Bill Harvey: Boston Tea Party

A study from Imperial College, out last week, reveals that women are less likely to participate in academic conferences. Even when women and men attend in equal numbers, women tend to ask fewer and shorter questions. In fact, analysis showed that just one out of five questions or comments come from women. The authors feel that ‘a few tweaks are needed’ if true equality and diversity is to be achieved.

I mention this because it looks as if the American Academy of Optometry annual conference is to go ahead this coming November, as a live event in Boston. This is an excellent opportunity for UK optometrists to find out what might hit our practices in the coming years. A pre-conference Zoom last week confirmed that, post-pandemic, a key theme is to be remote or AI-driven technology.