SoCLA National Conference - Call For Abstracts

The conference theme is "Best enjoyed in 2030…The future of the construction professions”. The Society hopes the theme will stimulate discussion about all aspects of the future for professionals engaged in the construction industry, with a particular focus on those professions engaged in the legal aspects of the industry. Like wine connoisseurs, that discussion will necessarily be rooted in the current functions and activities of those professionals.

In that vein, the organising committee is calling for papers to be submitted for one of the following streams:

• Artificial Intelligence and other technological developments touching on the construction industry. What role will BIM, blockchain, advanced robotic technologies or the internet of things play in the construction professions in the future?
• Future proofing existing and planned infrastructure, both public and private. How we can spot and avoid investing in the infrastructure equivalent of Betamax while at the same time make our infrastructure resilient and reliable over the life of the assets?
• Trends in international construction dispute resolution. As Australia's construction industry talent looks to distant shores how will (or should) the law respond to the (inevitable?) disputes?
• The construction professional graduate of the future. What environment will the construction professional of the future inherit? What should the industry be doing now to make sure that the best and brightest continue to flock to the construction professions?

Authors notified of successful abstracts shall be required to submit a paper which will be made available to conference delegates and which will also be published on the Society's website.

The Organising committee are also pleased to be able to announce that every speaker who is selected to present at the conference will be eligible to receive presentation skills coaching from Ben Richards from Aticus: http://www.aticus.com/ 

Ben is one of the foremost presentation skills coaches in Australia and the Society is excited to be able to make him available to the presenters.

Key Dates:

• Abstracts are to be received by 5pm AEST, Friday 20 April 2018 (not Friday 13 April as advised on the Call for Abstracts)
• Notification of acceptance of abstracts will be issued by Friday 11 May 2018 (not Friday 4 May as advised on the Call for Abstracts)
• Papers are to be received by 5pm AEST, Friday 13 July 2018