2020 AES Conference Cancelled
The second AES board teleconference for 2020 was held 4th April. Perhaps the most significant point discussed was the prospects for the 2020 AGM and Conference. Past-president Phil Weinstein, who volunteered to organise the conference, held discussions with Dale McIver, conference coordinator for our last two AGMs, who advised that a 2020 conference is unlikely. The corporate event industry has shut down and is unlikely to recover quickly. People’s confidence in travel has plummeted and it could remain difficult to obtain approval for work- or study-related conference travel.
“The sensible approach might be to simply wait until the pandemic is over, and at that point re-engage with Dale to discuss realistic timeframes for holding one.” Said Phil Weinstein 2020 Conference Chairperson.
So, unfortunately this year’s conference has been cancelled.
The board proposes to publish the necessary reports (President, Treasurer, Chief Editor, Myrmecia Editor, Conservation Committee, Education Committee) in the November Myrmecia so that all members are updated on the society’s activities.
Also, we are exploring the possibility of an online AGM using video-conferencing. According to our association organiser, other professional societies are successfully using this approach.
We wish our members well through these difficult times.
David Merritt
Chairperson
AES
‘Think Green’
Bringing people together from different states and countries to one location for a conference can have a big environmental impact. Key contributors include greenhouse gas emissions produced from travel, water use associated with accommodation, waste disposal from food catering, and paper waste generated from conference proceedings. While some of these are difficult to avoid, this year we’d like to mitigate the environmental impact of the conference where we can – and you can help us! In your conference welcome pack you’ll receive a USB stick containing the full conference handbook including abstracts and speaker schedule. Water can be saved by reducing dishes and paper saved by minimising printing.
We encourage you to ‘think green’ and reduce your environmental footprint in other ways too by travelling together where practical, managing your conference schedule electronically, bringing a re-usable water bottle and declining daily room service.
Think globally, act locally.