Communications Conference Research Articles

2021 Walter C. Alvarez Award Address: The Journalistic Structure of Medical Revolutions

The Walter C. Alvarez Award is named in honor of Walter C. Alvarez, MD, a pioneer in the field of medical communication. The award is presented to either a member or nonmember of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) to honor excellence in communicating health care developments and concepts to the public. The Alvarez Award is presented during AMWA’s Medical Writing and Communication Conference.

An Update From the North American Broadcasters Association and the World Broadcasting Unions’ Committees

The North American Broadcasters Association’s Technical Committee (NABA-TC) plays a key role in ensuring that the technical needs and goals of our members are addressed in the complex, rapidly changing technical environment of broadcasting and content distribution. NABA’s TC works to ensure that North American broadcasting interests are represented well in key international forums. A delegation representing NABA positions participates in Working Group meetings and World Radio communication Conferences (WRCs) of the International Telecommunication Union’s Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R), the U.N. agency with legal authority over the world radio spectrum allocations and recommendations.

Journalism education ‘truth’ challenges: An age of growing hate, intolerance and disinformation

Commentary: This keynote commentary at the Asian Congress for Media and Communication (ACMC) conference with the theme Change, Adaptation and Culture: Media and Communication in Pandemic Times is addressed through a discussion of three main issues: 1. The Covid-19 Pandemic and how it is being coped with; 2. A parallel Infodemic—a crisis of communication, and the surge of ‘disinformation’ and truth challenges in an ‘age of hatred and intolerance’; and 3. The global Climate Emergency and the disproportionate impact this is having on the Asia-Pacific region. Finally the author concludes with an overview of some helpful strategies for communicators and educators from his perspective as a journalist and media academic with a mission.

Change, adaptation and culture: Media communication in pandemic times

Commentary: Global lockdowns and border closures during the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that educational institutions and international conferences have taken on a virtual existence for more than two years. Uncertainties surrounding the pandemic and the enormity of its impact became a focal point of academic scrutiny for communication sciences and media research. Themes from the Asian Congress for Media and Communication Conference 2021 (ACMC2021) centred around change, adaptation and culture in pandemic times with 12 streams including democracy and disinformation, media influence and impact, and climate change in the Asia-Pacific. This commentary presents an overview of the conference and introduces four of the presentations delivered at the ACMC2021; two keynotes and two paper presentations. The keynotes discussed information challenges such as control on social media, truth, hate rhetoric and the climate emergency in the Asia-Pacific region, while the papers focused on practitioner perceptions and the role of a higher order in securing media freedom and fair representation.

Does the European Central Bank speak differently when in parliament?

ABSTRACT Parliamentary hearings are a fundamental tool to hold independent central banks accountable. However, it is not clear what type of information central banks provide when they communicate with parliaments. In this article, we compare the communication of the European Central Bank (ECB) in parliamentary hearings to its communication in the press conferences. Using text analysis on the ECB President’s introductory statements in parliamentary hearings and press conferences from 1998 to 2021, we show that the ECB uses hearings to discuss topics that are less covered in press conferences. We also find that the ECB’s policy stance in the hearings tend to reflect the stance in press conferences, and that the degree of language complexity is similar in the two fora. These findings suggest that the ECB mainly uses parliamentary hearings to further explain policy decisions first presented at press conferences but also to put them in a broader context.

Sind Kollektive auf Anwesenheit angewiesen?

Abstract This paper explores the role of co-presence in the emergence of collectives with reference to corporeal communication in online conferences and seminars. It emphasizes the importance of feelings of togetherness and demarcates them from feelings of mere affiliation. The emergence of shared feelings depends on corporeal communication, and specifically on the solidary form of corporeal communication as opposed to its antagonistic counterpart. Under online conditions, both forms tend to generate illusions, since a genuine exchange of glances, which opens up corporeal communication in the first place, is not possible. The missing exchange of glances must therefore be compensated online by imagination and the concentration on linguistic meanings.

Resiliency on Display in Denver: AMWA 2022 Medical Writing & Communication Conference

#AMWA2022 marks a return to in-person conference activities. The 2022 Medical Writing and Communication Conference will be held November 2-5, 2022, in Denver, Colorado. The resiliency and commitment of the AMWA community will be on full display in Denver as we once again are able to learn and connect face-to-face.

