GATE is joining together with other organisations to explore a new type of Conference that delivers Convergence and Action. We don't want to fly around the world. We want to listen to presentations that involve deep learning and present new ideas. We want to make connections. We want to make progress. We want to make change.
Technology Challenge
Many academics and professionals agree that conferences have become largely about travel and making money off registrations. This is a wicked problem. We are supposed to attend conferences and present our latest research as part of our jobs. Traveling to cool places is fun. Air travel is increasingly time consuming and dehumanising. Air travel is patently unsustainable, polluting, causes jet trails and throw-away ammenities. Air travel is the only way to get to most conferences. If we don't have conferences, how will we meet people in our field, contribute and learn new things?
SHIFT PROJECT: The No-Flying Conference. The technology is possible, but it will require an innovation to create and deliver a full package of technologies that are deployed successfully and seamlessly at all venues. We are working with IT providers to develop the technology platform.
Format Challenge
We are going to have simultaneous conferences in different locations, and the requirement for design of the conference is action. We want all the benefits of a conference, much less expense and time wasted in travel, 1000x lower footprint, and networking. But we also want outcomes. We want the future to be different because we held that conference. The probability of avoiding climate crash gets just a little better because of that conference.
Action Convergence Concept: Imagine that Transition Engineers around the world have been carrying out the 7 step method and making disruptive discoveries about shift projects that could transition wicked problems. Isn't that what you would really like to hear about? Wouldn't you like to have them walk through their wicked problem and the history, present situation, testing the scenarios and exploring the 100 year future? And wouldn't you like to brainstorm with a group of experts and enthusiasts and students on triggers and shift project ideas? And wouldn't it be great to contribute to development of the shift projects into business cases, and hear the best shift projects pitched to the industries or organisations who could do them?
Organisation Challenge
Convergent conferences mean that each venue needs an organisation, and there needs to be an organising committee over the whole event. We are working with event organisers to develop their new offering for Convergent Conferences.
