[Stoves] Organizational issues for ETHOS 2012

[Paul S. Anderson]

Dear all,

This message is about the structuring of the program at ETHOS.

Request to the organizers of ETHOS 2012, but of interest to all who  
will attend:

As our organization grows, and as more topics (such as biochar) are  
included, and as the number of presentaions increase each year, BUT as  
we remain tied to our 48 hours together (5 PM Friday until 5 PM  
Sunday), we need to consider some changes in the format of the  
conference.

1.  We need more time for in-depth discussions by small groups with  
very specific interests.  This means more blocks of time for  
"break-out sessions."

2.  We need time to "debate", as MIGHT be done in panel sessions, but  
not if the panel time is simply a sequence of short monologues.  Have  
more panels or even call them "debates" or "brainstorming" sessions.

3.  We need to allow everyone who has something to present a chance to  
get EVERYBODY interested in that topic (especially to reach to the few  
who have that specific interest).  This means presentation time in  
plenary sessions at least to generate interest.

4.  We do NOT need uniform time slots for each presentation.  There  
are not enough 10 and 15 minute time slots to accomodate everyone.   
And some really do NOT need that much time, and others could use much  
more time that is impossible to allocate to them.

THEREFORE:  The above means that many presentations need to be SUPER  
SHORT and presented to the plenary sessions in the first morning.   
Require each speaker to "GET TO THE POINT" right away.  No time for  
the often lengthy background, nor for the technical details that are  
of interest to a select few.  The background and technical details can  
be in small group discussions for those who self-select to go to those  
discussions.  We might end up with 6 or more "concurrent" breakout  
sessions (even with sometimes 2 in each room.)   Or consider something  
like "poster sessions".

Decisions about such organizational matters are very difficult,  
especially when we are such a close and friendly group.  ETHOS  
participants are my friends, but please let me speak frankly:

1.  ETHOS needs to be ACTION oriented, not so academic in it  
structure.  We need more discussion and open time slots.

2.  Most of us travel hundreds or thousands of miles to attend, and  
our limited time together needs to be well spent.

3.  Some presentations (such as by the EPA or GACC) need some more  
presentation time, but please spare us from the > 50% of each  
presentation that is the background and mission and etc. etc. etc.   
Get to the action issues!!!

4.  Acknowledge major subdivisions of interests, and bring the leaders  
and presenters in each subdivision together to forge a solution about  
the bottleneck of time available to cover the topic.  Some  
subdivisions might want strict time slots.  Others might choose to  
have short presentations of highlights plus dynamic discussions about  
how to more forward.  Just be sure that a subdivision such as  
"TLUD-Micro-gasification" is NOT concurrent with "Biochar", and that  
"Finance-Carbon Credits" is not concurrent with "Marketing approaches."

*************
Thanks for reading this far.  If this is important to you, please send  
your replies to be sure to reach the ETHOS leadership.

If the 2012 meeting format can be changed, then the ETHOS office can  
send a message to those who have submitted abstracts explaining the  
expectations about making presentations short and to the point.

If I can assist with this, I can be reached in January via email in  
Costa Rica (back to the USA on 18 January).

Paul
-- 
Paul S. Anderson, PhD
Known to some as:  Dr. TLUD    Doc    Professor
Phone (USA): 309-452-7072   SKYPE: paultlud   Email: psanders at ilstu.edu
www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/giz2011-en-micro-gasification.pdf   (Best ref.)



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