Lorne - the Not a Conference Report Part II
I have seen, and sometimes even read, conference reports in society magazines (that is, publications from for example the British Society for Cell Biology, not Marie Claire or Hello etc.) and on weblogs. And I have but one thing to say.
If you have time to write a weblog from a conference, then you were not really there.
Enough said. Lorne is a blast. It is a reasonably-sized affair, with about 450 delegates, 15 lecture sessions of three or four speakers each, three poster sessions and a gorgeous beach, all in the space of about four days. Everyone seems to know each other, and if they don't they soon will. Many, and I would guess around seventy percent, are Lorne junkies, coming back year after year.
It is pretty hardcore, with most talks showing some structural information even if not describing a new protein structure. This can be hard work, even for someone who likes looking at models of proteins and nucleic acid. Drop off for a moment in the middle of a 30 minute talk and it's very difficult to pick up the thread again. It most be hell for any cell biologists who happened to drop by.
It is not all tough going. Scientists tend to play as hard as they work, whether it be partying with old and new friends until four in the morning, surfing or playing cricket. There will nearly always be someone in the bar arguing excitedly and animatedly with a collaborator, someone else clowning with or tormenting a rep at her trade display, and at least half a dozen people in the reception area tapping away on their laptops or making last-minute adjustments to their slides. Business cards are handed over and scribbled upon, and on at least one occasion I saw a couple take themselves apart to exchange rather more intimate details.
Every delegate will have had with a different impression of the conference, and if you were to ask which was the best part you would probably get four hundred different answers. For most of us I think the worst would probably have to be the lunches and refreshments prepared by the resort. I hasten to add that no blame can be attached to the conference organizers. But whoever thought that jam and egg rolls, or warm Carlton draught, was a good idea should be forced to — well, I can not think of a suitable punishment, but I am open to ideas. Just don't get me started on the tea. Earl Grey that tasted of Lapsang? Oh, and the difference between the vegetarian and normal lunches (apparently) was that if there was a roll containing meat, it was removed. Not substituted, removed.
I managed to come away with the promise of two useful reagents, several handy ideas, some interesting contacts and a whole bunch of crazed Kiwi friends. And the Quantum rep's business card. Yes, I know, I'm married; but this is one hell of a way to get girls' phone numbers. I also got a good photograph of a koala and a suntan. The organizers schedule the talks and posters from 0830 until 1300, and then from 1600 to 2200 with a break for dinner, which essentially means that the afternoons are free. And if the weather is good, you can go surfing or koala-spotting, or both. I like this game.
I can probably squeeze out a third report, that hopefully will be a bit more sciencey, but it will have to wait.
Comments
Phone numbers... hm, yes, since increasing numbers of reps are putting their personal cell phone numbers on their business cards these days.
This knowledge is equally useless to me as it is to you, of course.
Posted by: Whiffling on the phone | February 13, 2007 05:24 PM