2022 John P. McGovern Award Recipient: Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD

The John P. McGovern Award is named in honor of John P. McGovern and is presented to a member or nonmember of AMWA to recognize a preeminent contribution to any of the various modes of medical communication. The McGovern Award is presented during AMWA's Medical Writing & Communication Conference.

2022 Walter C. Alvarez Award Recipient: Dr Leana Wen

The Walter C. Alvarez Award is named in honor of Walter C. Alvarez, MD, a pioneer in the field of medical communication. The award is presented to either a member or nonmember of AMWA to honor excellence in communicating health care developments and concepts to the public. The Alvarez Award is presented during AMWA's Medical Writing & Communication Conference.

Political Economy of Communication Conferences in Indonesia

This study was triggered by the widespread scietific conferences in the field of communication during the past six years, from 2015-2021 in Indonesia. It intends to find a model of an academic conference within the trend of liberalizing universities. In addition to identifying its technical aspects (themes, speakers, funding, types of organizers, and post-conference publication choices), this study examines the macro-political aspects of organizing scientific conferences. This study uses a qualitative method. The author observed 36 conference posters from 2015 to 2021 and conducted field visits and interviews with selected conference organizers. The author also examines government policy documents directly and indirectly related to those scientific conferences in Indonesia. The study found a massive growth in the academic conferences, with various organizers (universities, associations of academia, etc.). It follows the trend of academic mobility, knowledge exchange, and collaboration which are driven by the ‘commodification of knowledge’. Amidst the lack of conference regulation, it tends to follow ’the logic of market competition’, not complying with the mission ofacademic dissemination itself. Most conferences placed bureaucrats more privileged above scientists, offering additional activities such as city tours or non-academic events showing academia’s dependence on political paternalism and economic power.

When Investors Speak, Do Firms Listen? The Role of Investors' Dividend‐related Complaints from Online Earnings Communication Conferences

We study whether investor voice affects firm policy. Using a novel dataset of the transcripts of online earnings communication conferences (OECC) of Chinese listed firms during 2006 and 2015, we show that firms do respond to investor complaints about dividend policy with increased future dividends. We find that the number of dividend‐related questions raised by investors, the number of complaints (questions with negative attitudes), firm executive responsiveness, and CEO attendance in the OECC are positively associated with future dividend payouts. Moreover, positive responses are concentrated in firms facing greater pressure from peers, the market, and the regulator. Our additional analysis shows that the increase in payouts in response to investors' voice is not at the expense of cutting value‐increasing investment. Overall, our results suggest that the online interactive platform empowers shareholders' voice and helps them to conduct a successful dialogue with firm managers in a cost‐effective way.

Earnings communication conferences and post‐earnings‐announcement drift: Evidence from China

AbstractEarnings communication conferences in China have become the main platform for direct communication between listed firms and individual investors. This study investigates whether hosting an earnings communication conference and its tone affect post‐earnings‐announcement drift (PEAD). We find that hosting an earnings communication conference increases PEAD. One possible explanation for our results is that investors overreact to the stock prices of firms that hold earnings communication conferences. We also conclude that the conference tone is negatively correlated with PEAD. In addition, the market reacts more strongly to the managers’ tone than it does to the investor's tone.

Antibiotic stability in portable elastomeric infusion devices: A systematic review.

Although outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) can be a good approach to treatment of infections, a lack of data regarding antibiotic stability in portable elastomeric infusion devices restricts its safe, appropriate, and effective use. The objective of this work was to complete a systematic peer-reviewed analysis of published articles about antibiotic stability in elastomeric infusion devices that provide evidence supporting their use in OPAT. A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted in January 2021 to identify published articles about antibiotic stability in portable elastomeric infusion devices. The databases used were PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and a Cochrane database. A total of 1,615 original studies and conference communications were found. After title, abstract, and full-text review, 33 articles met the inclusion criteria. The data obtained included information about the stability of 30 different antibiotics. To our knowledge, this is the first review to summarize the available published data on the stability of antibiotics in portable elastomeric infusion devices. The results highlight the poor stability of some antibiotics in solution and the variability of the laboratory conditions in the included studies. This systematic review can serve as a useful resource for healthcare professionals involved in providing OPAT using portable elastomeric infusion devices. However, further stability studies should be performed, especially high-quality studies simulating real-life time and temperature conditions.

