30 replies to this topic

[Bruce Klein]

Life Extension Conference
Sponsored by the Immortality Institute.

I've reworked the ImmInst Conference idea... paired down the focus.. and changed the date to Oct 2005 - this should give us plenty of time to raise enough money and prepair... and Oct is a nice time of the year for Atlanta weather-wise.

Let me know what you think, http://imminst.org/conference/

[MichaelAnissimov]

Looks great to me! Can't wait to get together with everyone, even though we have more than two years to go. Waiting this length of time will allow us to more greatly reap the benefits of PR, as well.

[bacopa]

wow man you're hard core! the place looks awesome.

[reason]

Do we have a ballpark idea of the amount we'll need to put together to make this happen?

That also touches on recruitment rates...

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme
reason@longevitymeme.org
http://www.longevitymeme.org

[Bruce Klein]

I'd like ImmInst to have around 20k to safely make this work well. With current Full Membership join rates, we should manage this. There is also the question of what type of conference we'd like to host. The three main categories I see are:

1. Speaker pay to attend - thus ImmInst would try to break even.
2. ImmInst pay speaker to attend - Big name speakers - ImmInst would invest upfront to invite the speakers... have low or no entrance fee - and would make up the cost by increasing good will, media attention, large crowds.
3. Some combination of the two.

[MichaelAnissimov]

I would suggest a combination of the two - we could begin by inviting mid-name (as opposed to big name) speakers and offer a discount on entrance fee. After we have some of those confirmed, we could move on to inviting big name speakers, offering no entrance fee, and mentioning the mid-name speakers and other notable attendees that we already have confirmed. Little-name speakers should pay full price.

[Bruce Klein]

Sounds like a good strategy. I'll also look into faculties and accommodations costs.

[reason]

I'd like ImmInst to have around 20k to safely make this work well. With current Full Membership join rates, we should manage this.

Care to lay out the math? It'd be good to discuss this a bit in order to make sure our assumptions are valid -- since membership drives take time to gear up.

Booking the place a year ahead is probably going to be necessary, so that has to be factored in.

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme
reason@longevitymeme.org
http://www.longevitymeme.org

[Bruce Klein]

Care to lay out the math?

I'm a little cautious about making firm projections at this stage... much depends on who we can get and/or what it would take to get them.. etc. The facility is fixed but other items like advertising, etc. can go one way or the other.. optimally, i'd like for us to do as much legwork as possible, in keeping the cost down... there's an optimal balance somewhere in there... again, i think much will depend on what speakers we can attract... from there we can probably work the conference style around them... and then we'll have a better idea of costs. I could be totally off though.

[reason]

I'm a little cautious about making firm projections at this stage... much depends on who we can get and/or what it would take to get them.. etc.  The facility is fixed but other items like advertising, etc. can go one way or the other.. optimally, i'd like for us to do as much legwork as possible, in keeping the cost down... there's an optimal balance somewhere in there... again, i think much will depend on what speakers we can attract... from there we can probably work the conference style around them... and then we'll have a better idea of costs.  I could be totally off though.

Actually, I was just talking about the membership growth math...

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme
reason@longevitymeme.org
http://www.longevitymeme.org

[Bruce Klein]

Hmm.. I just did a rough guestimate...(check my math) two scenarios

Conservative:
600 days until Conference
Avg 1 new Full Member every 4 days = 150
Plus 50 Current Full Members = 200 Full Members by Oct 2005
Avg Yearly Dues btwn 50/20 = 30x2yrs = 60 x 200members = 12k

Optimistic:
600 days until Conference
Avg 1 new Full Member every 2 days = 300
Plus 50 Current Full Members = 350 Full Members by Oct 2005
Avg Yearly Dues btwn 50/20 = 30x2yrs = 60 x 350members = 21k

This doesn't account for maintenance of ImmInst which is around 1k+/- per year.

[reason]

So that would seem to suggest some thought should go into increasing "conversions" in marketing parlance, or the number of people who sign up after visiting.

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme
reason@longevitymeme.org
http://www.longevitymeme.org

[Bruce Klein]

So, you're talking about 'conversions' from Basic to Full Members? ... just to be clear...

[reason]

Conversions to people who give to the cause, yes

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme
reason@longevitymeme.org
http://www.longevitymeme.org

[Bruce Klein]

Right. Conversions are essential. ImmInst, the mission, and putting together a successful conference require funds.

By the way, ImmInst's constituion places the task of hosting a conference to the Chair. Currently me. I'll do my best to fulfill this obligation.

[Omnido]

This is something Id very much like to attend. It would, hopefully, (and quite presumptiously) allow for a greater exchange of the collective.

[theimmortalist]

How many days are you considering the conference to be?

An entire weekend Fri-Sun? A one day conference?

Maybe it might easier for me to ask is there a tentitive interary?

[Bruce Klein]

It's still a bit early to tell... gauging interest and possible attendance... but I feel it will be most likely a one day event.. or perhaps day and half.

Also, I've been impressed with the Extropy Summit.. something ImmInst could do as well as an adjunct or possibly even as a substitute to the meat space event.. if it proves more feasible, inclusive, effective, and better return on investment.

[lightowl]

This is a great project, and something I am really looking forward to attending. I hope I will have managed to save a sum for that journey.

Maybe we should begin to gather suggestions to who we might invite as speakers. I personally would like to hear from Ray Kuzweil. He's ideas and writings is a great inspiration for me. Once again, I suggest taking contact to some of the researchers competing for The Methuselah Mouse Prize (MMP) and I am certain some of the volunteers of the MMP would love to participate.

