The Rapid Virtualization of Complex Meetings During the Onset of COVID-19

Abstract:

During the spring of 2020, the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) faced the abrupt challenge of rapidly virtualizing meetings that had traditionally relied on face-to-face interaction. Although ARCUS has an extensive history of producing virtual events, the unique circumstances involved and the rapid, dynamic transitions required were far from routine. These complex events included the 2020 PolarTREC Orientation, a training for educators, and the first National Science Foundation Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) Investigators Meeting. These two events brought together many geographically-distributed participants interested in or engaged with Arctic and Antarctic research. Working within small teams, ARCUS adapted many elements of in-person meetings and created new collaboration methods uniquely possible in a virtual format. Using Zoom as our primary meeting platform, we also utilized Youtube Livestreams and pre-recorded playlists, living Google Drive documents, and more. Participants were both assigned and self-selected into dynamic breakout rooms which took the place of small group activities. We consistently reinforced the need for active participation. In this presentation, we will share lessons learned and discuss the pros and cons of conducting virtual training and meetings. In particular, we will explore how the structure of virtual meetings impacts non-verbal communication, adds technical complexity, and creates issues of access and inclusion. We will also share insights on how we plan to improve future virtual events.