Conference: MEE Hubs: A hybrid conference in microbial ecology and evolution

Recent years have seen an increased integration of ecology and evolution in the understanding of microbial populations and communities. For instance application and development of population genetic models allows investigation of the evolution of microbes in the host, and the ways in which spatial dynamics can shape evolutionary change. Increased integration physiological theories with ecology also increases predictability of microbial community assembly and function. These current advances make it clear that it is important to foster interdisciplinary interactions in understanding microbiomes. Conferences can play a central role in this type of fostering. However, travel costs, both monetary and environmental, are a barrier to increased conference participation. This conference will integrate microbiology, evolutionary ecology, physics, and mathematics, driving innovation in fundamental and applied questions. This conference will explore a novel mechanism for conferences that will allow the benefits of in person meetings while retaining the global networking available through virtual meetings. The project will develop a more sustainable model of conferences in the future and will promote the organizing similar conferences in other fields. Decreased cost will foster increased participation of a scientifically and demographically diverse set of participants. Virtual conferences as a result of the pandemic have provided an alternative to in person conferences that is more sustainable and accessible, but lack important aspects of in person encounters with colleagues. As a solution this conference will explore a hub-based conference model in microbial ecology and evolution. This entire conference will consist of six hubs meeting on the same day and interacting across four countries (USA, Mexico, UK, Switzerland). Each of the hubs will highlighting cutting-edge microbial ecology and evolution from a highly interdisciplinary perspective. This funding will support 3 USA based hubs, including awards to promote travel of students from historically underrepresented minorities in STEM. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.