Organizing an Event

(by Yaroslav Verkh)

Most of us attended a meeting, workshop, conference or an event that brings people together. Yet only few get to look behind the scenes of event organization. A few months ago I had exactly that possibility when I have been organizing an event for the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) at the University of Bristol, UK. My expectations and the result were different and surprised me in many ways. One thing is sure, it was a great experience and a lesson to learn.

The inspiration came when I received news about the UK chapter of MCAA having a great event in York in the north of UK. What works in the North will work in the South West in Bristol, I thought. After typing a short email to the chapter leader to get the blessing of the association I embarked on that long journey of event planning.

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Being a chemist I now required a whole new range of knowledge to start the project off its feet. How big must be the badges? How do you find a venue? What are the acceptable time slots for presentations? How do you invite speakers? And did you know there are formulas to calculate the amount of food for conference lunches? After some time I cobbled together a library of knowledge to answer these questions.

Finally, how do you pay for all this? What are the topics that interest the invited audience? And where do you find suitable speakers? Here a group of helpful and patient people was helping me throughout the way. The trickle of emails to MCAA gurus very fast transformed into a torrent. UK chapter leader Stefan Bauer, MCAA board leader Brian Cahill and Simon Robinson with Aurelia Chase were helping out by providing material, insider information and personal experience. It is thanks to them that the event went down smoothly.

Apart from the “mission control” there were people on the ground who offered their help. David Tilly from the University of Bristol did a huge amount of work finding the venue and the catering. And Militiadis Papadopoulos took over the duties at the day of the event.

After the meeting the work did not finish. The wrap up included handouts and photos for the community, thank you notes for the speakers and helpers, taking care of bills and paperwork.

So was it all worth it? It definitely was. Organizing the event gave me a huge bulk of knowledge and experience. More importantly it helped other people to find a supporting network that they didn’t have before. The event challenged questions that we all were asking in isolation and brought answers by both experts and the participants. I saw people taking active steps to improve their life then and there. And this is the thought that warms me the most when I think back: I made a difference.

Originally published at treatrec.eu.