Conference

I am just back from a conference (in Cracow, beautiful city, it's my 3rd time there and still I enjoy going there). It has been quite a long time I didn't attend a conference on my "old" topic (i.e. not mud). It was really nice to feel the atmosphere of a "theoretical" meeting again. Even though (alas), too much bio-, nano- and other in vogue denominations polluted the titles of the presentations (to my taste). Not that the bio and nano presentations were crap. Not all, at least.
It was fun to watch the familiar course of events that comes with a conference: the arrival at the airport, where already inquisitive looks are directed to the other passagers carrying tubes (containing posters). Will they be at the same conference? Then, the registration at the hotel, and, in the beginning of the evening, the registration at the conference center. That is usually a bit of a mess, all people queuing, most of them tired from the trip, greeting familiar faces, waiting to get their conference bags, complaining ("but I assure you that I registered for the conference diner!" and looking panicked (who would miss a conference diner?), or "I am certain my University transfered the money to you", followed by "do you accept Visa card?"). Then there is the "welcome and drinks", where the welcome speech is diluted in the rush to get some food and wine before the rest of the hungry crowd scavenges the best bits from the trays and empties the bottles. With a stomach full, the majority retires then to their hotel, in order to be fresh and present next morning at 8:30 or 9:00 when the conference starts. That day (usually a Monday) is the most busy day of the conference: those who missed a plane register before the first talk, the rest tests their first conference coffee and catch-up with friends. The more motivated already wave with their open laptops showing an ill-looking curve to a respectfull colleague. The talks are eagerly followed. The next days, the attention will drop at a rate that varies between an straight slope (good conference) and an exponential decay (bad conference). More and more people will populate the internet room, or dwell between the tables in the corridors where coffee and tea are served, some still carrying a cup of old tea that they slurp every now and then, waiting for the next coffee break. The third day the corridors will eventually empty and groups will form that will spontaneously decide to "take a break outside" (i.e. visit the city). Nothing wrong with that: according to me, that's what conferences are for: meeting people and having fun together. It is when you find people with whom you had a good time, that you feel like keeping in touch and eventually start projects with them.