ROOM, The Space Journal was profiled at the first SpaceUp unconference in the Middle East - hosted by the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and the International Space University (ISU) in Haifa – on Friday (22nd July).
SpaceUp is a space unconference, where participants effectively run the conference by deciding the topics, schedule, and structure of the event. Unconferences are also known as a user-generated conference or a Barcamp and as all attendees are expected to give a demo, or get involved in some way, there are no spectators at SpaceUp, only participants.
Although it might sound like a daunting process, sessions are quickly filled (and organised by way of a session grid) and if you don’t fancy a five minute talk – known as a T minus 5 talk and generally the only talks that are scheduled beforehand – then write a synopsis and stick it in one of the slots on the grid to get your ideas heard. If your keen to get involved but can’t actually make it to the event, then SpaceUp has that covered to. Following on from an idea generated at SpaceUp Stuttgart, eager participants can send in a one-minute video of themselves, that can then be played to the amassing crowd, just like a mini T-5 talk, with each SpaceUp event deciding if and when they want to show the video.
Organised by an international team of people including Remco Timmermans, SpaceUp Foundation CEO, the SpaceUp event in Haifa was packed with an interesting mix of participants from members of the ISU Space Studies Program, Technion Aerospace students and space professionals and enthusiasts from all over Israel. If you consider yourself an entrepreneur in the space industry, then SpaceUp is the ideal platform in which to develop ideas and test them with specialists, peers and the general public.
SpaceUp has monthly events all around the world, so if you want to know when the next one is near you, then go to www.spaceup.org.
