Monday, November 26, 2007

Knowledge Transfer and Science Fiction




I just left the Los Angeles Science Fiction Convention where the theme was archaeology and I gave presentations on three panels: problems that archaeologists have, ethics, and the future of archaeology. I got a lot of insights from the experience in terms of dealing with the interested and educated public. This is what most people call public outreach, but what my Uni now calls "knowledge transfer." One of the other panelists was an indigenous Californian who is also an archaeologist. So, the panels were worthwhile. I also went to a presentation on the real archaeology on Indiana Jones, where I got some information I can use in my course on Egypt. The experience also gave me a chance to promote the excavations at Tel es-Safi/Gath and meet up with many Jewish fans. Of course, there were also some great parties and the green fairy made an appearance. I also got to see an Astronaut diaper, something that was an endless topic of dinner conversation last year at the Albright - that is till Anna Nicole died and Paris got sent to the slammer. I'm spending a few days with friends and going to a couple of concerts before heading back to work and a new government in Australia.

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