Hi all,
Here are few notes from IEEE :
*** Chairs: - every parallel session [almost] have at least one local chair, and plenary session has both chairs = local VIPs. I guess this is actually very good - why not boost CV of Nikhef/NL people?
- Chairs here do select abstracts for their session but they do not review proceedings as it is done at CHEP. - If there are few sessions on the subject, then there are different chairs for each of them
- I noticed few ex-IEEE organizers as chairs now
*** Speakers/Talks : - there are a few local invited speakers.
- every session here has an invited first talk, which takes longer. I found it very nice as these people have time to explain their project and also serves as introduction to the session. Thus some of our invited talks could be moved to parallel sessions.
- here it is super nice to have scientific talk on something which is not HEP but is using HEP instruments. Here they had invited talk from NASA on Mars missions: Curiosity, etc. Super interesting, catching imagination, nice to see our typical instruments. Very important to get scientist here and not manager of the project.
- industry talks need to be tuned to audience. I went to some homeland security sessions. While it could be interesting, the speakers (obviously top managers in these companies) spend too much time on procedures and far too little on scientific aspects, even that some of information is available in the talk. As a result it is rather boring talk, even if super polished and professional. So if we invite industry to give talks, we have to ask them to send their scientists
*** Organization : - there is really many conference personal on site [students] - may be typical for Korea style, but actually useful - they all have uniform [t-shirts] - they do not allow people without badges into meeting rooms. There is guard in every room [I did not like it] - there is many independent photographers during plenary sessions [newspapers?local/international organizers?] - many people get confused where the rooms or sessions are - people in uniform all have to have program and floor plan - they have given us usb with program, but honestly I do not see many people using it... - the booklet with all talks titles is actually useful
*** Sponsors : - they have insane amount of "exhibitor" stands... "Exhibitor" also sounds nicer than "sponsor" - Priscilla is doing fantastic job here giving sponsor folders out :)
- They have some stands from Korea tourist office here - it is super nice! and also good for companion program. Shall we ask NL/Amsterdam tourist office if they are interested to be sponsor?
- it would be nice if our organizing company can prepare "companion program" for every day - can be half a day. I noticed that there is a club of wives, who go with this program every day. They like such organization a lot - also gives them opportunity to find someone to go together as opposed to be alone the whole week. This companion program here is super expensive (60$/half day) - but they do not seem to mind ?
Greetings from Korea! Olya (korean food every day is quite a challenge..)