Streams 24 Code of Conduct

Streams24 is a community workshop intended for networking and collaboration in the professional astronomy and astrophysics community. We value the participation of each member of the community and want all attendees to have an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Accordingly, all attendees are expected to show respect and courtesy to other attendees throughout the conference and at all conference events. Although Streams24 is being held in Durham and hosted by the Institute for Computational Cosmology (ICC), which has a Code of Conduct, this is not primarily aimed at meetings. To make clear what is expected at Streams24, all delegates, attendees, speakers, organisers and volunteers at the Streams24 event are required to conform to the following Code of Conduct. This is aligned with the ICC Code of Conduct but is expanded and tailored to the Streams24 event. The workshop organisers will enforce this code throughout the event. This Code of Conduct applies to both in-person and virtual attendees.

The Short Version

Streams24 is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, age, disability, race, religion or physical appearance. We will not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience, including people of many different backgrounds. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks. Be kind to others. Sustained disruption of talks will not be tolerated. Do not insult or put down other attendees. Behave professionally. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, ableist or other exclusionary jokes are not appropriate for Streams24. For in-person participants, please follow the COVID-specific safety measures detailed below. Attendees violating these rules may be asked to leave the conference if attending in person or leave the Zoom room if attending virtually at the sole discretion of the organisers.

Thank you for helping make Streams24 a welcoming, friendly event for all.

COVID-19 Safety Measures (for In-Person Attendees)

There are currently no COVID-19 restrictions in the UK.

If you are scheduled to give a talk in person but test positive or are experiencing symptoms that could be indicative of COVID-19, there's absolutely no need to force yourself to attend physically. We encourage you to switch to an online presentation format instead. Please contact the organisers to facilitate this transition.

The Longer Version

The organisers consider harassment to include offensive comments, gestures and behaviour related to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, age, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome intrusions of personal space or sexual attention. Conduct can be harassment, even if it was not intended to violate the recipient’s dignity, if it had that effect. A single incident may amount to harassment if it is sufficiently serious. Conduct normally becomes harassment if it persists once it has been made clear that the behaviour is regarded as offensive. Participants asked to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately.

Be careful in the words that you choose. Remember that sexist, racist, and other exclusionary jokes can be offensive to those around you. Offensive jokes and excessive swearing are not appropriate for Streams24. If a participant engages in behaviour that violates this Code of Conduct, the organisers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the meeting - both in person or virtually.

Contact Information

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact one of the organisers. Their names and the workshop email address can be found at the foot of the homepage. The organisers will also be wearing special badges.

Attendee Procedure for Incident Handling

The impact on an individual and whether the behaviour is unacceptable by normal standards will be the focus. If you experience behaviour that breaches this Code of Conduct and feel comfortable calling attention to it at the time, please do so. Resolving issues early and informally is usually preferable for everyone concerned. Often, people are unaware that their behaviour is perceived as harassment, discrimination or bullying, and in these cases, taking prompt informal action can be particularly effective.

Keep in mind that the organisers will be wearing a conference badge with a clear marking of being organisers (details to be determined). Report any harassment incident (preferably in writing) to an organiser. Please do not disclose public information about the incident until the organisers have had sufficient time in which to address the situation. This is for the safety and protection of those affected. When reporting the event, try to recall as much information as possible about the incident.

Note: Incidents that violate the Code of Conduct are extremely damaging to the community, and they will not be tolerated. The organisers request that they be your first resource when reporting a Streams24-related incident so that they may enforce the Code of Conduct and take quick action toward a resolution. Awareness and reporting of these incidents present a chance for the offenders and the community at large to grow, learn, and become better.

A list of the workshop organisers can be found at the foot of the homepage.