MEEHubs2026
A hub-based conference on Microbial Ecology and Evolution
Aug 3-5, 2026
About MEEHubs
MEEHubs2024 statistics:
Science is a global endeavor, but traveling across the planet for conferences is a resource intensive activity, producing a large amount of CO2 emissions. In addition, international scientific conferences are often organized in the Global North, making it expensive and bureaucratically difficult for people in the Global South to attend, reducing democratic access to science. Virtual conferences offer a viable alternative: they reduce environmental impact, broaden participation across countries, and improve accessibility for researchers with disabilities or caregiving responsibilities. At the same time, in-person interactions remain essential for building community and fostering collaboration.
MEEHubs offers a hybrid model that combines the strengths of both approaches: remote content for global accessibility and in-person interactions through local hubs worldwide. Building on the success of MEEHubs2024 (link to paper), we are thrilled to announce that MEEHubs2026 will take place from August 3–5, 2026, at seven local hubs and online.
The most amazing microbial ecology and evolution research is happening in many different countries, and MEEHubs facilitates everyone coming together in an inclusive space; a space that is supportive to early career researchers while recognizing the legacy and work of those that came before us, a space that is diverse in its human dimensions and scientific content. We think microbial ecology and evolution is a welcoming discipline with a very interdisciplinary composition (field biologists, microbiologists, virologists, bioinformaticians, biophysicists, mathematicians, etc). With MEEHubs, we strive to foster a more inclusive, equitable, and environmentally responsible model for scientific conferences.
Hubs
MEEHubs2026 will be hosted across 7 hubs and 6 timezones, all connected online
California Hub GMT-7
Location: Irvine
Organizer(s): Maria Rebolleda-Gomez
Mexico Hub
GMT-6
Location: Mexico City
Organizer(s): Ayari Fuentes, Luciana Raggi Hoyos
Canada East Hub GMT-4
Location: Montreal
Organizer(s): Aaron Hinz, Aline Cuénod, Emma Derrick, Rachel Gregor
US East Hub
GMT-4
Location: Ann Arbor
Organizer(s): Luis Zaman, Emma Carlson
UK Hub
GMT+0
Location: Manchester
Organizer(s): Will Smith, Danna Gifford, Michael Bottery
Switzerland Hub
GMT+1
Location: Zurich
Organizer(s): Marco Gabrielli, Anna Weiss, Samuel Miavet-Verde, Martin Sperfeld
Ukraine Hub
GMT+2
Location: Chernihiv
Organizer(s): Nataliia Tkachuk
Virtual only
Invited Speakers
University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Michigan State University, USA
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) ENES Morelia, Mexico
Esperanza Martínez-Romero
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Unidad Cuernavaca, Mexico
McGill University, Canada
McGill University, Canada
University of New Brunswick, Canada
Natalia Demchenko
T.H. Shevchenko National University "Chernihiv Colehium", Ukraine
Liubov Zelena
Zabolotny Institute Microbiology and Virology, NAS of Ukraine
Vira Boroday
National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine
University of Lausanne, Switzerland
University of Minnesota, USA
New England Biolabs + Durham University, USA
University of California Irvine, USA
University of Minnesota, USA
University of California Irvine, USA
Abstract submission
Key dates
Stay tuned for abstract submission dates! We anticipate abstract submission to open in early 2026.
Information
Abstracts can be submitted for either oral or poster presentations. More information to follow.
Program overview
The program for MEEHubs2026 is not finalized. In the meantime, here is an overview of the program for MEEHubs2024 to give an idea of what our conference will look like!
Registration
Registration is not yet open, but we are very excited to put this conference on again! We plan to have social activities, refreshments, and cross-hubs activities in addition to an exciting line-up of talks. Stay tuned for updates.
Thanks to support from U.S. National Science Foundation, the cost for MEEHubs2026 will be minimal and virtual-only attendance will be free of charge. We hope that this way everyone that wants to participate can find a way to join us!
CALIFORNIA HUB
MEXICO HUB
CANADA EAST HUB
US EAST HUB
UK HUB
SWITZERLAND HUB
UKRAINE HUB
ONLINE ONLY
FREE
Organizing committee
University of Calgary, Canada
University of Manchester, UK
Emma Carlson
University of Michigan, USA
Aline Cuénod
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Emma Derrick
McGill University, Canada
UNAM, Mexico
Marco Gabrielli
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
University of Manchester, UK
University of Toronto, Canada
Aaron Hinz
McGill University, Canada
Samuel Miavet-Verde
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
UNAM, Mexico
UC Irvine, USA
University of Manchester
Martin Sperfeld
ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Nataliia Tkachuk
T.H. Shevchenko National University "Chernihiv Colehium", Ukraine
SPONSORS
Central funding
Local funding
CONTACT
Email: info@meehubs.org
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