Only YOU Can Make IEEE VIS Environmentally Sustainable
Elsie Lee-Robbins, Andrew McNutt

TL;DR
This paper discusses the environmental sustainability of the IEEE VIS conference, analyzing virtual, hybrid, and in-person formats, and advocates for sustainable practices considering environmental, financial, and volunteer impacts.
Contribution
It provides a reflective analysis of conference formats' sustainability, incorporating insights from senior organizers and proposing a long-term discussion on eco-friendly practices.
Findings
Virtual and hybrid formats reduce carbon footprint
In-person conferences increase environmental impact
Alternative formats offer accessibility and cost benefits
Abstract
The IEEE VIS Conference (or VIS) hosts more than 1000 people annually. It brings together visualization researchers and practitioners from across the world to share new research and knowledge. Behind the scenes, a team of volunteers puts together the entire conference and makes sure it runs smoothly. Organizing involves logistics of the conference, ensuring that the attendees have an enjoyable time, allocating rooms to multiple concurrent tracks, and keeping the conference within budget. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has abruptly disrupted plans, forcing organizers to switch to virtual, hybrid, and satellite formats. These alternatives offer many benefits: fewer costs (e.g., travel, venue, institutional), greater accessibility (who can physically travel, who can get visas, who can get child care), and a lower carbon footprint (as people do not need to fly to attend). As many…
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Taxonomy
TopicsConferences and Exhibitions Management
