1 Box Tips and tricks to maximize the advantages of virtual conference formats for yourself a... Set aside time each day to engage in the virtual conference, including 2-3 days before the conference. We also want to point out that while not all scientists are in a position to implement these kinds of changes, scientists at any career stage or position can advocate for these through their spheres of influence (e.g., social media) or society engagement (e.g., voting for society leaders). In recent years, many societies like the American Fisheries Society (AFS) have taken important steps to adopt programs and measures to recruit more diverse groups of young scientists to environmental science and improve retention of those scientists (e.g., Roulson 2021). Although there are no quantitative studies (to our knowledge) that assess conference participation and research productivity or career longevity, conferences certainly provide qualitative benefits to participants across career stages. [Extracted from the article]