Evidence Synthesis Institute Conference

Conference details

Join past Evidence Synthesis Institute attendees and instructors for a three day hybrid conference at the University of Minnesota and online.

When: April 16-18, 2024

Where: Coffman Union at the University of Minnesota or virtual (all session both in-person and online)

Who: past attendees of the US-based Evidence Synthesis Institute and Evidence Synthesis Institute for Groups and are invited to attend in-person and present. Past participants of ESI Canada and ITOCA ESI are invited to attend virtually.

More information about scholarships applications, registration, and more are forthcoming and will be found on this webpage.

Send questions about the Evidence Synthesis Institute Conference to sysreview@umn.edu.

More information on the IMLS proposal and the partnership between University of Minnesota, Cornell University, and Carnegie Mellon University are available at IMLS.gov, RE-246347-OLS-20.

Registration

Registration is free, but limited to past Evidence Synthesis Institute participants. Due to funding limitations and scope of the IMLS grant, we can only offer in-person conference attendance and the opportunity to present to attendees of the US-based Evidence Synthesis Institute and Evidence Synthesis Institute for Groups. Past participants of ESI Canada and ITOCA ESI are invited to attend virtually.

Registration for both in-person and virtual attendance has closed.

If you are a presenter, speaker, or scholarship attendee, please register via the form sent to you via email, not the links above.

If you have any questions about your ability to attend or registration, please send questions to sysreview@umn.edu

Keynote speakers

Whitney A. Townsend

Whitney A. Townsend is an Informationist at the Taubman Health Sciences Library at the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor. Recently, Whitney created the Taubman Library Talks webinar series and launched the Systematic Search Practice Sets site to provide spaces for information professionals to learn, test, and practice their systematic search skills. Read more of Whitney’s bio.

Jaron Porciello

Jaron Porciello is a data scientist working on evidence, data, and evaluation issues at the intersection of the science-policy interface for agriculture and food systems. She is currently the lead investigator for Hesat2030: A Global Roadmap to End Hunger Nutritiously and Sustainably, a new initiative in collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and the Shamba Centre for Food and Climate. Read more of Jaron’s bio.

Schedule

The conference program is available, as are the conference abstracts for a more in-depth look at our sessions. Virtual attendees, check your emails for a virtual conference program with Zoom information.

Virtual conference information

Accessing and participating in conference events

Keynotes, conference presentations, panels, lightning talks, and tech talks will be presented live on Zoom. Virtual attendees, check your emails for a virtual conference program with Zoom links.

Conference organizers will moderate the Zoom chat for each event. Virtual attendees can ask questions and make comments to conference presenters via chat.

Virtual-only events

An online networking event will allow virtual attendees to meet and exchange information in an informal setting over Zoom.

Recordings

Opening and closing keynotes will be recorded and made available for all attendees to download. Conference presentations, panels, lightning talks, and tech talks will not be recorded.

Captions

Real-time captioning will be available via Zoom.

In-person conference information

Code of Conduct

Please review our Code of Conduct and note our form to report a Code of Conduct issue.

Community care

The Evidence Synthesis Institute has the dual purposes of training librarians in evidence synthesis methods and also creating a supportive community of practitioners. In addition, ESI, launched in 2020 and, as such, was shaped by our experiences of a global pandemic and the uprisings surrounding the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. This purpose and these experiences have given ESI an ethos we often refer to as “radical hospitality,” meaning that we see each other as humans as well as professionals and make every effort to accommodate, support, and advocate for each other in our community. You will see this reflected in our conference policies, but we also invite attendees to take care to meet their own needs during the conference, to consider the wellbeing and needs of their fellow participants, and to reach out to the organizers directly if there is anything we can do to make the conference more accessible or comfortable for you.

Venue information

April 16-17: Coffman Memorial Union in the Mississippi Room, 300 Washington Avenue Se, Minneapolis, MN 55455

April 18: Elmer L. Andersen Library in Room 120, 222 21st Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55455

Fragrance-free conference environment

In the interest of supporting our colleagues with sensitivity to alcohols and scent, we ask that attendees refrain from wearing perfumes or fragrances.

COVID-19 protocols

The University of Minnesota does not require masks to be worn indoors on campus. However, we ask that you take the wellbeing of our whole community into consideration. COVID-19 continues to spread and has an outsized impact on those with disabilities. We encourage you to take the following optional precautions:

Masking while traveling.
Masking at the conference while not presenting or eating: Free N95 masks are available at the conference venue and a limited number will be provided in the conference rooms.
Testing: We encourage participants to take PCR or rapid antigen tests prior to traveling and on conference days.
Staying home (or at the hotel) if you have symptoms of illness (virtual attendance is always an option!)

