Science at the Interface is committed to providing a safe, productive and welcoming environment for all participants. The symposium provides an excellent opportunity for members and meeting attendees to connect, learn and expand their careers and networks. At all times, meeting attendees, volunteers and staff should act in accordance with the present Code of Conduct, dedicating themselves to the highest standards of personal honour and professional integrity, and accepting and defending the primacy of public well-being.
We all play a role in fostering a positive environment of trust, respect, open communication and ethical behaviour. As such, we urge all our participants to:
Being respectful of all individuals involved in the meeting including attendees, volunteers, management, and coordinators.
Being respectful of rules and policies of the meeting.
Making every effort to be professional, considerate, and collaborative.
Being conscious of critiquing ideas, not individuals.
Being respectful of each other in conversation, during oral and poster presentations, and during group and social events.
Accepting that disruptive, harassing or other inappropriate statements or behaviour toward an individual is unacceptable.
Not engaging in unacceptable behaviour*.
*Examples of unacceptable behaviour:
Disruption or obstruction of any meeting activity or social events.
Physical or verbal harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination in any form, or abuse of any attendee.
Intimidation, threats or coercion.
Knowingly creating a condition that threatens or endangers any person.
Conduct that is, or is reasonably seen to be, humiliating or demeaning to another person.
Aiding or encouraging others to act in a manner prohibited under these guidelines.
Verbal comments based on gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance and dress, body size, socioeconomic status, education background, marital status, and personal characteristics protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (race, religion, national origin); inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations; threatening, stalking, and harassing of any attendee at the event or meeting, including speakers, volunteers, staff, service providers, and guests; unwelcome sexual advances; requests for sexual favours; and harassment intended and communicated in a joking manner.
In addition, participants are asked to adhere to the following rules:
The recording or transmissions of any education sessions, presentations, demos, videos, or content in any format is prohibited.
Disruption of presentations during sessions, in the exhibit hall, poster session or at other events organized throughout the meeting. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator.
Any direct selling of products/services offered by speakers, industry partners, or consultants in any public area is prohibited. Many of the engagement conversations are based around knowledge and expertise and are not categorized as a direct sales pitch. Selling must be conducted during mutually agreed upon private conversations.
We reserve the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior.
If you believe someone is violating the code of conduct, please contact any of the conference organizers or volunteers. All reports will be kept confidential.