Remit

To determine what kinds of events we should support in order to achieve the Network's objectives.

HCS Executive Contact Point

Denis Burnham [Chair, Conferences and Liaison]

Core Members

David Alais (Chair); Justin Zobel; Linda Cupples

Comments

This is probably the area of activity that has received most discussion so far, and also accounts for the largest single component in the Network's proposed budget, in line with the general aim of bringing people together.

In the original proposal we identified an annual conference and a significant number of focussed workshops as the key events we would support. Some detail on each of these is provided in the Appendix.

Subsequent discussion has led us to the view that adding yet another annual generalist conference to an already busy calendar might not be the right thing to do, at least initially. At the same time, we do see a need for some forum that brings together all the network participants, in the way that our initial proposal planning workshop and the kick-off meeting do. In addition, the notion of workshops targeted on particular hot topics, with international speakers, full-paper peer reviewing etc. may be a good vehicle for the Network.

The original budget allocated around $80k per annum to this area of activity, including an element for travel support for students; this reflects the central important of bringing people together. So, the question here is how we can best spend this kind of money to meet the objectives of the network.

Target Deliverables

By January 27th 2005:
* A five minute presentation on possible activities in this area.

By February 22nd 2005:
* A status report on where the Working Group has got to (pdf format), incorporating ideas generated at the HCSNet Launch Meeting and subsequent discussion.

By April 1st 2005, a report that:
* indicates a range of possible types of events that we might support, along with a specific proposal for how we make these events happen, the proposed timeline, and indicative costings.