[FOSS4G-Oceania] [Decision needed] What happens to the 2021 conference?

[Trenham, Claire (O&A, Black Mountain)]

Hi all,

Apologies, I’m just a casual by-stander, but as someone who’s deeply involved with “the future of meetings” (see https://thefutureofmeetings.wordpress.com/), I feel like this situation has, perhaps not unexpectedly, come about through not planning FOSS4G-2021 as a “digital-first” conference, but instead been driven by a desire to do face-to-face with just some support for online participation via the hybrid model. If you plan digital-first from the start (not virtual, but where digital support for all attendees is planned to enable broader accessibility), then it’s much easier to pivot to hybrid or fully online. Hybrid is the toughest to plan and implement and most expensive, so unless you’re very confident you can pull off an in-person event, planning for virtual options from the start is pragmatic in the current travel environment.
I’d note even CarpentriesCon for 2022 have already made the call to be online.
Sure, catching up in person is fabulous. But we’re no longer in a world where that can be realistically expected, for so many reasons not just related to travel restrictions, but also funding availability, inclusivity of those with caring responsibilities, and aversion to unnecessary carbon emissions.
I’d encourage the FOSS4G-Oceania organising committee to read the TFOM report<https://zenodo.org/record/4345562#.YWeVFRpBw2x> and give serious consideration to the advantages of a digital-first approach so that disappointment doesn’t recur and a broader range of people are able to participate.

Kind regards,
Claire



Claire Trenham
Experimental Scientist
Oceans & Atmosphere | CSIRO
Climate Science Centre | Sea level, waves, and coastal extremes
Claire.Trenham at csiro.au<mailto:Claire.Trenham at csiro.au> | +61 2 6246 5232
GPO Box 1700, CANBERRA ACT 2601

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From: FOSS4G-Oceania <foss4g-oceania-bounces at lists.osgeo.org> On Behalf Of Edoardo Neerhut
Sent: Thursday, 14 October 2021 12:01 PM
To: foss4g-oceania <foss4g-oceania at lists.osgeo.org>
Cc: Nemaia Koto <nemaia.koto87 at gmail.com>; Elisa Puccioni <elisa at kenex.co.nz>; Rateiti Vaimalie <rateitiv at fisheries.gov.ki>; Ms. Ueakeia Tofinga <ueakeiatofinga at gmail.com>; Steven Haslemore <steven.haslemore at gmail.com>; Adi Luisa Duguivalu <s11135909 at student.usp.ac.fj>; Aliti <dweinbeitaki at gmail.com>; Gander Wainiqolo <gander.wainiqolo at cookislands.gov.ck>; Ratu Isikeli Sawailau <s11175721 at student.usp.ac.fj>; Halva Cenar <Helavacenar at gmail.com>; Merelita Lewabete <lewabete.m at gmail.com>; Jeannane Vika <jeannanevika at ymail.com>; Mohammed Abdullah Bin Shorab <abdullahshorab at hotmail.com>; Tom Czertowicz <tom at kenex.co.nz>; Carrol Chan <carrol.mchan at gmail.com>; Tooa Brown <tooa1996 at gmail.com>; Chayn Sun <Chayn.sun at rmit.edu.au>; Kristina Duguivalu <kduguivalu at gmail.com>; Dawn Hendrick <dawn_hendrick at hotmail.com>; lilian.fierroarcos at utas.edu.au; Sebastian S. <mapping at consebt.de>; Luke Ransfield <luke.ransfield at gmail.com>
Subject: [FOSS4G-Oceania] [Decision needed] What happens to the 2021 conference?

Hi everyone,

Tl;dr: We need to make a collective decision about the 2021 conference.

The conference is less than a month away and we are at a pretty critical juncture. An uncertain COVID situation has caused Auckland to postpone until 2022 and some other hubs are in doubt. Perth looks the most likely to go ahead successfully, but has stated that they will postpone if the COVID situation changes.

While I would be quite disappointed to postpone, I do not want to put together a sub-par conference. I have detailed what I perceive to be our options here under COVID contingency planning<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xcrwLjSF4mlLUv8Rfmt_qBPoZPp2KyKTqXXErN41ydQ/edit>. My personal preference is that we put together a simplified online conference together and regroup in 2022 for an in-person event.

Making a collective decision
Ultimately each hub is entitled to make their own decisions, but for the health of the FOSS4G SotM Oceania brand, I think we should coordinate as best as we can. For the hubs that are unable to run in-person events, we should decide whether we move the conference online or postpone it to a date in 2022. Auckland has already stated that they will postpone.

How do you feel we should proceed? Should hubs that can't meet in-person put together an online format or should we postpone?

Tomorrow's meeting
FOSS4G SotM 2021 Planning
Friday, 15 October · 12:00 – 13:00 AEST
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/rxs-vvpk-rvo
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: ‪339 595 475 9774#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/rxs-vvpk-rvo?pin=3395954759774

Regards,

Ed
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