Researcher to Reader is planning to go ahead on 23-24 February 2021 with a hybrid Conference, offering the full R2R experience both at our London venue and online.  We can’t know what the coronavirus situation will be like in February, so we are planning for a great Conference, but with maximum flexibility for how the R2R community can participate. Delegates will be able to register from mid October, but without having to choose in advance whether they will attend physically or virtually.

Key to the success of R2R is the interactive conversation that we facilitate for all members of the scholarly communications community. We will continue to do this at our hybrid event. We will, as usual, offer our collaborative workshops, lively Q&A sessions, engaging debate and productive networking. Our aim is that both online and physical participants will enjoy the full ‘R2R experience’ during an engaging and immersive two-day event. 

This will be achieved through continuing the high standards we have delivered over the past five years. Researcher to Reader is noted for excellent administration, robust time-keeping, intense programme curation, and focus on participation, so we can be trusted to deliver in a hybrid world. The Conference will be supported by a web-based ‘event platform’, which will help the participants to engage fully with all aspects of the programme, including support for live Q&A and hybrid networking. We will also have a professional audio-visual production team, who will ensure that multi-way communications are highly effective. This will be supported by our experienced facilitators, who will be encouraging full engagement for all participants. We are investing heavily to ensure that everyone gets a really rich and valuable experience.

Our programme is currently being finalised, following an overwhelming response (in both quantity and quality) to our call for papers over the summer.  Topics to be covered will probably include: preprints, diversity, Plan S, research policy in China, transformative agreements, OA books, research integrity and much more.  

Our lively multi-format timetable is likely to be supplemented by interviews, lightning-talks and poster sessions – new ways to communicate which are designed to be particularly engaging for online participants.  We will also be trimming the duration of some items on the programme, in recognition of the challenges of online concentration.

R2R 2021 is going to be a real conference – but available to everyone, whatever travel concerns or restrictions may be in place in February.  You will be able to participate physically or virtually, and the full R2R experience will cost the same either way – if you come to the venue you will get lunch; if you stay home you will save on travel costs!

Members of the scholarly communications community are encouraged to block out February 23-24 in their schedules – ready to be fully engaged in participation in the Researcher to Reader Conference throughout those two days, with no time for other distractions.  The launch of our programme and our registration webpage is expected to be in mid October.

Mark Carden
7 October 2020