Wenx’ World: Research Bazaar

Ever heard of Research Bazaar, short ResBaz? It’s from young researchers for young researchers, it’s about the software tools you use, need or would like to learn – and it’s free!

Sounds awesome? Dam right, it is. It’s currently happening down in Melbourne! Over 500 applicants from Australia and overseas wanted to be here… at a place where it is about your tools and not about your research. Only 200 made it through the application process – and can now enjoy experts with nerves of steel explaining to small groups how to use and master R, MATLAB, Python, CAD, natural language processing and more.

The whole thing is proclaimed as an academic training conference. No research presentations, no research posters. But instead open communication without hesitation, gurus talking, NerdNite conference dinner while more girls than guys are actually attending. Programming workshop sounds like physics geeks to you? Not at all. All disciplines seem to be here from psychology, marine biology, ecology to business and anthropology. It’s all about communication, networking, asking, answering – and socialising, too!

You can organise your own accommodation for the 3 days or camp on campus lawns, everything except the workshops is outdoors anyway. Despite the fact that my head is already buzzing from all that talk and information overload, I will now join them again and see if the buffet has any Lamingtons left – while waiting for the beer to arrive.

Oh, and one last thing: Rumour has it ResBaz is coming to Brisbane… 

Might see you there – Wenx