Has anyone here gone to the AGU Fall Meeting?

Simfish

http://www.facebook.com/AGUFallMeeti...eeting?sk=wall

Just wondering. I'd like to know how it's like and if students are allowed.

geo101

Hi Simfish,

I've been a number of times it is a fun experience and students are always welcome. Are presenting or just thinking of attending? Here is the link to the official meeting site if you don't already have it.

Simfish

Oh cool - thanks! I'm thinking about attending, but the financial costs will be pretty heavy (even though I know that I can get a student discount).

How much 1v1 interaction is there with professors?

geo101

That is entirely up to you. There are frequent opportunities to chat with folk at the poster sessions or at the coffee breaks.

I guess the real question is what are you hoping to get from it all? Then you will know if it is worth the expense. Have you had a chat with your supervisor/mentor about the idea?

Simfish

I'll discuss it with my supervisors in the upcoming weeks. Although I'm kind of scared that the presenters I'm most interested in might prefer chatting with their own kind rather than with me (since that often does happen during conferences).

There will definitely be an exoplanetary atmosphere session, so there are people there who do the stuff I'm really interested in.

Do you know if the hotel is mandatory though? I can live for free with a friend in the area instead.

TomRoche

Hope that worked out.

Try the poster sessions: lotsa folks are basically standing there waiting for someone to talk with. You won't get the "science rock stars," but you will get grad students who are very up-to-speed in their (admittedly very specialized fields).

Note that the poster hall is exceptionally (perhaps excessively) huge: you *will* need the schedule and map!

It is not. My GF and I rented an apt for the week through airbnb.

Simfish

Oh yeah - thanks for all the advice! Yeah - I think I'll most likely end up going there. Do you know if I could, say, talk with visiting professors during dinner or something? Do you know what most of the professors do during dinner?

TomRoche

Not really: I'm just a grad student. But I've observed, some meet with their grad students, those there with their spouses dine with them, and lots just hit the town. It *is* Frisco, after all :-) and the weather in December is quite temperate.

Simfish

Oh okay I see. What do the star professors do during the poster sessions?

I'm actually wondering since the only way I can justify the cost to my parents is to show them that it can improve my chances of getting in grad school (and I've already been in contact with the star professors - some of them are already somewhat impressed by me so they might be willing to meet me individually)

billiards

I'll see you there.

Simfish

Oh cool - what are you presenting there?

billiards

I have a poster in the deep earth session.

This will be my first AGU and only my third conference, ever -- the first two I presented talks! Which if you knew me you would probably be surprised by that fact. I'm pretty shy.

billiards

Register before the first of November for cheaper fee.

Simfish

Yeah I registered a few days ago