ICMS is considering ways in which it can improve the sustainability of our activities. As part of this drive, we strongly encourage all our visitors to consider train travel whenever possible, including sleeper trains. We also stipulate that any flights longer than four hours will only be reimbursed for visits of at least three days.

In addition, we have in recent years invested in hardware, software and personnel to facilitate seamless twinning of mathematical conferences. Here, “twinning” means holding a conference in-person simultaneously in two locations, and using audio and video relay to transmit talks (blackboard or slides) between locations. Typically, timezone considerations allow for three one-hour talks in common each day, with the remaining time available for free discussion/collaboration, or for single-site talks to supplement the shared agenda.

Twinning workshops significantly reduces the carbon footprint by reducing inter-continental flights, while still affording participants the many benefits of in-person workshops. The practice can also increase inclusivity by affording a more local experience to those with caring responsibilities, visa restrictions, or other complications to international travel.

ICMS is committed to supporting interested organisers to run twinned events, and will work proactively to ensure smooth running of the event at both locations, so that scientific organisers and their participants can focus on the mathematics and not the logistics. We will also facilitate post-event collaborations, for example by giving priority to Research in Groups applications resulting from a twinned event.

We invite organisers to consider running twinned events, and to express an interest in this at the time of application.