Let's go round again - One year of Conference Casting

I realised recently that I've been running this blog for just over a year now. It was brought to my attention, oddly enough, because two of the conferences I've covered here contacted me within the space of a few days about upcoming events for this year. I really enjoyed hearing about both of these conferences, as with many of the others I have shared here, because of their innovative and unusual features and the approaches they take to encouraging scientists to network and develop their communication skills. Whilst all conferences are really exciting and interesting events, I have tried to demonstrate here the full breadth of ingenious activities and approaches that can be employed by conference organisers to create a highly successful, meaningful and memorable experience.

If you're involved in planning a conference, or would simply like to write about one that you are attending then please get in touch (ret.mutant@gmail.com) it's always great to hear about new fields of research and the conferences that go along with them. Maybe you have unusual anecdotes or memories from past conferences, or would like to share ideas of novel and unusual conference sessions, I'd like to hear about those too.

First up is the fantastic Falling Walls Lab, a competitive series of events arranged to give young researchers the opportunity to talk about their work to a wider audience and at the same time develop their abilities to simplify, streamline and compact their explanations into a form that is not only accessible but exciting and interesting for anyone hearing it. There are regional Falling Walls Lab events across the world and winners can be entered into the global final in Berlin on 8th November. In addition to great prizes, the winners of the lab get to present in front of a prestigious audience at the Falling Walls Conference. I really enjoyed working with last year's winners Thomas Rippel, Mai-Thi Nguyen-Kim and Quirin Kainz to share their thoughts and experiences from 2012 and eagerly anticipate working with the winners this year too.

(Copyright for the image above, showing the 100 finalists from 2012, is held by the Falling Walls Foundation)

Apply to take part online by 19th August (Locations & dates below)

Europe - Johannesburg, South Africa, 13 September 2013 (Applications closed)

London, UK, 20 September 2013 (Applications Extended to 30th August)

Moscow, Russia, 11 September 2013

São Paulo, Brazil, 9 September 2013

Los Angeles, USA, 3 October 2013

Contact the organisers here with any queries.

Polish Perspectives is still a unique conference concept to me. A scientific conference that is not centred arounda particular area of study or interest but that incorporates people with a common cultural background. The idea is to help bring Polish students studying abroad together to offer a mutual support network and develop a stronger national scientific community and identity. Last year Karolina Rzeniewicz helped to explain the underlying concepts of SPP and reported from Oxford and this year's Cambridge event promises to be just as full of variety and opportunity.

Contact the organisers here for more information.

(Conference logo sourced from SPP website)

Registration for Polish Perspectives 2013 opens at the end of August.

I hope you've enjoyed the past year of Conference Cast, that it has helped to inspire and motivate you and that I have helped you to make the most of your conference-going experiences. I look forward to another fun year ahead.