About

The Ocean Sciences Meeting, open to AGU, ASLO and TOS members and those interested in marine sciences, is among the most respected scientific meetings in ocean sciences community. AGU, ASLO and TOS, the co-sponsoring societies, are committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and AGU, ASLO and TOS staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, AGU, ASLO and TOS staff, service providers, and others are expected to abide by this Ocean Sciences Meeting Code of Conduct. This code of conduct applies to all Ocean Sciences Meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than AGU, ASLO and TOS but held in conjunction with Ocean Sciences Meeting events, in public or private facilities.

Expected behavior

1. Treat everyone with respect
2. Respect your fellow participants by using good practices for intercultural collaborations.
3. Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants
4. Provide your true professional identity, affiliation, and where appropriate, contact information, at registration, and during attendance and participatory sessions, as required.
5. Respect copying and use of presented materials and ideas as indicated by OSM’s Guidelines on Photography and Social Media, including knowing when you may need to obtain permission regarding copying materials.
6. Respect the rules and policies of the meeting venue, hotels, OSM contracted facility, online platform, or any other venue.
7. Be accountable: When we as organizers or participants fail to meet these guidelines, work together to identify problems and adjust policy and practice together.

Anyone note meeting expected collaborative, respectful behavior can immediately be removed from the current online or physical meeting and may be banned from future Ocean Sciences Meetings or other sanctions, depending on the specifics of the unwelcomed disruptive behavior.

Examples of unacceptable Behavior

• Promoting or participating in harassment, bullying, discrimination, or intimidation on-site, online, and/or on social media.
• Verbal, written, or other forms of abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, staff member, service provider, or other guest.
  • Examples of abuse include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations.
• Threatening or stalking in-person or online.
• Disruption or disallowing participation by others.
• Criminal offenses.
• Failure to follow meeting protocol.
• Physical or verbal abuse, including attacks on ideas vs. respectful, disagreeing dialogue.
• Use of social or mainstream media to target individual actions of participants in a way that could harm their privacy or professional status or open them to slander or libel.
• Knowingly violating copyright, or copying presenter information without obtaining permission, if necessary, as outlined in OSM’s Guidelines on Photography and Social Media.

Consequences and reporting unacceptable behavior

Anyone requested to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Anyone violating the Code of Conduct may be removed from the current meeting. Egregious behavior may result in bans from future Ocean Sciences Meetings or other sanctions, depending on the specifics, as set forth in our Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics Policy, as applicable.

As part of registration for OSM, all attendees are expected to provide their true professional name and primary affiliation, and contact information including an email address and phone number.

OSM attendees should be aware that OSM staff and designates monitor and moderate attendee posts mentioning OSM and using hashtags associated with a meeting. Failure to follow the above guidelines may result in posts being blocked or other consequences. For more information on photography and social media practices, review OSM’s Guidelines on Photography and Social Media.

If you experience or witness behavior that constitutes an immediate or serious threat to public safety at an on-site meeting, contact 911 or if in a convention center, locate a house phone and ask for security. Please report other incidents or suspected incidents to OSM staff, leadership, or security. At many events, OSM staff and representatives will be wearing a “safe OSM” button.

Acknowledgement and agreement to abide by the AGU Meetings and Events Code of Conduct is required at registration for any online or on-site event.