Towards an inclusive conference experience: evaluation of the Education and Outreach Symposium at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2024.

The Microbiology Society Education and Outreach Symposium serves as a platform for microbiology educators to share contemporary practices with an international audience. The Symposium is held yearly during the Microbiology Society's Annual Conference and has become increasingly popular among conference attendees. In an effort to create an inclusive and engaging environment, the 2024 Symposium included contributions from participants at all career stages and from diverse global regions through a variety of presentation formats, including invited talks, offered presentations, flash talks and posters. Cabaret-style seating was used to encourage discussion amongst participants, and digital tools were used for anonymous feedback and questions after each talk to ensure all voices had an opportunity to be heard. Here, we present an analysis of qualitative and quantitative participant responses addressing two key research questions: (1) Did the Symposium foster an inclusive atmosphere for participants across all career stages? and (2) Was the content engaging and relevant to the audience? A post-Symposium questionnaire revealed strong positive feedback, with all 18 respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that the 2024 Symposium was both an inclusive environment and covered interesting topics. Thematic content analysis of free-text responses emphasized a high appreciation for the Symposium's diversity in speakers and topics, an inclusive room layout and an overall welcoming feeling. Feedback from participants, along with the authors' own reflections, will actively feed into planning for the 2025 Symposium.