Syndicated/ Training

2013 Fall SQL Connections Call for Speakers Now Open

, , , 5 Comments

 

They Put THIS Guy in Charge?

I am delighted to announce that I’ll be your friendly neighborhood Chairperson for SQL Connections Fall 2013.  This means that I have a few things I’ll be responsible for over the course of the next 5 months:

  1. Solicit speakers for sessions and workshops related to Microsoft SQL Server
  2. Review and select abstracts submitted as a result of all my solicitatizing
  3. Review all the presentations submitted as a result of my selection of speakers
  4. Present two sessions of my own
  5. Publicize the event on blogs and social media.

As I see it I can make this really easy on myself.  If I don’t ask you to submit abstracts for SQL Connections Fall 2013 very well I can easily cross items 1-3 off the list.

I can then present two sessions – perhaps another 20 or more as well (a very lucrative idea when each session selected and presented earns the speaker $500) – and then have a grand time in Las Vegas!  This takes care of #4.

Oh, and this little post?  Say hello to #5!

Of course there are all the legal proceedings that would result from that.  Breach of Contract… Defamation of Character… (because if I have that kind of liquidity in Las Vegas someone’s character is getting defamed) and of course the eventual divorce proceedings.

Perhaps I didn’t think this through.

I Can’t Believe I’m About to Use the Words “Solicit” and “Las Vegas” to Redeem My Virtue

…but yet I am.

Of course all of you that are reading this that know me know that I’m of course joking about the whole “take the money and run” idea.  You also know that I have quite a bit of experience in doing just what Penton Media has asked me to do for the Fall 2013 SQL Connections Conference.  I have over five years of experience selecting speakers, sessions, and programming for international SQL Server conferences and since 2010 I’ve also run one of my own: SQL Cruise.  The wonderful people at Penton recognized the successes I’ve had in the SQL Community and approached me earlier this month to take on this assignment for them.  Training and SQL are two great passions in my professional life and I really enjoy a challenge.  I really am looking forward to being ultimately responsible for programming content for an event the size of SQL Connections!  That being said, it’s time to do some good old-fashioned soliciting!

The 2013 Fall SQL Connections Call for Speakers Content is Officially Open

Call for content opened today, April 29, 2013 and will run through the end of the day on Tuesday, May 14, 2013.

Can I speak frankly with you for a bit?  I have been on both sides of calls for speaker content in the past.  Things seem to always get in the way: work, family, XBox; one issue after another.  Before you know it, May 14 is here and you’ll rush to get your submissions in.  Then you’ll realize that it’s not May 14 – it’s May 15!  Let’s make a deal for this conference.  Let’s try to avoid the flood of submissions that come in the last three days the call for content is open and get them in early. This means the concept of “end of day Tuesday May 14th, 2013” becomes irrelevant because no one waited until the very last minute, right?

The Important Information

The following information was provided directly from Penton Media.

General Session Speaker Requirements

  • Present a minimum of 2 75-minute sessions
  • Attend the Networking Reception on Tuesday evening, October 1st
  • Promotion of their sessions/track on social media before and during event

Call for Speakers Information

  • IT/Dev Connections takes place Monday, September 30th through Friday, October 4th at Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.
  • General sessions will be 75 minutes in length and will take place Tuesday, Oct.1, Wednesday Oct. 2nd, and Thursday, Oct. 3rd.
  • Pre/post conference workshops are typically full day classes and will take place Monday, September 30th and Friday, October 4th.
  • The Session Proposal Submission form URL is located at www.devconnections.com/proposal.
  • Potential speakers will be required to provide the following information on the submission form:
    • An active session title that describes exactly what attendees will learn from your session
    • A one paragraph abstract that describes in detail what you will discuss during your session and the value the attendee will get out of attending that specific session
    • A biographical statement and headshot photo.

Speaker Compensation

Compensation is as follows if the speaker is presenting a minimum of 2 sessions:

  • $500/session
  • A coach airfare allowance of up to $500, their hotel stay at Mandalay Bay, and a conference pass.
  • Note that Microsoft speakers aren’t paid for their sessions or their airfare. However, Penton Media does pay for their hotel stay and they are given a conference pass.
  • Workshop presenters are paid on a sliding scale based on the number of attendees for their specific workshop.

 

Have Questions?

For more information about IT/Dev Connections, visit http://www.devconnections.com. If you still have questions after viewing the site please contact Megan Keller at Penton Media:  megan.keller@penton.com.

For questions specific to the SQL track and its Call for Speaker Content please feel free to reach out to me using your favorite email client at tim@sqlcruise.com.  I’m looking forward to your submissions and to seeing you in Las Vegas in September!