2021 John P. McGovern Award Address: Style and Substance

The John P. McGovern Award is named in honor of John P. McGovern and is presented to a member or nonmember of AMWA to recognize a preeminent contribution to any of the various modes of medical communication. The McGovern Award is presented during AMWA’s Medical Writing & Communication Conference.

2022 International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference Program

2022 International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference Program

2022 International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference Proceedings Table of Contents

Table of Contents to the to the proceedings of the 11th Annual International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference sponsored by the Nicholson School of Communication and Media.

ASAE Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference

ASAE Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference

CondenseNeXtV2: Light-Weight Modern Image Classifier Utilizing Self-Querying Augmentation Policies

Artificial Intelligence (AI) combines computer science and robust datasets to mimic natural intelligence demonstrated by human beings to aid in problem-solving and decision-making involving consciousness up to a certain extent. From Apple’s virtual personal assistant, Siri, to Tesla’s self-driving cars, research and development in the field of AI is progressing rapidly along with privacy concerns surrounding the usage and storage of user data on external servers which has further fueled the need of modern ultra-efficient AI networks and algorithms. The scope of the work presented within this paper focuses on introducing a modern image classifier which is a light-weight and ultra-efficient CNN intended to be deployed on local embedded systems, also known as edge devices, for general-purpose usage. This work is an extension of the award-winning paper entitled ‘CondenseNeXt: An Ultra-Efficient Deep Neural Network for Embedded Systems’ published for the 2021 IEEE 11th Annual Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference (CCWC). The proposed neural network dubbed CondenseNeXtV2 utilizes a new self-querying augmentation policy technique on the target dataset along with adaption to the latest version of PyTorch framework and activation functions resulting in improved efficiency in image classification computation and accuracy. Finally, we deploy the trained weights of CondenseNeXtV2 on NXP BlueBox which is an edge device designed to serve as a development platform for self-driving cars, and conclusions will be extrapolated accordingly.

The Art of 6G (TAO 6G): how to wire Society 5.0 [Invited

The opening Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition 2021 plenary talk on how technologies and applications drive the evolution of networking concluded by presenting the equation Networking = Art + Science + Engineering. Due to their growing complexity, modern networks may be better viewed as techno-social systems that resemble biological superorganisms. In this paper, we expand on the aforementioned equation in the context of future 6G mobile networks, putting a focus on its first part, the Art of 6G (TAO 6G). To set the stage, we first elaborate on the 6G vision from an optical fiber fixed networks perspective, taking into account the respective viewpoints of the International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector and the FTTH Council Europe as well as the European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s recently launched fifth-generation fixed network initiative of bringing fiber to everywhere and everything, which is supposed to be the foundation of the new digital age and is a prerequisite for the digital transformation of the whole society. Towards this end, we present our ideas on what the digital society of the future will or potentially could look like. After briefly reviewing our work on tactile immersive use cases of so-called cyber-physical-social systems (CPSS), we inquire into the emerging human-centric Industry 5.0 and its mutually beneficial underlying principles of digitalization and, more interestingly, biologization. Specifically, we borrow ideas from biological superorganisms with brain-like cognitive capabilities found in natural societies for a stigmergy-enhanced Society 5.0, using tokenized digital twins for advancing collective intelligence in CPSS via indirect communication. Finally, we present our CPSS-based bottom-up token engineering framework designed for Society 5.0.

Reviving Indian Tourism amid the Covid-19 pandemic: Challenges and workable solutions

This conference communication discusses insights from the roundtable discussion for reviving tourism in the post-pandemic era, conducted by the Centre for Marketing in Emerging Economies at the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, India. A varied group of eminent members from government, industry, and academia deliberated on the challenges, possible solutions, and way forward with regard to reviving the tourism sector amidst Covid-19 uncertainties. Major outcomes emerging from a roundtable discussion among experts were textually analysed. A survey was conducted among attendees to assess the degree of willingness to travel and related concerns. A framework was developed with a workable action plan for boosting tourism. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are provided. • Presents a framework of seven steps to revive tourism in post-pandemic era. • Focus on digital media, government financial support, auditing, and vocal for local. • Develop faith, medical and eco-tourism, employee motivation and hygiene practices. • Presents communication plan to promote tourism based for four customer segments.