Virtual BOB 2022

Dear folks interested in BOB!

tl;dr: BOB 2022 will be virtual. As in 2021, we'll create an immersive, inclusive social experience along with a great set of talks and tutorials.

We thank all folks who responded to our survey regarding virtual/on-site BOB 2022. We appreciate that many expressed safety concerns, but also a desire to finally meet on-site again.

After reviewing the outlook for the coming months, we decided that holding an inclusive, on-site BOB 2022 is not practical.

We had actually developed a set of safety measures that would have held infection risk very low. (Including on-site rapid tests, vaccination check, FFP2/N95 masks, outdoor breaks and meals.) Today, we had an impassioned debate among staff about what to do, and how to meet the conflicting wishes and desires of the BOB community.

However, given that an infection incidence of 1,000 or above on and around March 11 seems likely, many people will be in isolation or quarantine, and that will inevitably include BOB attendees, speakers and staff. Moreover, we expect that immigration quarantine rules will prevent potential international attendees from coming to Berlin in March.