Summary
Lou Rosenfeld and Bria Alexander kicked off Advancing Research 2024, highlighting the significance of this being the first hybrid event with an in-person component after years of virtual-only conferences. Lou recounted the conference’s growth and the intentional cultivation of ongoing conversations led by curators Jim Ahmed and Kris Easton, which helped shape the speaker lineup and sessions. He urged attendees to continue advancing research by taking insights from the conference back to their communities and workplaces. Bria then outlined practical housekeeping details, including how notes and recordings would be delivered, changes in Q&A format relying on Slack for managing questions, and emphasized the supportive onsite and virtual help infrastructure. She also introduced the sponsors, digital and physical swag options, and detailed the in-person and virtual social opportunities to foster connection. The tone balanced warmth, inclusivity, and excitement for ongoing collaboration in the research community.
Key Insights
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This is the first Advancing Research conference event to include an in-person component since its 2020 virtual launch.
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Curators Jim Ahmed and Kris Easton facilitated pre-conference sessions that influenced speaker selection and program content.
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Lou Rosenfeld encourages attendees to bring back conference discussions to their workplaces to help shape the future of research.
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The conference uses Slack to manage Q&A, asking participants to submit questions digitally rather than raising hands during sessions.
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Session notes, sketch notes, slides, and recordings will be available shortly after presentations, removing the need for attendees to take extensive notes.
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Bria Alexander plays multiple roles including Senior Design Program Manager at Adobe, event MC, and design operations conference curator.
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Sponsors play a vital role in enabling the conference experience, with multiple tiers including platinum, silver, exhibitors, and virtual gold sponsors.
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Digital swag bags complement physical swag for attendees, accessible via QR codes or short URLs.
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The social reception, hosted by Sprig, provides informal networking opportunities at a rooftop lounge, conditional on weather.
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Virtual attendees have tailored engagement opportunities, such as playing the Cozy Juicy Reel board game online.
Notable Quotes
"We literally want to advance this field by creating space for really good professional conversations to happen."
"Our speakers prepare and prepare and prepare — they have a dark board with my face on it because they’re so sick of hearing from us."
"If you want your question asked, please put it in the Slack channel, because I cannot keep up with the rapid things happening live."
"We’ve got you covered with notes, sketch notes, slides, and recordings so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show."
"Please stand up and hold each other’s hands, and on three, raise them high and shout Yeah so virtual can hear you."
"This is a conference where you can stand up and people will see you do that — which we haven’t had in the past."
"Sponsors believe in advancing research, and we wouldn’t be here without them."
"The Slack channel is the fastest way to get help, whether you’re virtual or in person."
"We want you to have a great time and feel good about being here — if anything is preventing that, let us know."
"The virtual social event tonight is Cozy Juicy Reel, a fun board game our virtual attendees always love."
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