I have run a virtual conference. It was one of the ways to get over the "tyranny of distance" Western Australia operates under with Perth being the most isolated capital city in the world. I have also attended conferences locally, nationally and internationally.

Good aspects: I got local, Australian and international papers presented at the conference, the papers were on-line for years and got a lot of hits,

Bad aspects: The web based question and answer sessions did not work at all, basically they were a waste of the presenters time. None of the presenters or people who read the papers got to meet, know each other and ask questions about the papers or anything else. An essential missing link was then that they did not get to know other archaeologists. I have operated on knowing the bulk of the archaeological community through e-mail contact for most of my career and there is a big difference in knowing a colleague that way and knowing them personally. There is also a big difference in what you yourself get out of it professionally and personally.

Having talked about the tyranny of distance for WA. This is now getting better due to the resources boom. We now have direct flights to parts of America. So if any of you are interested in seeing WA the ASHA/AIMA conference in October is on in Perth (the first visit for ASHA after 30 years of operation as our association). After the conference October is not a bad time to go south, east or north from Perth as it will be spring here (we have world famous spring wildflowers and it will not be too hot, too cold or too rainy) and cyclone season will not have started up north. It's also when the whales move up our coast. 

Regards

Gaye

-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jeremy Pye
Sent: Monday, 7 May 2012 2:36 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Conferences- Are they excessive in the Modern World? How can costs be lowered?

I missed the early part of this conversation, so I am not sure if this has already been brought up, but I think it would be possible to sent up an interactive "conference call" for people who would need to give presentations remotely. Many universities do this now in classes where there is not enough call for certain classes at satellite campuses to hire another instructor. The students from multiple campuses just go to a classroom in their location and the professor teaches at one but can be seen and heard by all and the powerpoint shows up in all locations as well. Students from all locations can discuss and ask questions. Except for the fact that the presentor could not go out to the bar with an interested attendee after the session, it would be just like being there. The problem would be setting up the necessary technology with the cameras and microphones necessary in all locations. You could accomplish the same thing through Skype too.

--- On Sun, 5/6/12, sent <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: sent <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Conferences- Are they excessive in the Modern World? How can costs be lowered?
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Sunday, May 6, 2012, 6:01 AM
> Thanks Alasdair
> 
> I am glad to see progress.
> 
> I am a bit disturbed about extracting money from those who are not 
> physically present.
> Surely information should be more important than collecting fees and 
> the presence or absence of a presenter will not cost more or less 
> money. Could I suggest that it might be a bit better to only charge a 
> token set up fee?
> Why not have a special venue for unaccompanied presentations.....It 
> seems also that these should go on line as the easiest way to present 
> them just click the screen.
> 
> Good to see flexibility.
> 
> I am not sure about the face to face. Today via the internet we are 
> face to face. Yes not in the past but technology is so seamless that 
> this old line is IMHO retired.
> 
> I think that one suggestion for those who go to mingle and do face to 
> face that conferences be established for that purpose- just leaving 
> out the academic material and presentations at all. People could 
> vacation with each other etc.
> 
> I have not had a vacation in around 15 years. Many college students 
> working two jobs and full time in the summer to pay student loans 
> don’t get much of one either but all need access to information and to 
> benefit from the research which is basically for the most part 
> publicly funded. Greater access can only mean greater support in the 
> future.
> 
> A lively topic and an important one
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Alasdair Brooks
> Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2012 5:00 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Travelling - a final comment from Leicester
> 
> My apologies to both Julie King and Phil Levy for contributing to the 
> derailment of their call for contributions to their symposium.  I hope 
> the lively debate on a tangential topic has at least given their 
> session some free publicity.
> 
> As to the ongoing comments from Conrad about expense for 
> archaeologists that inspired my prior post, I would only gently 
> reiterate that there are historical archaeologists outside the United 
> States as well.
> 
> Given Conrad's comments about remote conferencing I would also observe 
> quickly that at least two sessions at SHA 2013 are indeed exploring 
> some form of digital remote access for specific participant 
> constituencies in North America and Australia.  While this can never 
> replace the face to face interaction of actually attending a 
> conference, we are eager to be as flexible as possible with symposium 
> formats.   Note that anyone presenting remotely/digitally will still 
> need to pay the full conference registration fee (this isn't 
> unprecedented; I organised a symposium at Amelia Island where one UK 
> presenter prepared a recorded powerpoint presentation since he 
> couldn't attend in person.  He paid the full registration fee despite 
> not being present).  Those interested in exploring this should contact 
> me off-list.
> 
> Alasdair Brooks
>