SAGT CONFERENCE 2005

This conference was held once again at the University of Dundee on 28th October 2006. This was the last of 3 conferences organised by conference convenor Val Vannet and her team, and they had assembled another impressive day of seminars, lectures and speeches. This was the 36th SAGT conference, and all past presidents had been invited. As with last year, I had known about the conference well in advance, and tinkered with my presentation mercilessly right up until 2 days before the conference - perhaps because new ideas were arriving all the time throughout that period, and continue to arrive.

My visit started on Thursday the 26th, with a trip to Norwich airport. Click the banner to pay a visit too. The airport is a nice 45 minute drive from home, and has recently started flights to Amsterdam, which I intend to use as soon as possible. While waiting for the flight, I had time to answer some questions from some UEA students who were investigating the airport facilities.

From here, I caught a FLYBE flight to Edinburgh airport. As before, we had good views along the coast, particularly the Holderness coast with intermittent patches of thick cloud which created a bit of turbulence. We were apparently travelling at over 400mph and at an altitude of around 24 000' - I paid £5 to offset the Carbon Dioxide created by the flight. Landed on time, and caught the airport bus to Edinburgh Haymarket. Train (finally) to Dundee. Lots of fun with the GNER staff and some people who had Scot Rail tickets only. Some confusion apparent. Wasn't sure until I got my ticket checked that it was OK. Out at 5-ish and it was very cold and windy in Dundee and picked up by John.

Out to get a laptop, then back to check Discovery for tomorrow night's reception, then back to Val's for meal and a few drinks. Heard that Rob Chambers, who was due to do a session on Departmental websites and VLEs was actually in hospital in Kenya ! He was determined to make it, but in the end, he wasn't allowed to fly back with the rest of the people on the trip, so people were reallocated to a different session. Out late on after some run-throughs of the presentations and a check of the AV equipment (they all worked thankfully) to the TAYCHREGGAN HOTEL. This is a rather splendid hotel which has the advantage of stocking over 300 malt whiskies. A late night after a nightcap or two...

http://www.taychreggan-hotel.co.uk/ - new website will apparently be opening soon

Up early and had breakfast and a shower, then up to catch the late bus into Dundee with a view of the new wind turbines, which weren't turning this morning. Raining as we passed the Overgate centre, and into various shops: good Ottakars branch. Bought some presents for the family, then wandered in the rain to the High School of Dundee for the rest of the morning, lunch, then out to meet up with Dave and Jane Rayner. Coffee, then out to the University to make sure that all was well. On the way, a kestrel attacked a pigeon on the ground no more than ten feet from where we were standing - incredible ! Over to Bonar Hall, eventually through the roadworks, and sorted out the venue. We were meant to collect LittleMiss from the railway station but she had taken 4 hours to get from Edinburgh due to the traffic, so met up later at the venue. Over to sort out the rooms. Amazing 350 delegate bags all printed up in jute, and full of goodies. Anquet Maps had a very generous offer of a free map CD for all the delegates, which meant that along with the free Atlas that was in the bag, they'd got their money back before the day started.

Out and back to Val's for a quick snack and get changed into our posh gear. Wind was freshening and drizzle was falling, but a lot calmer than the previous day, when the waves were breaking over the promenade from the Tay. Back into town and parked up at Discovery Point, and onto the deck of the Discovery: Scott's ship. Good atmosphere as there was a canvas awning, much as they would have erected in the Polar winter when over-wintering. There was a string ensemble of players from the High School of Dundee on board playing and we had a couple of glasses of wine and chat before going inside for the photo-call, then up to the Robert Falcon Scott Suite for a special sing-song then it was food and some speeches, and a quick session on the Discovering Antarctica resource. Tours of the exhibition and ship followed by several Becks... Chatted to Keith Grimwade from the GA, and then got a lift home in the drizzle from Val. A successful and well received addition to the SAGT Conference, and a splendid and historic venue. Also good to meet up once again with Dan Raven Ellison and wife Menah. Dan had some positive chats with both RGS-IBG and GA about the GGiP project.

