IGEN Event Policies

Code of Conduct

The Inclusive Graduate Education Network (IGEN) exists to create a more equitable future for the physical sciences, and an inclusive climate is a foundation of that future. As we gather for meetings, we are committed to holding ourselves and each other accountable to standards of respectful behavior that enable full engagement, productive connections, and learning. Therefore, it is IGEN’s policy that all participants, including attendees, vendors, IGEN project members, volunteers, and all other stakeholders at IGEN events will conduct themselves in a professional manner that is welcoming to all participants and free from any form of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. 

Expected Behaviors 

  • Provide your true professional identity (name), affiliation, and, where appropriate, contact information, at registration, and during attendance and participatory sessions, as required.
  • Respect copying and use of presented materials and ideas as indicated by IGEN’s Guidelines on Photography and Social Media, including knowing when you may need to obtain permission regarding copying materials. 
  • Respect the rules and policies of the meeting venue, hotels, IGEN contracted facility, online platform, or any other venue.
  • Be Accountable: When we as organizers or participants fail to meet these guidelines, work together to identify problems and adjust policy and practice together.

Unacceptable Behaviors

  • Promoting or participating in harassment, bullying, discrimination, stalking or intimidation on-site, online, and/or on social media.
    • Harassment includes but is not limited to inappropriate or intimidating behavior and language, unwelcome jokes or comments, unwanted touching or attention, inappropriate or offensive images, photography without permission.
  • Verbal, written, or other forms of abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, staff member, service provider, or other guest.
    • Examples of abuse include, but are not limited to verbal comments related to age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, political affiliation, ability status, educational background, or any other characteristic protected by law.
  • Use of social or mainstream media to target individual actions of participants in a way that could harm their privacy or professional status or open them to slander or libel. IGEN attendees should be aware that IGEN staff and designates monitor and moderate attendee posts mentioning IGEN and using hashtags associated with a meeting. 
  • Criminal offenses.

Consequences and reporting unacceptable behavior

Violations of this code of conduct should be reported to meeting organizers, IGEN staff and project members, or the IGEN event coordinator. In addition, it is our hope that attendees of meetings who observe harassment, bullying, or other unacceptable behavior will feel empowered enough to address it in-meeting, assuming that it is safe to do so. We will protect individuals with the courage to report and/or intervene. Retaliation for reports of inappropriate conduct will not be tolerated. Anyone requested to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Anyone violating the Code of Conduct may be removed from the current meeting. Egregious behavior may result in bans from future IGEN meetings. Inappropriate use of social media may result in posts being blocked or other consequences. IGEN reserves the right to pursue additional measures as it determines appropriate.   

Social Media and Photography

About the Guidelines

The IGEN Meetings Code of Conduct provides overall guidance for all meeting attendees and participants who participate in any sanctioned event. However, IGEN has specific guidelines for the use of social media and photography at all IGEN or IGEN Alliance planned meetings. We ask all meeting participants to follow the guidelines outlined below.

Photography/Screen capture permission

Permission is understood to be granted unless the following conditions apply:

  • The presenter has affixed a “no photo” image provided by IGEN to the poster or presentation; or their own “no photo” image or language.
  • The presenter, and/or the convener on behalf of the presenter, explicitly states to the audience their preference for no photographs.

Due to the fact that attendees often come in and out of the room during sessions, IGEN recommends that presenters affix the “no photos” image provided by IGEN on all slides to ensure that attendees are aware of the presenter’s preference.

Limits to audio and video recording

Audio and video recording by individuals for personal use and for social media use is allowed only at designated spaces throughout the meeting, including in virtual meetings. Audio and video recording can be disruptive to the presentation and the attendees, and in addition, there are legal considerations that preclude attendees from making recordings.

The following guidelines apply to audio/video recording:

  1. Recording of all sessions, named or public lectures, town halls, plenaries and keynotes is not allowed for personal, social media, or any other use.
  2. Be respectful and considerate of others. 
  3. Do not record individuals under 18 years of age in any setting without permission of their parent or guardian. If in doubt, ask.
  4. IGEN meeting team members who capture content from selected sessions, lectures, keynotes and town halls are excluded from this prohibition.

Social media guidelines and best practices

We welcome social media use at IGEN meetings, including live tweeting. Use includes all settings (real and virtual) such as exhibit areas, networking spaces and receptions, and scientific settings such as oral and poster sessions, lectures, keynotes, and town halls.

In particular, we ask social media users to adhere to the following:

  1. Use the appropriate meeting hashtag, e.g. #IGEN21 for IGEN 2021 National Meeting
  2. Employ commonly used hashtags that relate to the content to increase engagement.
  3. Treat all participants, attendees, staff, and vendors with respect and consideration, valuing a diversity of views and opinions.
  4. Be respectful and collaborative; communicate openly and with respect for others, critiquing ideas rather than individuals.
  5. Avoid personal attacks directed toward other attendees, participants, IGEN meeting team membersstaff, and suppliers/vendors.
  6. Credit (identify) presenters by name.
  7. Do not take or share photographs of individuals under 18 on social media without explicit verbal or written permission of a parent or guardian.
  • Download IGEN Guidelines for Social Media and Photography