Lactation spaces

Coffman Union has a designated lactation room on the first floor right next to the welcome desk (room 135.)

In Elmer L. Andersen Library the lactation room is on the ground floor in room 12, near the Wallin Center. The key for the lactation room can be checked out from the main desk in the Wallin Center, in room 15.

All gender restrooms

Coffman Union has two gender neutral restrooms in the building, one on the second floor (room 237b) and one on the ground floor (room 60).

Elmer L. Andersen Library has one all gender restroom, located on the ground floor in room 5, near the Wallin Center.

Quiet- and sensory-friendly space

A quiet space will be available on April 16-17 in Coffman Union Room 323 and participants are invited to use it as needed throughout the day.

Restaurant recommendations

We've compiled a list of our favorite Twin Cities restaurants to help you plan your non-conference meals.

Travel

Speakers, presenters, and sponsored attendees should see email for reimbursement information

Getting to Minneapolis

By plane: Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport (MSP) is a hub for Delta airlines. MSP has 756 arrivals per day, so it’s easy to get to from almost anywhere in the US. The airport is only 18 minutes by car or 41 minutes by light rail (same station transfer required) from the venue.
By train: Amtrak’s Empire Builder has daily service from Chicago, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle through St. Paul’s Union Depot. Union Depot is 30 minutes direct via light rail or 20 minutes by car.
By car: Minneapolis is served by Interstates 35 and 94, with Interstate 90 approximately 90 minutes south.

Getting from the airport to the University of Minnesota

Airport Super Shuttle: Cost is approximately $38 each way.
App-Based Ride Services: Cost fluctuates (approx. $20-30) Check current costs at Lyft or Uber. Follow signs at the airport to the pick-up location.
Taxi: Cost is approximately $50 from the airport to the U of MN campus area.
MetroTransit Train and Bus: Cost is $2.50 one-way (rush hour); takes approximately 40 minutes.
Light Rail directions from MSP International Airport to the University of Minnesota: Take the blue line from either Terminal 1 or 2 to the US Bank Stadium station, then make a transfer to the green line heading east to the Twin Cities Campus. East Bank is the closest station to the Graduate Hotel. Light rail map
More information on transportation options is available on the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport website.

Getting around the University of Minnesota

The University’s Minneapolis campus is very well served by Metro Transit and campus buses. While campus is large, Coffman Union is centrally located and less than 7 minutes’ walk (slightly less than 0.3 miles) from the Graduate Hotel. You can get to Anderson Library from The Graduate via the free Campus Circulator (University Ave Circulator, Route 122) and Campus Connector (Route 121) buses, or a 20 minute walk.

Parking

Washington Avenue Ramp: This UM parking facility costs $3/ hour ($15 daily maximum–rates subject to change). It is conveniently located directly adjacent to the Graduate Hotel.
Maroon Lot and Lot #37: These UM surface lots cost $6/day and are located four blocks away near the University stadium.
Graduate Hotel guests can park overnight behind the hotel for $25/day (self-park).

Lodging

Speakers, presenters, and sponsored attendees should see email for reservation information

Rooms are available at the the Graduate Hotel at the special rate of $159/night (plus taxes and fees). The room block will be released on March 25, 2024. It is possible that the hotel block could fill before that date, so reserve your room early. Please don’t book a room until you’ve received confirmation of registration for the conference. To book a room at the special rate, book online using the Graduate Hotel's online reservation system.

Select the exact dates of your stay (top of page)
Click on check availability
Select room type – “Book now”
Confirm your stay, enter your name & credit card

Other nearby hotel options include

Courtyard by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown (265 rooms, $190/night), 0.7 miles from the venue and adjacent to a light rail station, one stop to venue or 15 minute walk
Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis University Area (140 rooms, $185/night), 0.8 miles from the venue and 20 minute walk
Days Hotel University ($135/night), 0.7 miles from the venue and adjacent to a light rail station, one stop to venue or 15 minute walk

Scholarship application

We have a limited number of scholarships available to attend the ESI Conference in person. This opportunity is open to all past attendees of the Evidence Synthesis Institute if they lack adequate travel funding from their institutions or would otherwise be unable to attend the conference for financial reasons.

Scholarship applications are now closed. Applicants were notified of scholarship acceptance status on February 5, 2024 prior to the opening of general conference registration.

Call for proposals

The submission period for session proposals ended November 22, 2023 and is now closed.