Our platforms: Whova, Zoom and Remo
For a step-by-step guide to accessing the conference, visit sciencewriters2020.org/platform

Whova will be the gateway to the conference, like a virtual lobby. Once registered (and even before the conference), you will be invited to use the app or website to see who’s coming, view the program, connect with speakers and attendees, set personal meetings, start your own discussion groups, and more. Once the conference starts, you will “enter” every session by connecting from Whova. Whova is offered both as an app and a web-based platform. The best functionality will be found with the app. After the conference, attendees can use Whova to access recorded sessions for up to 6 months.

Each session is labelled with a tag noting the platform that it will be held on. For most sessions, Whova will seamlessly join you with a Zoom webinar or meeting session with the click of a button, a method that makes it easy on you and difficult for Zoomraiders. For Zoom meeting sessions, attendees can use the Zoom within Whova or use the native Zoom app. For Zoom webinars, these will be viewed directly through Whova. Zoom is a platform that many already have a comfort with. In addition, it’s accessible with a screenreader, can have keyboard-only navigation enabled, and users can change their background for reasons of privacy or fun or personal preference. Participants can also choose to use the Rename function in Zoom to indicate pronouns. For full accessibility options on Zoom, please visit zoom.us/accessibility. We will do our best to provide live, machine captioning of sessions held in Zoom, which will be the majority of sessions. We realize that this is not a perfect solution. Sessions that are recorded will be re-captioned as needed before release onto the site for post-session viewing. Zoom offers answers to common troubleshooting questions here..

For other sessions, especially those focused on mentoring or directed networking, you’ll find a link that takes you to Remo. Like Zoom, Remo is a video presentation platform. Unlike Zoom, Remo allows attendees to move around a virtual conference center and talk to others any time there is not a presentation going on. When you join a table or a move to a new table, you are included in a video chat with up to 5 other attendees at the same table. Curious or want to take a tour ahead of time? Read through these quick tips, including a 2 min video on using Remo or just take a quick look a the floor plan. We will not be using all of features. The chat, camera, and mic controls are similar to Zoom’s set up. Two important tips for Remo: Make sure that you are using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or Safari for compatibility and note that if you enter an event once the presentation has started, your mic and camera will be automatically turned off and you will simply see the presentation.

If you have questions about accessibility or wish to request specific accommodations, please write workshops@nasw.org prior to October 1. Every effort will be made to accommodate advance requests and provide reasonable accommodations for meeting events.

Our Commitment

The ScienceWriters meeting is committed to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. NASW and CASW value these principles for how they enrich the science writing profession. Specifically, we work to ensure that the annual ScienceWriters conference is welcoming and supportive by respecting the full spectrum of individual identities of those who participate. We do not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or incivility. We encourage attendees to report any concerns via the guidelines in the conference code of conduct.

1. Session organizers and speakers should reflect the full range of possible voices and expertise. Organizers should strive to build panels and programs that are diverse with regards to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical ability, nationality, age, religious belief, and/or socioeconomic status. Organizers must actively seek to recruit speakers from underrepresented groups. In addition, panels and discussions on issues that affect and/or are informed by the perspectives of underrepresented groups are encouraged.

2. We commit to having a conference venue that is as accessible to, and inclusive of, as many potential attendees as possible. This includes everything from choosing a venue to fine-tuning onsite details. Examples include ensuring that all speakers and questioners use microphones, offering the option to print pronouns on badges, beginning the meeting with a land acknowledgment, and offering childcare and/or nursing rooms. Details are laid out and updated as needed in the tips for session organizers, which should be read and adhered to by all volunteers and staff. Equal care will be given to accessibility of any virtual events.

3. We will deal promptly with reports of harassment, discrimination, or incivility in relation to the annual conference. We will be transparent about how we have dealt with such reports.

4. We will gather metrics on these diversity, equity and inclusion goals and publicly report them after the meeting.

Adopted April 2020 by the boards of the National Association of Science Writers and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing