Monday, January 12, 2009

International Echinoderm Conference - Tasmania (Thursday & Friday)

Thursday - another day full of interesting echinoderm facts. Then at night we went to the Antarctic research headquaters. That was cool. They had lots of jars with preserved echinoderms. Interesting species I'd never seen. There were a couple of speeches and then a video that Marc got to narrate because he had been on that voyage. I spent a good chunk of the evening talking to a guy from Japan, that I had met at the last conference. It was good to meet him again, though I feel really bad that I didn't recognize him earlier in the week. Of course the bus dropped us off at Salamanca for a couple of drinks before climbing back up the hill to the residence.

Friday - last day of presentations. The last presentation of all was the best! ok, I'm biased. but you are allowed to be for your own presentation. Yes, I closed the conference. And people seemed to like it. It is reassuring when you look up into the audience and some of the biggest names in your field are nodding their heads as if they can accept and agree with what you are saying.

Then we all got on the double decker bus again. This time it took us to the harbour and we got on a boat to travel up river to the conference dinner. Yes we travel in class. Drinks on a yatch to go to a fancy dinner at a winery. Echinoderm people know how to do it.
Of course the night ended with a trip to Salamanca, only this time the bars were closing so we just bought some bottles and had a party in my apartment. (yes, even some of the profs).

What a fantastic conference!

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