Inclusion & accessibility

In collaboration with the SIB Diversity focus group, we are committed to hosting inclusive and accessible events that allow everyone, including individuals with disabilities, to participate fully.

If you have specific needs that are not addressed by the following commitments, please let us know through the registration process (opening in March) or by emailing us.

Inclusion, diversity and equality

At the [BC]2 Conference, we are committed to  promoting diversity and equality, supporting a safe and respectful environment. 

Here are the key efforts undertaken:

  • Gender-balanced scientific committees: ensuring a good balance in our committees with a focus on gender diversity.
  • Fair abstract selection process: transparent reviews, including blind assessments for all abstracts.
  • Using inclusive language, avoiding stereotypes, and addressing people by their preferred pronouns.
  • Addressing issues and conflicts in a respectful manner.
  • Virtual participation: reduced-cost options enable scientists outside Europe to join [BC]2 remotely to avoid travelling by plane.
  • Opportunities for PhD and early-career scientists: the conference offers engaging activities and mentorship sessions led by invited speakers.
  • Childcare support and facilities: dedicated nanny services and parent-friendly amenities at the conference centre.
  • Catering that accounts for dietary needs, as much as possible. A specific table is made available for specific dietary needs.
  • Lactation / nursing room: a room is available upon request at the congress centre reception.

Together, let's create a respectful and open-minded conference.

Encouraging women to take the stage at our conferences

Research shows that women are consistently underrepresented as speakers at academic conferences, and all-male panels remain common across disciplines1–4. Women also ask fewer questions at seminars5–8 and may decline speaking invitations more often2, partly due to internal and structural factors like self-doubt, risk aversion, or gender stereotypes9. Visibility at conferences is critical for career development, and we encourage women to submit their work to [BC]2 to help address these disparities.

Find in this document a compilation of research articles with quotes showing that women are underrepresented as speakers at academic conferences.

1. Arora, A. et al. Proportion of female speakers at academic medical conferences across multiple specialties and regions. JAMA Netw. Open 3, e2018127 (2020).

2. Schroeder, J. et al. Fewer invited talks by women in evolutionary biology symposia. J. Evol. Biol. 26, 2063–2069 (2013).

3. Vivekanantha, P. et al. Gender representation in major Orthopaedic Surgery meetings: A quantitative analysis: A quantitative analysis. JB JS Open Access 8, e23.00067 (2023).

4. Sleeman, K. E., Koffman, J. & Higginson, I. J. Leaky pipeline, gender bias, self-selection or all three? A quantitative analysis of gender balance at an international palliative care research conference. BMJ Support. Palliat. Care 9, 146–148 (2019).

5. Hinsley, A., Sutherland, W. J. & Johnston, A. Men ask more questions than women at a scientific conference. PLoS One 12, e0185534 (2017).

6. Käfer, J. et al. Progress and prospects in gender visibility at SMBE annual meetings. Genome Biol. Evol. 10, 901–908 (2018).

7. Carter, A. J., Croft, A., Lukas, D. & Sandstrom, G. M. Women’s visibility in academic seminars: Women ask fewer questions than men. PLoS One 13, e0202743 (2018).

8. Winking, J., Hopkins, A. L., Yeoman, M. & Arcak, C. M-AAA-nsplaining: Gender bias in questions asked at the American Anthropological Association’s Annual Meetings. PLOS ONE 14, e0207691 (2019).

9. Monteiro, S., Chan, T. M. & Kahlke, R. His opportunity, her burden: A narrative critical review of why women decline academic opportunities. Med. Educ. 57, 958–970 (2023).

10. Arnold, C. Countering gender bias at conferences. American Association for the Advancement of Science https://www.science.org/content/article/countering-gender-bias-conferences (2021).

11. Isbell, L. A., Young, T. P. & Harcourt, A. H. Stag parties linger: continued gender bias in a female-rich scientific discipline. PLoS One 7, e49682 (2012).

12. Casadevall, A. & Handelsman, J. The presence of female conveners correlates with a higher proportion of female speakers at scientific symposia. MBio 5, e00846-13 (2014).

13. Sardelis, S. & Drew, J. A. Not “pulling up the ladder”: Women who organize conference symposia provide greater opportunities for women to speak at conservation conferences. PLoS One 11, e0160015 (2016).

14. Sardelis, S., Oester, S. & Liboiron, M. Ten strategies to reduce gender inequality at scientific conferences. Front. Mar. Sci. 4, 267120 (2017).

15. Tulloch, A. I. T. Improving sex and gender identity equity and inclusion at conservation and ecology conferences. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 4, 1311–1320 (2020).

16. Oswald, A.-M. M. & Ostojic, S. Curating more diverse scientific conferences. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 21, 589–590 (2020).

Accessibility and mobility

At SIB, we strive to create accessible spaces, provide inclusive services, and ensure information is available to people with disabilities during the [BC]2 conference.

All sessions and event spaces are made accessible to individuals with reduced mobility. 

Here are some of the key efforts undertaken:

  • Elevators are clearly marked to provide access to the 2nd and 3rd floors.
  • A ramp is available for presenters to access the stage.
  • Printed programmes can be requested at the registration desk.


For details on the congress centre’s accessibility, please refer to this link.