Monday, October 24, 2011

WCRP OSC

Coming through immigration on Saturday, an official asked jules what conference she was attending. "WCRP OSC", she replied. Well, ask a silly question...

Denver is pleasant and sunny and the hotel boasts 130 varieties of dra(f/ugh)t beer, so we have enjoyed the trip so far, but our experience of the conference is limited to sleeping through the introductory plenary. There is a fair bit of info on-line for this interested including a YouTube channel and twitter feed (google it).

I've not been to one of these before, it seems like part rallying the troops, part ipcc consensus forming, part assembly of position papers and priorities to be cited in future funding applications, and maybe some normal science as well. One thing I don't expect to be a major focus, is the earth-shattering news that some random semi-sceptic has recently decided to accept that the planet is actually warming after all...

--
James Annan

4 comments:

Hank Roberts said...

"... art haused in the new Hamilton Building designed by architect Daniel Libeskind. Security will be posted along the route during the hours of the event...."
-- from the program

PeterThorne said...

I'm being challenged in so many ways. Is my IQ just being grandly challenged though? Is it just grand or just a challenge or both? I'm confused ...

James Annan said...

Hank, yes I was amused that a science conference would be held in a city where you needed an armed(?) guard to venture outside. Actually downtown Denver is very nice, rather gentrified and twee even, with a pedestrian shopping street, public art, renovated buildings, and lots of cafes and bars serving brewed-in-the-bath style homebrew. We enjoyed a day walking round on Sunday - without armed guard, though we did have a couple of Colorado residents as guides.

James Annan said...

Peter, so far jetlag has been my biggest challenge, though defending two simultaneous posters in different rooms tomorrow may prove a stretch...