Diversity and Inclusivity Committee (DIC) and other Special Interest Group (SIG) Events: what to expect from 2024 OHBM in Seoul
Since 2017, the Diversity and Inclusivity Committee (DIC) of OHBM has been working hard to ensure scientific accessibility for all people. Many sub-committees of the DIC meet regularly to pursue initiatives around diversity and inclusivity within OHBM at the organizational level, community level, and beyond.
This year, the OHBM DIC will be spearheading two main events at the 2024 OHBM Annual Meeting: (1) the 6th annual DIC Symposium, and (2) the 5th multilingual Brain Mappers of Tomorrow (BMT) event, our signature science outreach initiative which takes place all around the world and has its grand finale at the OHBM Annual Meeting. Moreover, various affiliated groups within the OHBM, including Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and other committees, will lead several symposiums and events that further promote diversity and inclusion. Below, we have compiled these relevant event details for the annual OHBM meeting in Seoul this July.
The 6th annual DIC Symposium: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroimaging
Join us in attending the 6th annual DIC symposium! This year we will focus on how to bring diversity, equity and inclusivity into AI practices in the field of neuroimaging.
We set the objectives of addressing 1) the role of population diversity in AI modeling, 2) biases and sampling inequalities, and their impact on AI modeling, and 3) failures of cross-ethnicity/race generalization in prediction modeling. Our excellent speaker selection will cover these objectives by ‘identifying sources of population covariation in large datasets to protect against model bias’ (Sarah Yip, Yale University), by elucidating on ‘sampling inequalities and biases of neuroimaging-based artifact intelligence (AI) models in middle-lower-income countries and areas’ (Zhiyi Chen, Third Military Medical University), by addressing ‘cross-ethnicity/race generalization failure of RSFC-based behavioral prediction and potential downstream consequences’ (Jingwei Li, Research Centre Jülich; Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf), and by elucidating ways of ‘harnessing population diversity: In search for tools of the trade’ (Jakub Kopal, University of Oslo).
If you want to know more about how to implement diversity, equity, and inclusivity in AI practices in neuroimaging, join us for this symposium on Monday, June 24th, from 9am-10:15am in the Grand Ballroom 101-102. In addition, see our recent article, Creating Diverse and Inclusive Scientific Practices for Research Datasets and Dissemination (Kam and Badhwar et al. 2024) for more information.
2. The 5th Brain Mappers of Tomorrow (BMT)
Korean Session Flyer Happening at OHBM 2024 Seoul
Previously known as Multilingual Kids Live Review, we will be holding several kid friendly 1-hour live events around the world: Young reviewers, ages 8-15 years, get the chance to learn about scientific discoveries presented by OHBM researchers in their native languages. You can find more details about the motivation, history, organization, benefits and challenges of our BMT events in our recent editorial (Lee and Borghesani et al., 2024) and on the blog. This year, we are thrilled to include languages such as French, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish!
Similarly to last year, the events are offered in two formats: online and in-person. On the day of each event, children can interact directly with the researchers through kid-friendly lessons as well as fun activities designed to teach them about different aspects of neuroscience and brain mapping. Most of these events will be held online throughout May and June in various locations worldwide, like Italy (see Figure 2B). The grand finale will take place live in Seoul, Korea during our annual meeting on Monday June 24th from 6:00pm-7:00pm (Conference Room E1). Our young reviewers will meet with the researchers, have the opportunity to ask questions in their native language, and evaluate the research in a kid-friendly way. In addition, we will be collaborating with the OHBM BrainArt SIG in creating a fun craft activity for the kids at the end of the session.
We invite all interested children and parents to join our online or in-person events! For more information on upcoming reviews, please visit our website https://ohbm-dic.github.io/kidsreview/2024/.
