August 26, 2021

We have made the difficult decision to hold the 2021 FRI Symposium entirely virtual this year. The thought of leaving the virtual meeting world was exciting, but the reality is that travel is still not as safe and reliable as we want it to be, and the responsible decision is to acknowledge that things are not improving as quickly as we had hoped.

Several of our presenters had health concerns, many of our presenters were having trouble getting permission for business-related travel, and all of our presenters had difficulties with flight cancelations (as well as disconcerting anecdotes about people stuck at airports and missing their conference). As it became increasingly clear how much of our program would likely have people sitting in an in-person audience to watch a virtual meeting, our board members found it much easier to make the decision to go all virtual this year.

The panels and keynote presentation will still be held September 22 at the same times with the same content. As the logistics are worked out, we will post information about and schedules for viewing award presentations and participating in virtual meeting spaces where small groups can have impromptu chats.

Thank you for your patience as we navigate this transition. Please don’t hesitate to contact Sarah (913.683.2025/skent@missouri.edu) if you have questions or concerns