Five iterations in three years
STRATEGY AND PLANNING - Plans A,B,C,D and E

When Composition came on board to assist host organisation the New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular (NZSBMB) in 2019, the Congress was planned to be an in-person event with international delegates and live social events. When Covid hit and borders closed that became a domestic event; then a Trans-Tasman event with an international hybrid component; then back to a domestic plus hybrid event; and finally, to virtual only!

“Flexibility was essential. We ended up on Budget Number 21, with Budgets 5 to 13 all allowing for three separate scenarios. We moved to full virtual just four weeks before the event. Thankfully we’d planned for all contingencies and our client was really amazing and supportive.”

312 virtual posters (and more than 10 hours of lightning talks)
15 plenary lectures
250 speakers in 50 parallel sessions
EXCELLENCE IN EXECUTION - Virtual virtuosity

Going to a virtual only event, Composition used EventsAIR’s OnAIR platform to deliver a full virtual Exhibition of 312 virtual posters with lightning talks plus live online Q&A sessions with exhibitors. A full scientific programme comprised 15 online plenaries with a Discussion Forum and Q&A Sessions, plus an extremely challenging timetable of 250 speakers in 50 parallel sessions across different time zones. A virtual Meeting Hub allowed delegates to video chat with friends and collaborators (old and new); and the Events Stream was connected to Twitter for even greater social interaction. 

7 partner societies
COLLABORATION - ‘The big science party’

Composition skillfully brought together 7 different partnering societies to deliver a cohesive event: Host organisation NZSBMB, the New Zealand Microbiological Society, the New Zealand Society of Plant Biologists, the Australian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and the Australian Society for Microbiology, as well as peak bodies the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB).
“We were conscious it had to be collaborative, while incorporating individual elements important to each partner. It gave us a real ‘critical mass’ for the sharing of research, knowledge, and expertise - so much so, the entire event was nicknamed ‘the big science party!‘

2 Oculus VR Headsets
INNOVATION - with full VR experience

The Congress’s Education Symposium included a stream on ‘Virtual Reality in Life Science Education’. Alongside key speakers in this field, Composition organised for Oculus VR headsets to go to delegates in the Philippines and Thailand to enable them to use the technology first-hand. “We had people from there ‘meeting’ our convenor while inside a VR protein! It was quite amazing, and a really nice way to bring people together when they are literally spread out through the world.”

405 coffee vouchers
GIVING BACK - supporting local businesses at a virtual event

“It was a blow for the New Zealand delegates to have to go virtual after looking forward to and preparing for the Congress for so long. We wanted to thank them for still participating in a sustainable way. We were aware many in the event supply chain would be missing out, including all those hospitality venues which conferences like this support, so we decided to buy all 405 New Zealand delegates a coffee, encouraging them to support their favourite local café.”

Via the voucher-gifting platform SOS (Spend on Small), Composition sent each local delegate a $20 voucher which they could redeem at any of the over 2,000 New Zealand businesses on the SOS platform, using the inKind App.

“That’s over $8,100 worth of coffee and cake going into local economies. It’s a small way to give back. It was super easy and the feedback was fabulous.”

 108 native trees planted
SUSTAINABILITY - planting native trees

Aware that the science community had concerns over their environmental footprint at events, Composition offered delegates the opportunity to help offset their carbon footprint by purchasing a native tree through local conservation charity Trees That Count. In all, 108 native trees were bought, with delegates receiving a gift certificate and information about where their tree would be planted in New Zealand.

50 Young Scientists
LEGACY - supporting the next generation of scientists

A Young Scientist Programme was held pre-Congress, with 50 delegates from around the world meeting (virtually) for essential early career networking, alongside sessions on CV preparation, grant funding, research collaborations and career development.
“It was very prestigious to get a place. We had a large number of New Zealand and Australian scientists accepted to present their research and connect, which is hugely beneficial for the future of science in our region.”