CAST 2014

On my first day in my new job, my boss threw out a challenge to me: submit a proposal to CAST for a conference talk I could give. The submission due date was is 42 hours…

CAST is the annual Conference for the Association of Software Testing. It does not align with my typical impression of conferences: payed for by industry corporations, presenters with hidden agendas to line their pockets, and a general feeling of a shark-tank with chum. Instead, to me it sounds more like a University type of conference: sessions meant for discussion and growth for both the attendees and the presenter, and not linked directly to profits.

So, back to my challenge. I succeeded at selecting a topic of interest to me and outlining enough information that I believe I could grow it into a 40 minute presentation. I wrote up a proposal and emailed it into the cyber-nether.

My letter made it to Bernie Berger & Paul Holland, the co-chairs of the conference. And most surprising to me, I have been selected to present this August in New York City!

It is a big responsibility, and definitely an honour to have been selected. I have a lot of work ahead for creating an engaging and educational presentation that is worthy of the time of my peers.

It will a first for me in many regards: trip to NY, attending a conference in my profession, presenting to a crowd outside of my employer, planning and booking travel to the United States of America, preparing myself for my first encounter with the TSA scanners… :)

Wish me luck !