Jo Edward Lewis, University of Cambridge, UK

Peter Aldiss, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.120.16

Back in July of this year, we were delighted to chair our first webinar, Circadian Rhythm in Skeletal Muscle: When to Eat and Exercise, as part of the Physiology of Obesity: From Mechanisms to Medicine series, hosted by The Physiological Society.

The webinar series looked to explore the molecular, cellular and neural mechanisms underlying obesity, as well as behavioural aspects, integrating existing knowledge to drive future discovery. It followed successful symposia led by early career researchers (ECRs) at the European Congress on Obesity (in 2018 and 2019), and Experimental Biology (in 2019), cumulating in a 1-day satellite, called Physiology of Obesity and Diabetes (organised together with Lora Heisler, University of Aberdeen, UK and Dan Brayson, University College London, UK), at Physiology 2019.

Our aim throughout has been to run events “for ECRs by ECRs”; invited speakers not only showcased their research but also their career progression, and we aimed to connect the next generation of leaders in the field of obesity research.

Furthermore, ECRs are likely to be disproportionally affected by COVID-19 as they are at a critical juncture in their career; the ability to generate data and publish findings has been hampered, while pressure has not, and this is compounded by short- term contracts. In addition, many institutions have delayed or frozen recruitment, and cancelled fellowships.

In addition, conference organisers and societies have postponed meetings at an unprecedented scale. Whilst we obviously support those decisions, conferences are opportunities to gain recognition for and gather feedback on data, as well as establishing a network of collaborators around the world. This series aimed to be a step towards negating some of these negative impacts.

Here are seven lessons we learned while organising these webinars:

• The hard work started back in May, 3 months before the first webinar: Identifying ECRs at the forefront of obesity research, persuading them to partake during a global pandemic, whilst gauging interest in the series on Twitter and generating a buzz, were the major hurdles when planning a webinar series. Not limiting our focus aided immensely; however, it did mean operating outside our comfort zones, albeit from our favourite armchairs.
• Remember the “two, perhaps one” rule: For every two people who register, perhaps one will attend. Do not be disheartened. Demands on time, unforeseen events, and brain-fog result in 40%-60% of those registering to attend; this is still a win.
• Your audience is now truly international: Remember that running these webinars online also offers an opportunity to engage with an international audience. Attendance is no longer prohibited by registration fees, travel and subsistence. Smaller, more focused meetings can thrive in the online environment.
• Work on the visuals in your slides: An appealing slide deck is key for holding viewers’ attention and therefore disseminating research. Whilst in the conference hall, attention can be laser-like, the same is not true when individuals are dialling in via their computer. When it comes to your slides, a greater emphasis on style is required, whilst maintaining substance.
• Engage with your audience: You are live (and being recorded) – so don’t forget you have an audience despite being in your living room with a bored dog looking on. Remember to ask questions and encourage feedback. Furthermore, if you are an attendee, the question and answer (Q&A) session offers you the opportunity to comment on, upvote and provide insight into others’ questions. This is invaluable. The Q&A sessions of our webinars were lively affairs, perhaps even more so than in a traditional conference.
• Don’t leave anything to chance: Have a pre-meeting call to iron out any technical difficulties. Technical faults lurk in every corner, so have a back-up plan for a dodgy connection. Last-minute issues will arise, so know how to restart your router.
• Remember to consider time-zones and timing: With registrations and attendees from over 40 countries, consider the timing of your webinars and record them for future availability where possible. Advertised as 1-hour webinars, we kept to this (more or less) and then continued the conversation on social media, to make sure people could keep to their schedules.

Ultimately, this webinar series was fun and rewarding. And its success was entirely dependent upon the speakers and those who did the work behind the scenes. Special thanks go to those speakers, and to Caitlin Oates, Events and Marketing Officer at The Society.