Scientific conferences organisation participatio

Authors: Jiří Jaromír Klemeš

Publish Date: 2016/02/01

Volume: 18, Issue: 2, Pages: 347-349

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Abstract

Scientific conferences are an important part of the activities of majority of researchers These are venues for presenting new research receiving intermediate feedback and very importantly for networking with the other researchers The conferences have been growing in importance as knowledge dissemination channelsThere have been a number of traditionally organised conferences for a number of years There have been some traditional forums for meetings of professional societies eg American Institution of Chemical Engineers AIChE founded in 1909 and UK Institution of Chemical Engineers IChemE in 1923 The growth in the numbers of professional meetings and conferences started with the development of the industry and travel facilities especially after the Second World War In the present century we have been witnessing a significant escalation in the growth of conferences caused by the globalisation of research and supported by travel opportunities With the availability of ecommunication questions are being raised about the future of the research meetings are there still needed and what is the benefit of traditional conferences where hundreds of delegates are travelling frequently thousands kilometres for a few days meeting Are such need and benefit expected to be present in the futureLet us consider as an example the profession of chemical engineering which is globally networked and with which the author is most familiar The AIChE Annual Meeting has been introduced as the premier research and educational forum for Chemical Engineers interested in innovation and professional growth Academic and industry experts at the meetings usually cover a wide range of topics relevant to cuttingedge research new technologies and emerging growth areas in Chemical Engineering wwwaicheorg/conferences/aicheannualmeeting/2015IChemE—traditionally based in the UK and in a number of Commonwealth countries thecommonwealthorg/ reports that they stage successful international conferences all over the world disseminating latest thinking and best practices throughout the chemical and process industries These events also provide excellent networking opportunities and can offer to the researchers targeted platforms for raising the profile of the researchers and their organisations as well as can help in promoting products and services to industry decision makers wwwichemeorg/conferences Other traditional Chemical Engineering societies are DECHEMA from Germany Société Française de Génie des Procédés from France and Associazione Italiana Di Ingegneria Chimica AIDIC to mention at least a few The European Federation of Chemical Engineering EFCE also known as Fédération Européenne du Génie Chimique and Europäische Föderation für ChemieIngenieurWesen was formed in Paris on 20 June 1953 There are also similar professional institutions in Asia which are fast gaining importance in step with their countries’ accelerating development and also reaching out to other parts of the worldOrganising a successful international conference is a demanding task There are many issues to be dealt with and neglecting or not paying enough attention to each of them can lower the venue success or even ruin it completely The scientific organisers are bidding for their successful future or failure The organisers of the conference logistics can finish with profit or loss for their institutionOrganising a conference is a task many researchers face at different stages in their careers PhD students and young researchers are often involved as supporting staff Experienced researchers are involved in reviewing papers chairing sessions and handling invitations of speakers Finally the leading management staff chair the conferences serve as members of the scientific committees and also get involved in the venue planning management and decision making All those roles demand beside the high dedication also scientific knowhow and experienceThe main issues are as follows where and when to organise the conference targeting the right audience appointing the International Scientific Committee Plenary Speakers promotion of and attracting both key advanced scientists as well as providing provisions for participation of young promising researchers Appropriate decisions should be made on Oral/Poster selections the number and structure of the parallel sessions proceedings and followup Special issues in journals with Impact FactorsOther issues to be covered include finalising planning organising a sufficient number of Committee Meetings personal responsibilities/minutes checking and familiarising with the venue Before final booking an exploratory visit is usually the best practice It is especially beneficial to see the venue during another conference Organising a small Pilot conference can also be a good step especially for training new staff The conference size is also important Would the current conference be held in just a small part of a large building Would there be other potential venues

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