Post AkbIhtaPCQZJcjWQDY by StephanMatthiesen@troet.cafe
 (DIR) More posts by StephanMatthiesen@troet.cafe
 (DIR) Post #AkbIhlsXr6KDifwnNg by StephanMatthiesen@troet.cafe
       2024-08-03T17:03:39Z
       
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       @steve Well, we autists had always that problem that networking at conferences is almost totally impossible because opportunities are exclusively restricted to "icebreakers", coffee breaks and banquets. Why scientific conferences don't, as a standard, include any of the well-known creative ways of enabling interaction, is really hard to understand.Lot of careers were cut short because conferences don't accommodate this.
       
 (DIR) Post #AkbIhmZ5IwLvqbqlge by robotistry@sciencemastodon.com
       2024-08-03T17:36:25Z
       
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       @StephanMatthiesen @steve I've actually volunteered to be Accessibility Co-Chair for a new conference next year.  What kinds of things should we be considering that would help you?
       
 (DIR) Post #AkbIhn8XB8i1cYR4wS by StephanMatthiesen@troet.cafe
       2024-08-03T17:52:24Z
       
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       @robotistry @steve Big question. First of all, it's a good sign when a conference actually has people thinking about accessibility. That's the first step.It depends on the kind and size of the conference, so it's hard to give a general answer.One suggestion: If you have an icebreaker, organise it with an communication activity, don't just put 200 people in a room with wine (then you'll get groups of friends chatting intensely while the autists hide in the corner).
       
 (DIR) Post #AkbIhooOwxnEoh21q4 by StephanMatthiesen@troet.cafe
       2024-08-03T17:55:17Z
       
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       @robotistry @steve Always have quiet rooms.If possible, reduce the Q&A after the talks or remove them completely (they are *always* dominated by the elderly male white professors), or try different formats like collect written question during the talk and the chair selects who can ask.
       
 (DIR) Post #AkbIhqOx2YcjkL8jRo by StephanMatthiesen@troet.cafe
       2024-08-03T17:57:27Z
       
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       @robotistry @steve Also in poster sessions, create some structure or activity. Could be something like they do in museums where people get a little quiz and have to find information from different posters. Needs some preparation from the session chairs (who presumably have the poster abstracts).
       
 (DIR) Post #AkbIhry5DQJubaaIqW by StephanMatthiesen@troet.cafe
       2024-08-03T17:59:42Z
       
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       @robotistry @steve For conference dinners, I have no good suggestion, I just avoid them like the plague. If you do have one and it's in a restaurant (seated at tables), get people to move (every second person moves three places to the left) after each course, so autists don't get stuck between two old professors.
       
 (DIR) Post #AkbIhtaPCQZJcjWQDY by StephanMatthiesen@troet.cafe
       2024-08-03T18:02:38Z
       
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       @robotistry @steve These are a couple of ideas out of my head that I have done and tried at meetings of up to about 150 people. If you have more freedom and are not fixated on tehe "talk+Q&A+coffee break"-format, have creative sessions where people, for example, work out the main research questions and the main barriers in your field. Put Flipcharts in teh corners with appropriate questions and get people to walk around and discuss these.