In May, over 100 delegates and representatives from 21 commercial commercial companies descended on the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon, North London for the 41st iteration of the British Society for Microbial Technology (BSMT) Annual Microbiology Conference.
The opinion of delegates who attend conferences such as this is vital and sought proactively, enabling organisers to assess the success and value of their event. Such evaluation exercises are a regular feature of post-conference BSMT activity, being pivotal in the ongoing success of its annual conference.
A comprehensive evaluation report has been prepared following the recent 41st Annual Conference, in which almost all the delegates who provided feedback (44/108) scored the various aspects of the event (scientific programme, speakers, trade exhibition etc) either ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
Negative comments are as important, if not more so, as positive comments, and among comments falling into the former category were concerns expressed about the audiovisual system, particularly at the beginning of the conference scientific programme.
Other issues of note included the suggested need for a wider range of dietary options, and consideration about improving signage between the lecture theatre and the trade exhibition and catering area.
These and other significant issues will be discussed with the venue team and addressed by the committee as it begins preparations for next year's conference, further details of which will be released in due course.
A full report of the event appears in the August issue of Pathology in Practice.
For further information on the BSMT and its activities, go to www.bsmt.org.uk