Big Issues in Science

SUSTAINABILITY ○ OPEN SCIENCE ○ MENTAL HEALTH   

The Big Issues conference seeks to bring together persons from across the globe to discuss three topics that are of relevance to scientists regardless of background, geographical location, or field of enquiry. These issues: Sustainable Science, Open Science, and Mental Health, are increasingly pressing, and we aim to provide a forum to discuss their nature and potential solutions to the problems they pose.  

The conference will be made up of three one-day sessions taking place in September 2021. The conference is entirely digital, with much of the material pre-recorded to allow for enhanced accessibility.  

Sessions

Sustainability in Science (Wednesday September 15^th)  focuses on the impact scientific work has on the environment. Plastic waste, energy use, fieldwork – they all have a significant impact. This session will focus on changes that can mitigate the negative impacts of science on the environment. These may be small shifts in everyday practice, or through the establishment of larger, institution-wide changes in policy.  

Open Science (Wednesday September 22^nd)  concerns the ways in which scientists today share knowledge and expertise. Whether this is through open access publication, non-standard publication strategies, software sharing, online data archives, or something else, open science promises to change the way research is done. This session will consider both the practical ways in which science may become more open, along with theoretical, ethical, and methodological issues that may arise.  

Mental Health (Wednesday September 29^th) has increasingly been recognised as a significant issue facing many persons working in or adjacent to the sciences. Financial, professional, and personal stressors lead to an increased incidence in mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and low self esteem. This session will examine the origins of the problem, its global spread, the ways in which scientists can support themselves, and  how individuals, teams, and institutions can lend support to others in need.  

Submission Procedures

Full instructions regarding the submission process can be found on the website:

https://scientistmuseum.org/bigissues/call-for-submissions/  

We highly encourage submissions from underrepresented voices, and actively welcome submissions from students and early career researchers. Please contact us if you  have any questions. 

Deadline

Friday 7^th of May 2021 Midnight (GMT)