Making conference practices more sustainable: Researchers’ expectations and differences across individual characteristics and conference formats

Increasing calls for sustainable research practices highlight the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and inequities of conference air travel. Understanding researchers’ motivations for attending conferences is essential for promoting sustainable practices, yet existing studies are limited and often overlook differences across the research community. Based on a survey of researchers from diverse disciplines, career stages, and countries, we examine conference expectations and how these vary by format and individual characteristics. Results show networking is universally valued, while other expectations, such as acquiring general information, were shaped by personal and contextual factors. Conference format had little impact on expectations, except virtual attendees had lower networking expectations, highlighting the potential of virtual and hybrid formats. These findings underscore the need for diversified, targeted conference designs that accommodate researchers’ diverse needs. By addressing these variations, this study informs the development of sustainable conferences that meet the evolving needs of the research community.