Poor Communication & Financial Burden — BMES Must Do Better
The BMES 2025 Annual Meeting has been a frustrating experience for many students and early-career researchers.
Abstract notifications were originally promised by August 8, 2025, but BMES delayed the release without providing a clear new timeline. This left students in limbo, unable to finalize hotel and airfare bookings. By the time results were released, travel and accommodation costs had risen significantly, creating unexpected financial stress.
BMES is a respected organization, but this situation demonstrates a lack of consideration for students, who often work with tight budgets and limited grants. There has been no apology, acknowledgment, or support offered to those affected.
If BMES wants to maintain its reputation as a leading professional society, it must:
Communicate delays clearly and promptly
Respect the financial realities students face
Take steps to prevent this from happening again
I hope BMES learns from this experience. If not, students and institutions may rethink participating in future meetings.