Re: Paying to present

[Bernard Cleyet <anngeorg@PACBELL.NET>]

I think Dwight should present the organizers an honorarium bill.  Repeat
it every month and add 1/2% interest after 60 days, just as do the other
pros.

This contretemps  reminds me of how well the NCNsection AAPT observes
what ME's questions imply, etc.

A Marxist would say, whatd ayou expect; it's the natural evolution of
capitalism.  How well compensated are the organizers?

bc

Michael Edmiston wrote:

> I do not have a good solution to the problem of financing conferences
> and publications, but I admit I am often upset about it.
>
> When I have worked at places (such as national lab) that paid all my
> expenses to go to a meeting, even if I was not presenting, I was amazed
> at the overall cost, but I didn't have to pay it, so I did not complain.
>
> Now I am in a situation where the annual amount my employer will pay
> (even if I present) barely covers the registration fee, and I get stuck
> with transportation, meals, and lodging.  Also, if I publish a paper in
> a journal with page charges, my employer will not pay.  Yet, I am
> expected to attend conferences and pursue a modest number of
> publications as part of "keeping current in my field."
>
> I often wonder if conferences have become things that can only be
> attended by people who have generous support from their employers, while
> others are simply left out or have to pay substantial costs personally.
>
> I, myself, am likely to attend regional meetings I can drive to, and I
> appreciate it best when these are held in cities where it is possible to
> stay in reasonably-priced motels that are fairly conveniently located
> with respect to the meetings.  Sadly, there aren't too many of these,
> and those that exist sometimes (but not always) have registration fees
> as high as national meetings.
>
> Some of the questions I have are...
>
> (1) Are conference planners making any attempts to keep costs down?
> (2) Could registration fees be graduated according to the size or type
> of the participant's employer?
> (3) Should there be more regional or state meetings held in smaller
> cities where it is assumed the participants will drive, and could the
> registration fees be held in check a little better than the national
> meetings?
>
>
> Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
> Professor of Physics and Chemistry
> Bluffton College
> Bluffton, OH 45817
> (419)-358-3270
> edmiston@bluffton.edu