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Opportunities abound for students, young professionals and researchers at the upcoming Locate conference.
By the Locate22 Team
Wow! There will be a lot happening at the Locate22 conference this year, to be held at the National Convention Centre in Canberra from 24 to 26 May. The three-day extravaganza will start with workshops, symposia and the Locate Showcase, all in the Exhibition Hall on Tuesday, followed by the two-day Conference on Wednesday and Thursday, featuring a rich tapestry of plenary and technical sessions. There’ll also be the return of the Locate Hub. See the full program at https://locateconference.com/the-conference/2022-program-2/.
Let’s start with the first-day activities on Tuesday in the Exhibition Hall. The Locate team is trying hard to create an environment where industry, academia, government and students can interact in a less-formal environment and exchange ideas, explain problems, look for synergies and work towards solutions. Opportunities for collaborations, contacts, networking, job offers and grant applications are all encouraged in the five main activities on offer.
There will be a Young Professional, Student and Early Career Researcher professional development workshop in the morning. This is a dedicated workshop focusing on career paths and professional development targeted at younger and newer members of the spatial industry. Industry leader panels will discuss careers and skills, communication and soft skills and some key issues facing the spatial industry. Attendees will make new connections, learn how to make the most of their time at Locate22 and gain valuable insights to take back to the office or classroom.
The Locate22 Showcase for the 40-plus exhibitors will commence later in the morning and run all afternoon. Delegates are encouraged to visit their stands and speak with vendors about their various products and software. This will be a great place to start a new business relationship.
The Locate Hub will run concurrently, providing workshops, roundtables, panels, ‘ideation spaces and Q&A sessions on a broad range of contemporary topics impacting the spatial industry: the Space and Spatial 2030 Roadmap; how diversity and inclusion is being addressed in the spatial sector; the future of professional development; skills shortages and capacity building now and over the horizon. The Locate Hub will run for the full three days in the Exhibition Hall.
Industry sponsors will give quick-fire Tech Talks on their latest products and technology in two curated sessions. These might provide the taster needed for further in-depth discussions with exhibitors at their booths.
The Locate Symposium will share projects, case studies, research problems and ideas with short, five-minute presentations and plenty of time for interaction. This session will capture the essence of the what the Locate Team is trying to create. We hope to break down barriers and encourage a dynamism and an open dialogue that will prompt new ideas. We warmly welcome undergraduate and postgraduate students to attend this Tuesday event for free (see below).
These five activities will culminate in a Welcome Reception and a final opportunity to cement those deals, confirm collaborations and polish those exciting new ideas developed during the course of the day’s activities.
A great demonstration of the Locate team’s commitment to encouraging more interaction across the spatial industry is the grants scheme, devised to assist students and/or future leaders to attend the full three-day program. The grants, generously provided by government and industry, will help cover registration, accommodation and/or travel for aspirants.
At the time of publication, the grant scheme was finalised with the result that several young spatial applicants will be supported at Locate22. However, if you missed out on applying for (or receiving) a grant, and you are a student or early career researcher, there are a limited number of free registrations that will be made available for the Tuesday only. You will have the opportunity to attend all the activities discussed above. If you’re interested in this opportunity, please submit your request to info@locateconference.com.
Whew! All this activity and that’s only Tuesday! The conference proper starts the next day.
Locate22 is the premier national annual surveying and spatial information conference. There will be ten plenary speakers, panel sessions and numerous technical sessions covering: spatial data systems, AI, digital twins, surveying, positioning, emergency response, national spatial data standards, defence, security and emerging applications in space/spatial.
The Gala Dinner on the Wednesday night will see the presentation of the national Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards (APSEA). Winners from the states and territories will be showcased and the very best nationally will be awarded these coveted prizes.
The Locate Team hopes that senior undergraduate students, research students, early career researchers and young professionals will acknowledge the opportunities presented at the annual Locate event and get involved. You can come for some or all of the activities and help shape your profession by contributing, learning, listening, presenting and engaging at Locate22.
We hope to see you there!
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