On November 7th, the majority of our honors group visited Eurocontrol in Brussels to attend a conference on contrails. Although the conference's theme was not particularly relevant to our own gathering at that time, we aimed to gain experience in attending a conference while simultaneously assessing Eurocontrol as a potential venue for our own event.

Prior to our visit, we divided tasks, and my specific responsibility was to focus on sponsors. I observed the locations where sponsors were mentioned and noted their visibility throughout the conference. The conference spanned two days, and the same task persisted on both days.

On the first day, many members of our group were present. The conference commenced at 9 am and concluded around 7 pm. Despite the highly academic nature of the topic, delving into it without much introduction, it was fascinating to witness the organization and considerations involved. Day 1 was a long but highly informative day.

On the second day, a total of 11 people from our group attended. Midway through that day, several fellow students and I concluded that it had become a bit overwhelming, and we no longer felt we were gaining valuable insights from the conference. In consultation with some classmates, I decided to leave the conference midway through day 2. Later, we discovered that not everyone agreed with our decision to leave early on the second day.

For future reference and to avoid potential confusion, it might be wise to have in writing, prior to an event, the group's agreement on the decision to leave early on the second day. This can prevent misunderstandings afterward and ensure that all involved parties are on the same page. It is a valuable lesson for next time, where clear communication beforehand is crucial to uphold shared expectations and prevent any disagreements.

Despite this decision, I learned a lot during the conference about the aspects we need to consider for our own event. For example, it was evident that company booths, located at the back of the room, were easily overlooked. The choice to centralize the Q&A revealed both advantages and disadvantages: while there was no opportunity for extensive discussion, there was also no hassle with microphones being passed around the room.

Regarding sponsors, there was nothing particularly noteworthy; they were mentioned on name tags, in the program, and between slides. The conference provided me with a different perspective on attending events and emphasized the importance of networking during conferences. This insight has expanded my understanding of what I should or should not do for our own conference.

Eurocontrol