After Atalanta

Last Friday I briefly mentioned the upcoming conference at MIT's business school and the lack of female panelists. Word on the street--and by street I mean one of the listservs I subscribe to--has it that conference organizers are aware of the dearth of women and trying to rectify it. Hannah Storm has been added to the conference along with the CMO of Gatorade who is a woman. (There are still, as far as I can tell, no women of color on the panels.) But apparently the organizers are open to suggestions for panelists. So please send them via the conference website which can be found here . Also a little advice to the conference organizers: please fix the website. I would not think an elite business school would want to be represented by such poor web design/execution.

I received a notice about a conference happening this spring at MIT on sports analytics . The goal of the conference is: To provide a forum for industry professionals (executives and leading researchers) and students to discuss the increasing role of analytics in the sports industry. MIT Sloan is dedicated to fostering growth in this arena, and the conference enriches opportunities for learning and understanding the sports business world. Their website is a little wonky right now but the main page scrolls through the list of featured speakers, which is quite impressive. And quite male. When I went initially there were no women scrolling by. Now there is one, ESPN columnist Jackie MacMullan. I don't know if more women were invited and turned down the offer or if more women will be added to the program. But it's disturbing that this conference is so male- and Caucasian-dominated. (My initial impression is that there are three men of color and one woman.) Like I said, the website...

I'm off to Ithaca today for the Sport and Sexuality Conference. This means a few things: I suspect my internet access will be limited and thus posting will be as well. When I do post maybe I will have something profound to say about sport and sexuality. It may mean I actually get all those pics I took of ski jumping loaded and posted. They'll make good, entertaining filler.

The Leisure Studies Association is holding its 9th annual conference in the UK (at Canterbury Christ Church University) July 7-9. The deadline for abstracts has been extended to March 15 (though the website notes abstracts will be accepted after this date if there is room). The conference's themes this year focus on "performance, learning, location, and the role of risk" in leisure experiences. More details here .

The European College of Sport Science is holding its annual conference in Oslo, Norway in June (24-27). The deadline for abstracts was March 1 and I have not seen an announcement of an extension but sometimes if you ask nicely... Registration deadline is not until May.

This conference is still accepting abstracts. Germany in June--could be nice. Here are the details: First International Sport Science Congress Facing new Challenges: Education, Health, Promotion and Integration in Gymnastics and Sports Frankfurt, Germany, 4th 5th of June 2009 during the International German Gymnastics Festival. The deadline for the abstract submission has been prolonged until the 1st of April 2009 The Congress is a groundbreaking component of the International German Gymnastics Festival. In cooperation with international sports and science federations (DTB, TAFISA, ISCA, DOSB, dvs) and under the patronage of the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) the Congress will build a bridge between praxis and theory. An international pool of speakers invites you to discuss topics like integration and migration, health promotion and education of children and youth in sports. There will also be open sessions. Already participants from 13 different...

I don't know why I haven't posted about conferences of interest before. But better late than never. In less than a month in Ithaca, NY, Ithaca College is hosting a conference on sport and sexuality . It's too late to submit an abstract, but not too late to attend. The graduate students in the Department of Kinesiology at University of Maryland are hosting their second annual Physical Cultural Studies Student Conference this spring. The theme this year is The Body, Health, and Society. Abstracts for the April 24 conference are due March 15. I know I have received word of others, and if I can find the info, I will certainly post it.