Media Partnership: PoLBIAS2023
Excellent science deserves excellent communication.
Context
Scientific conferences in specialised domains, like biomedical image analysis, are really exciting, but also quite challenging for marketers. Not only does it need scientific domain expertise, but it also needs to know the people, trends, and hot topics.
In 2023, Zeeks – Art for Geeks delivered scientific event support for PoLBIAS2023, a hybrid biomedical image analysis symposium hosted by the Physics of Life Cluster in Dresden.
This case study showcases how domain-specific communicators can elevate the visibility of science events, strengthen research dissemination, and support organisers in driving sustained engagement across scientific networks (allowing organisers to focus on other things!).
Background: PoLBIAS2023 and the Need for Expert Event Support
As hybrid and in-person events returned after pandemic disruptions, maintaining an active global presence became critical for conference success. PoLBIAS2023 brought together international researchers, industry representatives, and academic leaders in biomedical image analysis, quantitative imaging, and computational workflows.
Hybrid formats, however, pose a core challenge: serving both in-room attendees and remote audiences without losing momentum online. Organisers recognised that their dissemination needed pre-planned infrastructure.
The Challenge: Niche Science Communication
PoLBIAS2023 required communication that was:
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Scientifically accurate and contextually deep (.. think keywords, jargon, and terminology, galore)
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Resonate with a highly specialised audiences
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Aligned with current research trends
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Timely and relevant before, during, and after the event
Generic marketing or social media coverage wouldn’t cut it. Organisers needed expert knowledge, domain fluency, and strategic scientific dissemination. All these capabilities were provided by Zeeks through a structured, event-focused approach.
Zeeks’ Approach: Scientific Event Support
from Strategy to Execution
Our approach spanned three stages:
1. Pre-Event Research Dissemination
In the lead-up to PoLBIAS2023, Zeeks collaborated with organisers to craft a pre-event blog post that:
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Introduced the concept of open science
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Provided actionable guidance for researchers on sharing their own work on Figshare for poster dissemination (see Sharing Your Poster on Figshare)
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The post was shared on the community page FocalPlane to reach the correct target audience and serve as evergreen content, even after the event
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Social media posts disseminating the post were used to promote the event and encourage event registrations as well as data sharing
2. Social Media and Real-Time Event Support
During the hybrid conference, Zeeks delivered live social media coverage, amplifying key discussions for remote participants and the wider research community. This included:
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Use of domain-specific terminology for accuracy
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Contextually rich summaries of panels, talks, and poster sessions
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Highlighting innovative research trends, methodological insights, and community perspectives
3. Post-Event Reflection and Knowledge Capture
Post-event content ensured that PoLBIAS2023 maintained a lasting digital footprint, with:
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Syntheses of the most impactful scientific advances
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Cross-session thematic analyses in post-event reflections on PoLBIAS2023 (POLBIAS23 Event: Reflections and Revelations), capturing major takeaways, methodological discussions, and emerging ideas. This extended the conversation beyond the conference itself.
By translating complex discussions into accurate, accessible, and shareable outputs, Zeeks supported organisers in sustaining the scholarly conversation long after the final session.
Why Domain Expertise Matters
What set Zeeks apart was subject matter expertise. PoLBIAS2023 sits at the intersection of biomedical image analysis, data science, and computational imaging, which are areas where generalist communicators often fall short.
Zeeks’ expertise included:
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Familiarity with the research community and key contributors
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Understanding of trends in imaging, computation, and quantitative analysis
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Fluency in microscopy, data workflows, and technical terminology
This allowed Zeeks to communicate with accuracy, precision, and impact.
Outcomes: Visibility, Engagement, and Research Dissemination
Zeeks’ support produced tangible outcomes:
1. Enhanced Pre-Event Awareness
Blog posts and pre-event communications increased anticipation and informed researchers about best practices in poster sharing, workflow transparency, and reproducible research.
2. Amplified Real-Time Engagement
Live coverage enabled remote researchers to participate in discussions and stay connected with cutting-edge imaging methodologies.
3. Sustained Post-Event Impact
Post-event reflections and knowledge capture created a digital repository that continues to influence discourse in biomedical image analysis.
By integrating science communication best practices with domain expertise, Zeeks ensured PoLBIAS2023 achieved broader visibility and deeper engagement within its research community.
Conclusion: Scientific Event Support that Speaks the Language of Research
Effective communication is not an add-on, but a core component of hybrid and specialised research events.
Zeeks’ work with PoLBIAS2023 demonstrates how scientific communication and research dissemination services can:
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Strengthen pre-event positioning
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Amplify live engagement
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Ensure sustained post-event impact
Through domain-specific insight, technical accuracy, and strategic dissemination, Zeeks elevates scholarly events and ensures that research is communicated with precision, context, and reach.
As research becomes increasingly interdisciplinary and data-intensive, the role of expert-led science communication will only grow. At Zeeks, we remain committed to ensuring that complex science is communicated with clarity, integrity, and respect.
As always, by scientists, for scientists.
If you want to learn more about Zeeks media partnerships, please get in touch.
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