshop focusing on #accessibility in #astronomy, presenting a view of #TFOM with specific addressing of today, tomorrow, future in the context of more accessible academic collaboration 👐 #TFOM5YL
www.astroscu.unam.mx
September 15, 2025 at 9:24 AM
3) Science Pathways 2021:
📖 www.science.org.au/news-and-eve...

#TFOM collaborated with the #EMCRForum on #SP21, designing a meeting that was a blend of in-person, hybrid and online-only modes to suit the different needs of the Australian early and mid-career researcher community 💡 #TFOM5YL
Science Pathways 2021: Looking towards a sustainable future
Vanessa Moss (she/her), Dharug Country Mohammad Taha (they/them), Wurundjeri Country @cosmicpudding @TahaSciencing
www.science.org.au
September 15, 2025 at 9:24 AM