Photos from the 2024 Italian sessions: June 3rd and 5th, 2024 in Ferrara, Italy. Permission to share the photos was obtained from the Italian session organizers. Credit: Isotta Rigoni and Irene Balboni
3. Other relevant events from this year’s OHBM to check out!
1. The 4th annual SEA-SIG Symposium ‘Rethinking (brain imaging) research in a time of socio-ecological crisis’ In this year’s symposium, the Sustainability and Environmental Action Special Interest Group (SEA-SIG) aims to address the interconnectedness of environmental and societal topics in a mixed format of (recorded) frontal presentations and discussion in the audience. Our first remote presenter, Dr. Gabrielle Samuel from the King’s College in London, UK, will stress the ethical imperative of our pro-environmental actions (within the research context) in her talk ‘Ethical obligations to consider social and environmental harms in data-driven research: a call for action.’ One of the SEA-SIG’s founding members, Dr. Niall Duncan from the Taipei Medical University in Taiwan, will touch upon the inclusivity topic in his talk, entitled ‘Considering global access to neuroimaging research in the context of the climate crisis.’ Last but not least, Dr. Clare Kelly (School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland) will remotely present a vision of an environmentally- and people-friendly academia in a symposium’s-title-inspiring talk ‘Rethinking academia in a time of climate crisis, or – how to be a scientist in a world on fire.’ One of the main goals of this year’s symposium is to provide a platform to hear a variety of voices from around the globe on their visions for the future of neuroimaging and academia in these hectic times. Join the SEA-SIG’s symposium for a lively discussion on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM in the Grand Ballroom 104-105.
2. Educational Course on science communication: Communicating neuroscience across peoples, languages, and cultures - June 23, 1:30-5:30PM COEX, Conference Room E6. From community outreach to multilingual science communication, journal clubs, data visualization, and podcasting, this educational course discusses a number of approaches aimed at disseminating our scientific research and getting our communities involved. This ultimately makes us better, more informed, and more inclusive scientists. We are thrilled to have organizers Kevin Sitek, Giulia Baracchini, Xinhui Li and Alfie Wearn join us for this exciting event! See you there!
3. BrainArt exhibition & competition “Beyond Borders” - June 24-27 8:30AM-7PM COEX, Hall B. Borders have their place in neuroscience (parcellations, subfields) and society (geographical borders, political/religious/social views), for example, however, certain pressures, like climate change, may change these borders or make them disappear, so it’s s time to reflect over their definition. And what better way than using art to do so? Visit the BrainArt SIG exhibition, open all day throughout the duration of the conference. If you are looking to learn more about the art that will be showcased, make sure to attend the exhibit’s guided tour on June 25 3-4PM: no registration needed! Art pieces have also been submitted under the same theme for our yearly competition, you can check those out here and vote for your favorite(s)! The competition will close on June 26.
4. Kids Activity “BrainArt for the scientists of the future” - June 24 11:30AM-12:30PM COEX, Hall B Brain Art Exhibition. After the success of last year, the BrainArt SIG is offering activities for children (ages 4-15 years) on BrainArt again in Seoul! Are you ready to unleash your inner art explorer and form a live piece of art with your peers? Activities include a scavenger hunt among the SIG’s art pieces and a live brain puzzle game. Spots are limited, registration required at this link. Kids should be accompanied by an adult.
5. OHBM Women Faculty SIG Annual Meeting, Career Panel and Networking Event - Wednesday, Jun 26: 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM COEX, Grand Ballroom 101-102, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM, COEX, Grand Ballroom 103. The Women Faculty SIG proudly presents two exciting back-to-back events for empowering women in neuroscience to break barriers and network. First up, from 3:45 to 5 p.m., join us for a Special Topic Symposium titled "Exploring Sex and Gender Issues in Neuroimaging Research: Insights from Science to Society". Prepare to be inspired as leading experts share insights, stories, and strategies for advancing gender equality in neuroscience. Also, stick around from 6 to 7 p.m. for our Roundtable Discussion for "Women Faculty SIG: Annual Meeting, Career Panel, and Network Event." Engage in meaningful dialogue with industry trailblazers and join the movement towards a more inclusive and diverse field.