It is coming up for a year ago that I attended my first conference.
I was aware, when I registered for SciBlog08, that this would not be a conventional convention. From being asked what should be discussed to a slightly unusual social programme
Someday, all conferences will be like this
SciBlog08 was certainly a Web2.0 gathering.
But the next two events I attended did not fit with what I imagined a conference would be like, either.
There was the relentless enthusiasm of the iGEM 2008 Jamboree. Then there was Bayer ‘s Press Forum, Perspective on Innovation, at which I witnessed the nature of questions from the floor when they come from those with a journalistic, rather than a scientific, motive.
Since then, I have been to a couple more meetings, both at home and away.
There are some elements that these conferences have in common. There is being starstruck at seeing someone whose work you admire presenting. There is struggling to follow some talks, and being captivated by others. There is conference paraphernalia and there are nametags, which for some inexplicable reason I retain.
What’s my name again?
I feel privileged to have attended what I believe is 2009’s most exclusive gathering, which came with what is undoubtedly the best conference hospitality I have witnessed in my short conference-attending career to date. The programme was infinitely flexible, incorporating local cuisine and culture.
The freebies were exemplary. And, being among friends, no nametags were needed.
I used to keep all the name tags the first few years I attended conferences (good memories) – but they ended up not making the (first) trans-Atlantic move. Since then, they just get kicked around in a drawer for a few months before being thrown out, but they never just go straight into a bin at the exit doors after the conference.
And at least now I’m confident enough that I don’t completely choke up anymore when I meet someone really distinguished. (Ok, that was a lie.)
Larger conferences often have conference bags, and over time you can start quite a collection. As my bag requirements are limited, I appreciate those conferences that allow you to not pick up the bag or return it for recycling.
p=. I used to keep all the name tags the first few years I attended conferences (good memories)
I used to stash them in a side-pocket of my handbag. I don’t like wearing them so normally remove them as soon as possible.
I had to abandon this habit after being requested to show my nametag post-removal, leading to an embarrassing “Nope, not that one…nope, not that one either” as the security guard glared and a queue formed behind…
Heh – how big is your handbag, Erika? 🙂
It was great to meet you and everyone else at 2009’s most exclusive gathering, Erika … seems like ages and -60 degrees Fahrenheit ago, though. Are you going to attend Science Online London? I’d love to be able to go, but a) my teaching responsibilities return full-force tomorrow, and don’t let up until December, and b) the money from “a” has to be used for boring things like mortgage, property taxes, car maintenance, etc.
Re: the name tags, one department in which I worked required that we turn in our conference name badges, to “prove” that we hadn’t just gone on a Caribbean cruise or skiing vacation or whatever. As if.
@Kristi, yes I shall be at Science Online London – it is a shame that you can’t make it, have you thought about attending some of the sessions in Second Life?
I like that about the nametags – was this policy the result of someone vacationing when they should have been working, I wonder?
Maybe I’ll try the Second Life attendance, Erika – I’ve used another virtual environment (which preceded Second Life) for teaching, so it’s not an unfamiliar setting for me.
I never knew the real back story on the conference nametag edict, but I rather suspect that one person abused the privilege at some point, and that this elicited a wave of paranoia and roolz directed at everyone else.
Ooooh. Warm fluffies.