It has been suggested to make a documentary film. It might be a good idea to record the speakers for further use in promoting our mission. If they agree to us doing so. The conference would also be the perfect setting for conducting interviews to the documentary. Maybe the documentary project would already be done by the time of the conference, but if so, we could always make one more

Regarding the topic. "How Long is too Long to Live?" I personally think this question is unfair, since no one in my opinion has the right to decide that. It is of course ok to argue to ones own believes. Maybe we should change the question to "How long could we live?" or as the name of the conference suggest "Why Die?". I think that is a great name.

I have some questions to.

1. What should the cost be to participate as an observer?
2. How many observers is there room for?
3. Do one have to reserve a space to participate?
4. Is there a pool of cash one can donate to for this project?
5. Is the date final or just an estimate?

Uh, I almost can't wait

[shawn314]

Wow Bruce. I will definitely be interested in learning more about the math behind all of this and more of the details as they arise because I am very curious about what all is involved with setting up one of these conferences.

That's a very impressive conversion rate too; a full member every four days. How did you manage that? Has it always been that high or is this a recent development? Actually, looking at the chart you have at http://www.imminst.org/fullmembers/ I see that since Jan of this year, you've had a progressive increase in full member conversions per month. I'm not expecting you to reveal all your secrets, but maybe you can toss me a bone or two since I have been looking for ways to increase full member conversions too at mind-brain.com, and for me, having a full member every four days is pretty awesome and definitely something to aim for.

[Bruce Klein]

I'm happy to help like-minded groups as it makes us all stronger

It seems we're fulfilling a need, community + knowledge.. and we have a continued focus on incremental improvements. So it's no secret really, just basic networking and contacting good people who have been gracious in helping us to advance the mission.

[shawn314]

thanks Bruce.

When I get more money, you can count on my support.

[Bruce Klein]

Thanks for your pledge!

[Bruce Klein]

This is a great project, and something I am really looking forward to attending. I hope I will have managed to save a sum for that journey.

The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward creating a totally online event from the start to help with the problem of travel and expense.

Also, there are quite a few organizations that do a great job with hosting physical events (WTA, Alcor, Forseight.. etc). ImmInst may find a niche in creating excellent online conference events. Our future is virtual and networked, is it not?

Maybe we should begin to gather suggestions to who we might invite as speakers. I personally would like to hear from Ray Kuzweil. He's ideas and writings is a great inspiration for me. Once again, I suggest taking contact to some of the researchers competing for The Methuselah Mouse Prize (MMP) and I am certain some of the volunteers of the MMP would love to participate.

It's interesting to see Ray making virtual appearances to conferences rather than actually attending now days.. I suspect he may be interested in attending an ImmInst online conference if done well, eventually.

Regarding the topic. "How Long is too Long to Live?" I personally think this question is unfair, since no one in my opinion has the right to decide that. It is of course ok to argue to ones own believes. Maybe we should change the question to "How long could we live?" or as the name of the conference suggest "Why Die?". I think that is a great name.

Great suggestion as "How long is too long" is rather unfair sounding.. if not at least negative in tone... I think I was thinking of Leon Kass in writing it.. and how we should fight his suggestion.. but may see it as you see it.

I have some questions to.

1. What should the cost be to participate as an observer?
2. How many observers is there room for?
3. Do one have to reserve a space to participate?
4. Is there a pool of cash one can donate to for this project?
5. Is the date final or just an estimate?

Uh, I almost can't wait 

As I'm seriously leaning now toward the online conference, I'll leave these excellent questions on the table to be answered if there's an up swell of support for a physical conference as opposed to online.

I'm currently discussing the details of an online conference with fellow ImmInst leaders, and will have more toward that end soon.

[lightowl]

A virtual conference would also be nice, but I would much rather se a physical conference. I see your point regarding the other conferences available, but when this institution grows larger the demand for a physical conference would grow to.

As another option, we could consider a virtual radio conference with the possibility of sending questions to the speakers via the internet. The great thing about live speakers actually speaking is the sound of the enthusiasm in their voices. All of the emotions are lost in a text-chat environment. Also mingling is hard to do online

I am looking forward to hearing what you leaders decide, and I hope you are holding the notion of a physical conference open at all times. There is no reason to dismiss the one for the other.

[Bruce Klein]

Thanks for the feedback! I agree about the intangibles surrounding a physical conference and or live event.. Peter Passaro, a fellow ImmInst leader is also in favor of physical (among others, I'm sure) so the idea of physical has some legs

[Bruce Klein]

Room rates at GA Tech Conf. Center btwn 120 and 200
http://www.gatechhot...tions/index.cfm



http://www.gatechhot...vents/index.cfm


===


Hostle located just under 1 mile from Ga Tech Conference Facilty

Single Private 55.00
6 Bed Female Dorm 19.00
6 Bed Female Dorm Ensuite 19.00
6 Bed Male Dorm Ensuite 19.00
http://www.hostels.c...stelNumber.2046

Map:

[Bruce Klein]

Updated:

Life Extension Conference
Sponsored by the Immortality Institute

Oct 21 - 23, 2005
Fri-PM, Sat & Sun-AM

http://www.imminst.org/conference

Immortality Institute's Life Extension Conference will focus on projects that extend the maximum human lifespan.

Conference Topics

Artificial Intelligence
Brain-Computer Interfacing
Cryonics
NanoMedicine
Regenerative Medicine

[Bruce Klein]

Update:

New Conference Date: Nov 5, 2005 (lower rates in Nov)

[Bruce Klein]

Aubrey has agreed to speak: http://www.imminst.org/conference