Originally published in Québec-Océan's blog on 30 January 2019
Scientific meetings are special occasions where researchers gather to exchange ideas, network, and socialize. For the organizers, it is an opportunity to showcase local culture, such as traditional entertainment and food. At the 12th International Temperate Reefs Symposium (ITRS) held for six days in January this year, delegates were welcomed to Hong Kong by a lion dance, a form of traditional dancing in Chinese culture. This ceremony was followed each day by an abundance of Chinese and Indian foods for lunch, a cultural dinner experience at your choice of international cuisine on the second evening, organized field trips to cultural sites and the seashore, and culminated with a Cantonese-style banquet on the final night. As a Canadian with Hong Kong Chinese ancestry, I was moved by the ample display of pan-Asian culture. It was vibrant and memorable. I never expected that my heritage would be so visible in a professional setting—especially in science. This experience has led me to believe that international scientific meetings serve an important function for scientists, especially early career scientists, promoting a deeper understanding of other cultures. These meetings add value by expanding our worldview and helping us to be more culturally literate. I have no doubt that cultural exposure will make researchers better scientists and better collaborators in the long run. Although cultural exposure is essential for our personal and professional development, building a more inclusive scientific community is, perhaps, more important. During the closing remarks, Professor David Schiel of the University of Canterbury encouraged women to take on more leadership roles in running future editions of the symposium. Associate Professor Peter Todd of the National University of Singapore brought up another topic of discussion about how our culture of drinking alcohol might exclude people during networking sessions and social activities. These expressions of inclusion are few and far between and are urgently needed to ensure that researchers from different backgrounds flourish and feel welcomed at scientific meetings. I hope that future scientific meetings will make everyone feel as welcomed as I felt at ITRS. Kevin Ma is a PhD Candidate at Université Laval and a member of Québec-Océan. His participation at the 12th International Temperate Reefs Symposium in Hong Kong was financially supported by Québec-Océan.
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