We can hardly believe it’s been nearly three months since the 2021 Joint Virtual Meeting of the American Ornithological Society and the Society of Canadian Ornithologists-Société des ornithologistes du Canada (AOS & SCO-SOC 2021)! If you missed any sessions or talks that you still want to view, our recorded program will be available through midnight (EST) on Tuesday, 9 November for all registrants*. We invite registrants to log into EventPilot one more time to view the recorded content of the 2021 virtual meeting before access officially closes.
AOS & SCO-SOC 2021 was a resounding success, despite the backdrop of a global pandemic. With nearly 1,300 registrants, the meeting brought together people from more than 50 countries, fully realizing the theme of the meeting, “Birds of Many Feathers Flock Together.” Clearly, virtual platforms are a great way to connect and engage people from around the world. A full and lively program showed that science and scientists can and must keep moving ahead to create a better future.
Here are some conference highlights:
- 513 presentations: 422 oral presentations and 91 posters
- Our featured speakers included J. Drew Lanham, who started us off with poetry; Scott Edwards, who chronicled his journeys through evolutionary biology and across America; Alice Boyle, who spoke to us about her life’s work discovering connections in ecology and with people; Leroy Little Bear, who gave us insights on how indigenous and Western ideals have far-reaching impacts on how we think and what we value.
- The meeting focused on ways to make our community more accessible, inclusive, and diverse. We were introduced to Birdability and learned about how to make the world of birds accessible to everyone, regardless of abilities. A diverse group of early career superstars wowed us with their talents in the early-career symposium. A roundtable discussion on mentorship featured four pioneering Black women—a young academic, a teacher, an activist, and a student moderator—discussing equity and inclusion with honest and eye-opening insights. Attendees considered this the most important event of the conference—a must-watch for everyone!
- Symposia topics ranged from perspectives of birds across ecosystems to their microbiomes. Others focused on issues of diversity and inclusion in conservation.
- The ever-popular Quiz Bowl and Storytelling events were super fun and are still available to watch.
Thank you again for making the 2021 meeting a success!
Join us to make 2022 another eventful meeting!
We are excited to plan our next meeting as a return to in-person conferences in the beautiful destination of Puerto Rico. AOS is partnering with BirdsCaribbean and local hosts, Para La Naturaleza and Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña. We are seeking organizers to join us as we pioneer a new way forward for scientific conferences in this ever-changing world. If you are inspired to contribute to the ornithological community or want to advance our goals of creating a more inclusive, equitable, diverse, and accessible conference, we want to hear from you. Please complete this Google form to let us know if you would like to join an organizing committee or suggest ideas. We welcome input from all our members.
Thank you for being a part of the AOS & SCO-SOC 2021 Virtual Meeting!
-The AOS & SCO-SOC 2021 Virtual Meeting Planning Committee
* NOTE: If you did not register for the “live” meeting but would still like access to the recordings, we are pleased to offer a “Recordings-only” registration option at a discounted rate. Non-registered individuals may purchase access to the recordings by clicking here to register through the AOS Member Portal. ON-DEMAND REGISTRATION DETAILS