The day to day life
The conference has been exciting to say the least. We’ve been listening to presentations non-stop from 8:30 to 12:30, hopping back and forth between 5 or more rooms with speakers giving talks on a range of subjects from microbiology to dispersants to public health, and trying to catch some of the talks we think are relevant or interesting. Then we’ve been walking in hordes to grab lunch (platefuls of delicious meat for me!) with new science friends, and rushing back in time to make the 2:15 talks. And again, we found ourselves snaking between talks, trying to get the timing right for the speakers we want to hear, until 4:30. At that point we pick up some of the giant chocolate chip cookies and decadent chocolate brownies and head on our way to the poster presentations. Then we join the swarms and buzzing of the poster hall and walk around hearing about all the new and exciting research being conducted on and about the spill, and at some time around 7 our group heads out to get dinner. Then repeat.