Inclusion & accessibility

By bringing together scientists in the fields of computational biology and bioinformatics, [BC]2 also allows the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion. 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. Several actions were undertaken to ensure that [BC]2 is open to all researchers independent of their nationality, condition, career stage or gender and that equal opportunity is provided in our committees, among the speakers, and for participants at large.

If you have specific needs that are not addressed by the following commitments, please let us know through the registration process 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.
  • Opportunities for PhD and early-career scientists: the conference offers engaging activities and mentorship sessions led by invited speakers.
  • Using inclusive language, avoiding stereotypes, and addressing people by their preferred pronouns (indicated on the badge).
  • Addressing issues and conflicts in a respectful manner.
  • Childcare support and facilities: available on request. If needed, we will put you in touch with a nanny and provide a dedicated room. Please note that the contract will be arranged directly between the parent and the babysitter, and responsibility remains with the parent.
  • Lactation / nursing room: a room is available upon request at the congress centre reception.
  • Catering that accounts for dietary needs, as much as possible. A specific table is made available for specific dietary needs.

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.

[BC]2 will publish post-meeting statistics on the gender and backgrounds of the attendees. Your feedback on the different aspects of the conference, including diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity, will be sought in the post-conference survey: let us know your thoughts to help us improve future meetings! 

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.

Here are some of the key efforts undertaken:

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

To support individual needs, we can arrange the following:

  • Quiet rooms available upon request
  • An accessibility plug-in on the website for better online navigation
  • A dedicated volunteer to provide personal assistance during the event (available upon prior request)


If you require specific assistance or arrangements, please let us know at least 30 days before the start of the conference. Requests received after this deadline will be considered, but we may not be able to guarantee optimal support.