[OpenGeoscience] OSGeo @ EGU 2017: Ideas ? Volunteers ?

[Jeff McKenna]

Hi Peter,

As you know, I've always tried to help you promote OSGeo at EGU through 
the Townhall (and reviewing your great post-event reports through the 
years).  I'd suggest that others give your 2016 LessonsLearned a read 
again (I just did as well): 
https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/EGU_Townhall_2016#Lessons_learned

I really like your idea to have an additional birds-of-a-feather-style 
informal meeting at lunchtime, in addition to the TownHall.  I've done 
enough event planning to know that timing is everything (and a lot of 
attendees become exhausted by around dinnertime and cannot stay for a 
later talk at 19:00 or 20:00).

I also remember the post-event photos (and live tweets) seeing the beer 
flowing as part of the catering of the Townhall (great, let's do that 
again!).  This seemed to get some excitement.  What I'm getting at 
is.....what about also having OSGeo sponsor another "refreshment break" 
during EGU?  The costs are higher maybe, but the exposure would be huge. 
  I notice there is an option to sponsor the Poster refreshment break 
(http://egu2017.eu/exhibition/sponsorship.html).

I have no idea if the OSGeo Board would support that (probably 
not?)...but again, it can't hurt to talk openly here at the committee 
level and come up with ideas, even odd ones like this ha, that we can 
keep in mind for some future EGU if not this one.

-jeff






On 2017-01-11 1:15 PM, "Peter Löwe" wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> the EGU general assembly will take place in Vienna from April 23 - 28. While the call for abstracts is now closed, the calls for events as part of the conference are still open.
>
> Starting in 2014, there were OSGeo-themed reach out events ("Townhall") at every EGU general assembly. Townhalls are evening events allowing for reach out and discussion, similar to a birds of a feather meeting (with refreshments). Detailed information on what was done so far is available in the Wiki (https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/EGU_Townhall_2014 https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/EGU_Townhall_2015 https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/EGU_Townhall_2016).
>
> During the last years, many other reach-out opportunities were discovered at EGU (splinter meetings, workshops, evening meetings with the austrian OSGeo community), but as always volunteers are the lifeblood to make them happen:
>
> it would be good to know who is planning to attend EGU this year. Who's interested to "do (cool) OGSGeo stuff" there ? What do we want to do ?
>
> I would propose to request (at least) again a timeslot at the conference for a dedicated OSGeo-Townhall, allowing for discussions like the growing siginificance of Open Science, and OSGeos part of this. The deadline for this is January 20. With the current budget allowance for the OpenGeoScience Committee, the funding is available (funding is only needed for the refreshments, room booking is for free). Yet we need volunteers and speakers to make it happen. Who's interested to lend a hand ?
>
> Further, I would like to pitch the idea, to also have a splinter meeting in addition during the lunch hours on another day ("birds of a feather"-style get together). This would allow to reach out to people who are unable to attend the evening event. This format is quite popular among the scientific publishers, to give the attendees a quick briefing on what has happened during the last year. This could be used to inform about all the  latest developments of OSGeo and the community projects. What are your thoughts about this ?
>
> Best,
> Peter