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12 September 2003

Conference Thoughts

by Susan Campbell

I had such a fabulous time at the SAS conference in Pasadena. Our directorial team of Sheldon, Shawn & Nancy thought of everything and more. The JPL tour (and bus ride), Ben Franklin Citizen Science Award Banquet, presenters’ sessions, talks, poster sessions and workshops were captivating. I learned so much. I love my SAS pen. Thank you for your excellent work, and "hi" to new friends I met in Pasadena (wish I had a list of everyone’s names)!

(I realize that "pinnacle" necessarily points to just one thing. Nevertheless, I figure that if baseball games can end in a tie, well, so can "pinnacle moments" at the SAS Citizen Science Conference). One pinnacle moment for me was David Levy’s most human and inspirational acceptance speech (OK, I’m the one at Forrest’s table that cried great torrents). Another was watching my SAS cohort in the lab glass workshop create a glass bead for me, drawn from a glass rod over a flame, so I could have a lens like Van Leeuwenhoek. Equally thrilling were the conversations with my fellow amateur scientists. The diversity and degree of their interests made for some fascinating dialogue. Harlequin Romances wish they had such passion!

I’m wishing we could have met each other as a group when we were kids. Just imagine the relentless release of passion, ingenuity, creativity and curiosity combined with the muddy knees and energy of youth! Which gives me an idea…

What if there was a funding entity that could send young people to an event like the SAS Citizen Science Conference? What if curious kids from around the country (or world) could submit applications to be considered for the opportunity to attend? Perhaps teachers or mentors could nominate students for the opportunity. Attending young people and their chaperones could pair with an SAS member. The actual conference could include field trips/tours, presenters’ sessions, an awards banquet for deserving students and an opportunity to exhibit their topics to the group.

It was so much fun to meet "our" Intel Science Fair winner, Lisa Glukhovsky and her mother. We were all so proud of her. She attended all of the events and I’ll bet she had a conversation with each of the attendees. I’d like to know, now that it’s been a month or two since the conference, how she looks back at the experience. Was it something that she’ll always remember? Did she make some connections; add to her reservoir of passion for science?

Let’s ask her again in ten years.

I loved the exchange with my fellow attendees and the presenters at the conference. I even shared a few of my tips. Sheldon and Shawn suggested that I send some in, so look for them in future issues of the E-Bulletin. But for now, the best tip I could give is, "Don’t miss next year’s conference"!