#FEMSmicroBlog: Showcase your research at the global World Microbe Forum

11-03-2021

With the whole science world being active online, the two biggest microbiology events decided to merge and form one global event: the World Microbe Forum. Abstract submissions to speak at the meeting are now open so you can connect with the buzzing microbiology community. Here, Sarah Wettstadt highlights the advantages that you will gain from presenting your latest research at this major event. #FEMSmicroBlog #FEMSevents

 Have you been missing the buzz of international conferences? Events at which you talk microbe all day? Impressing with and being impressed by cutting-edge research?

Glad to tell you that these days are back!

FEMS and ASM decided to use the virtual environment that the pandemic brought. The World Microbe Forum is happening from 20th to the 24th of June and submission is now open for your research abstract. Additional scientific societies, including the American Society for Virology (ASV), African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), and the Microbiological Society of Korea (MSK) will be key partners in this event.

Yes, we know it is difficult to plan anything in these crazy times. Putting the World Microbe Forum into your calendar will help you push through this long-lasting and dark winter and get your hopes up for sunnier and happier days. So, make sure to submit your abstract by the 18th of March to showcase your latest research and connect with your scientific fellows.

Connecting with the global microbiology community

Just like microbes, the microbial science community knows no borders. It has probably been a year that you only talked to your fellow lab members about your exciting experiments. Hence, by presenting at the World Microbe Forum you can tell the global microbiology community about your results and get some fresh thoughts on your experiments.
 

While both microbes and scientific research thrive with connections and community, for the scientific community this has been extremely difficult during the past year. Therefore, the World Microbe Forum aims to make networking easy: you can participate live, through chats, or contact fellow participants via email. You can pick the communication channel that suits you best – no quorum sensing needed.

Because scientific research thrives with connections and community, the World Microbe Forum aims to make networking easy.

Also, you don’t have to guess; participants who want to discuss a certain topic can easily add this to their profile. This saves you the effort of reading a badge and hoping that the person next to you shares any interest with you.

The World Microbe Forum platform will also give you the chance to finally talk to this one researcher you always wanted to chat with but was sitting on the other side of the world. The interactive sessions at the World Microbe Forum allow you to video chat and message speakers so you can pose questions, offer comments and feedback during or after each presentation.

Working on your professional development

Everybody talks about how important science communication is for researchers. By registering for the World Microbe Forum, you will get access to courses on professional development, science communication, and outreach. Maybe you want to bring your engagement to the next level – in that case, follow sessions on how to get involved with the International Microorganism Day to spread the microbial love!
 

You can even use the forum to have your next boss find you! Instead of you having to look for open research positions, maybe one PI from your field will follow your presentation and decide to reach out to you because they think you and your expertise could fit into their group. You don’t want to miss that chance.

 

All this while being comfortable on your sofa

As an Early-Career Scientist, it might have been difficult for your budget in the past years to attend both the FEMS and the ASM meeting. Maybe you had to pick one out of these two events to accommodate your budget. Fortunately, combining both meetings into one saves you those always dreaded conference attendance costs and lets you order more agarose.
 
Also, with the World Microbe Forum completely happening online, you won’t suffer any travel, visa or childcare costs. This not only saves your budget for this year but also all the stress that comes with traveling and taking care of your kids.
 
Plus, do you remember what conference jetlag feels like or having to get up in the middle of the night to follow a live online session? Worry not! All presentations and seminars from the World Microbe Forum will be recorded and accessible to watch later.
 
Like this, you can follow the presentation of your favourite speaker at the time that suits you and your daily routine. And all this while sitting on your sofa with the cat in your lap.
 

 

About the author of this blog

Dr Sarah Wettstadt is a microbiologist-turned science writer and communicator working on various outreach projects and helping researchers talk and write about their scientific results. Her overall vision is to empower through learning: she shares scientific knowledge with both scientists and non-scientists and coaches scientists in writing about their research. Sarah is blog commissioner for the FEMSmicroBlog and was a social media editor for FEMS for 1.5 years. Previous to her science communication career, she worked as a postdoc in Marían Llamas’ lab on Pseudomonas aeruginosa’s ability to use heterologous iron sources and completed her PhD with Alain Filloux investigating the type 6 secretion system in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

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