Up early once again on the Saturday, breakfast and toast, then loaded up the box with materials and LittleMiss drove me to the Conference venue, got parked up on the University campus, and then wandered down to Bonar Hall and got settled in with an orange juice and pastry and to meet up with various other people: colleagues old and new. Collected delegate pack and other materials. Met up with Ollie Bray and Ian Balcombe from last year, and John Lyon from the GA, Ian Hardie from Rayburn tours, and Ken and Roger from the Ordnance Survey. Over to the room to set up. Had over 90 people coming to the second of my sessions, so had a job to get all the chairs in the room, but managed it. Set out all my equipment, and also set up Val's laptop for her repeat showing of her GA presentation in the middle of my two. Good sound system, and also helped out others. Dan was doing his Geography of Happiness and Video session, Ian Hardie was looking at the WOW factor in fieldwork in Iceland, and David was looking at Virtual fieldwork with Geograph along with Ken and Roger from the OS.

Rob Chambers has made his materials available by visiting the GEOBYTES site and following the DEPARTMENTAL link on the left hand side of the screen.

The Visualiser in use - pity the curtains were closed the second time round and I didn't work out that was the problem.

The delegates came across for the first session: had about 50 in, Liz introduced me and I was off. Had a visualiser to show my Geographical magazine, see above. Went well, and down for a spot of lunch and a drink to fuel up for the second session. Ollie Bray was down in Bonar Hall.

Ollie Bray has posted a huge selection of resources and videos and ideas at his blog: http://www.olliebray.com - also the full video run through of his presentation which you can watch by clicking the link below...

Following a chat with various delegates, had a quick bite to eat then back up. Val was just finishing off, and chat to Ken Muir, HMiE (Scottish version of OFSTED) who was introducing me..."you are in for a treat this afternoon ladies and gentlemen...." Didn't feel that the second presentation was quite as good as the first, but it went well, and had close to 100 people in the room. Good to see Ian Balcombe, one of last year's presenters in the audience too... There was a charity abseil for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust going on outside the room. Lots of cheering as people went over the edge. Over to Bonar Hall for a drink, having changed into my GGiP shirt, then in for the afternoon keynote lecture from Liz Taylor: "Nifty Blades and Distinguished Eyes", and a chat to Ollie. Liz's session was about a sequence of lessons on Japan, involving students from Rob Chambers' school. Rest of the day went very well. Had closing remarks, and then out to have a few glasses of wine and helped tidy up and organise what was left. Goodbyes to LittleMiss and several other people.

David Rayner is currently running a caption competition over at PASSION 4 GEOGRAPHY for the above image, which was taken at the end of the day during the President's reception...

http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/bbc/dontdieyoung/log_25-09-2006_154206.html - unrelated, but an interesting experiment using Google Maps to plot the pollution experienced by a cyclist - interesting animation...

Back to Val's with a car loaded with stuff. Could quite easily have gone to sleep, but instead it was time to change. A cuppa and some of Liz's fruitcake, which is an annual tradition, then into the car and back into town. Parked up, and met up by the statue of Desperate Dan. Windy night, and in to 'The Italian' in Dundee - nice restaurant - we were up on the mezzanine, and had a nice baked cod with a parmesan crust ("cheese on fish") and various vegetables. Got my second wind, although some people (naming no names) were falling asleep on their dessert. Had a fab ice cream, then out and goodbyes to Keith and Judith, David and Jane.

John and I went out to the Taychreggan for a celebratory dram - then it was another late night.

Lovely sunny Sunday morning. Up early for breakfast and to finish packing, then over to Edinburgh. A few hiccups on the way, and over the Forth bridge. Out to a dry slope skiing centre to the SE of Edinburgh which was very busy, and then hit IKEA for a few bits that could fit into my luggage, before going over to the airport for a snack and a coffee. The flight was on time, and all the check-in and security went without a hitch.

http://www.turnuptheheat.org/ - George Monbiot in global warming, which fitted in well with the Independent on Tuesday the publication of the Stern report.

A good flight back, and then a quick drive back home for a bath and a stiff drink !

Planning to go as a delegate to the next conference in Edinburgh in 2006. Could be part of a family trip up North. Watch this space..


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