<p>Anyone heard of this before? Apparently the entire conference is taking place "online" and I have no idea how that is supposed to work. Of course, an international conference that does not involve me forking out hundreds of dollars to pay for travel and stay is very appealing, but I'm just worried about, I guess, its reputation and whether or not this is some kind of scam (the whole payments through Western Union deal, etc., etc.).</p>
<p>Wow that seems dodgey. I just checked out the program for last year. They even have those weird little scroll bars that stop when you mouse over them that are only seen on websites for universities in India.</p>
<p>I have attended in last year IOMC Conference and was very pleased with the conference. As you clearly mentioned, the conference is a real innovation and support because it erases the requirements for traveling and accommodation costs. </p>
<p>The conference uses a customized web portal which enables participants to easily have web conference. The presneter will share his Power Point and will talk over slides and the participants can just take part in the discussions like ant normal (physical) conference.</p>
<p>I can say many of people who attended last year conference were glad with the conference despite some little technical problems. As a start, it was really good. That is why i think not only most of the last year participants' have registered for the conference (list of participants in IOMC 2009 website shows this), but I can see many more people submitting paper and registering for the event.</p>
<p>Anyway, I suggest you that if you are still worried how the conference takes place, you might like to attend one of the online workshops that they are providing for FREE! Something that i thought shows their interest to actually enhance medical research through their services. See IOMC</a> Portal - Workshops & Seminars</p>
<p>I guess I don't really know this but do these kind of forum boards get spammers? If in fact you are a person not affiliated with IOMC and actually a previous attendee then no offense intended. I find it strange that I have never heard of this in my seven years in research. I also find it strange that this is the only conference I have ever seen that doesn't mention the topic in its title. I suppose if I knew who had "presented" information in the past I might be able to say with more certainty whether this is a great new concept or some sort of well-intentioned online scam that targets research professionals.</p>
<p>sorry if i joined the forums when I was searching in the internet! And again sorry if I did not post a load of spam messages to other discussions before replying to thia discussion which I thought I could provide an input to, so that you don't think I am strange and kind of NOT convenient! :P</p>
<p>Mbastudies, are you from India? I noticed that all of the names associated with the website were Indian. On a side note, are MBA degrees the same in India as they are in the US? Here an MBA would not have the audacity to hold a scientific conference as they are trained in business, not science. Especially a conference that lacks a clear topic. Furthermore, every conference I have heard of requires payment through a legitimate website and not Western Union.</p>
<p>Randomname, if your PI isn't paying for travel costs then find a more local conference to attend. At my university, students are given a travel allowance that permits roughly one big trip per year. Lab techs seem to get one every couple of years. I have never met an undergrad who has attended a conference. Part of the conference really does lie in its face to face interactions. You meet people and network in a way that cannot really be simulated online. If this were a great way to hold a conference, do you really think that every industry would hold normal conferences every year, incurring large expenses for hundreds of people?</p>
<p>Mbastudies, are you from India? I noticed that all of the names associated with the website were Indian. On a side note, are MBA degrees the same in India as they are in the US? Here an MBA would not have the audacity to hold/attend a scientific conference as they are trained in business, not science. Especially a conference that lacks a clear topic. Furthermore, every conference I have heard of requires payment through a legitimate website and not Western Union.</p>
<p>Randomname, if your PI isn't paying for travel costs then find a more local conference to attend or seek departmental funds. Depending on your area of research, discipline groups offer funds for undergrads to gain training (eg American society of microbiology). At my university, students are given a travel allowance that permits roughly one big trip per year. Lab techs seem to get one every couple of years. I have never met an undergrad who has attended a conference. </p>
<p>Part of the conference really does lie in its face to face interactions. You meet people and network in a way that cannot really be simulated online. If this were a great way to hold a conference, do you really think that every industry would hold normal conferences every year, incurring large expenses for hundreds of people?</p>
<p>No I am not from India and I don't think organizers are Indian. The conference scientific committee are from different countries, mainly USA. </p>
<p>Sorry, I don't know about Indian MBAs. </p>
<p>Well, I don't know how old you are, but the way you think about innovation and the change and benefits that new technologies can bring to our lives, is kind of too old, I'm afraid to say. Nobody says that good universities do not provide travel allowances, but still it's good to think how an online conference can help to connect people.
Do you think if Google gave up when some people started criticizing and undermining it and its innovative thoughts, could it ever become Google, Stand on the shoulder of Giants? I don't think so! </p>
<p>That's why I don't like your reasoning that because no other industries have already held such conferences, an online conference is useless or not a great way for holding a conference! If you were an MBA student, I wouldn't accept this reasoning from you :D</p>
<p>Anyway, I am glad I've joined this discussion! It's kind of interesting!</p>
