Schedule & FAQ

Here is the the conference schedule (updated 11 June 2024) as well as a helpful guide to arriving and lodging in Perugia and a video of how to find the Institute once you get to the main piazza.

Thursday, 13 June
16:30-18:30 Registration
18:30 Welcome Aperitivo (all attendees welcome)

Friday, 14 June  (first full conference day)
8:00-9:00 Registration
9:00-9:30 Welcome Note
9:30-18:30 Panels
19:30-23:00 Gala Dinner

Saturday, 15 June (second full conference day)
9:00-9:30 Registration
9:30-11:00 Morning Keynote, Heather Paxson (MIT)
11:30-16:40 Panels
19:30-23:00 Informal Perugian Dinner

Sunday, 16 June
10:00-16:00 Optional Sunday Perugia food tour&lunch at a local restaurant

Conference FAQ

Submission and billing 

What is the timeline for the proposal and acceptance process? We are accepting submissions until 31 December 2023 and will send out acceptances by 15 February 2023. We’ll have an early-bird registration period. We’ll then finalize the program and send a draft out.

Do you have any grants for travel or attendance? This conference is sponsored by an independent study abroad program, not a large university. We try to keep the program fees as low as possible and have discounts for graduate students and unaffiliated scholars, but we don’t have the funds to offer grants.

I’m teaching in Italy–can I bring my undergrads with me to the conference? This conference is open to undergrads if they propose a paper and are accepted, but we don’t have the space to accommodate groups of students.

I’m a grad student–is this a good conference for me? Yes, definitely so! Many repeat attendees/presenters tell us that we were their very first conference. Given the support we offer people who’ve never presented, the small city, a small-ish conference, and the relaxed environment, we think it’s a good conference for grad students.

Could you give me a certificate of participation? Yes, of course, we’re happy to provide one.

I need to cancel, can I get a reimbursement? Once conference attendees have confirmed their attendance with payment, we immediately make reservations based on those numbers. We can’t refund payment if you unfortunately have to cancel.

I changed my mind and would like to come to the Gala Dinner or informal Perugian meal–is that still possible? For the informal meal, yes, absolutely. We will immediately send you an invoice, which you must settle in order to attend the event. For the Gala Dinner please let us know as soon as possible so we can try to add another person to the reservations.

Logistics

How do I get to Perugia and where should I stay? Find HERE an information document that that will help you find a hotel and get to the city by bus or train.

Can you help me get a visa? We are happy to write a support letter on letterhead stating that you will be presenting.

Can I bring my family along? Do you offer a babysitting service? Your family is welcome to accompany you to Perugia and partners are welcome to attend the Gala Dinner, informal meal, and Sunday event (for the same fee), but we cannot accommodate children and for liability reasons cannot recommend babysitters.

Do you have tourist advice on Perugia? It’s a great city! We recommend you see TripAdvisor or contact the Perugia TI office.

Attending & Presenting At the Food Conference

How long should my presentation be? For a panel with four presenters, we ask each person to present for 15 minutes; for panels with three presenters, you could go to 20 minutes.

How strict does Umbra ask chairs to be as far as keeping time? We’ve all been at conferences where a presenter takes far more time than they are allotted, which forces other presenters to rush or limits discussion at the end. Chairs will find three laminated signs in the rooms–Five Minutes, Three Minutes, Time Is Up–and we ask them to use these and enforce time. We request that all presenters practice their presentations and stick to the time limits.

Do I have to have a powerpoint?—There’s no obligation, of course, to have a visual (i.e. Powerpoint) presentation. That said, all conference rooms have a computer with Powerpoint and a connection to a larger screen; you can also show videos, though we are not set up for Zoom. To reduce transaction times and possible tech issues, we’re asking presenters to save their presentations on a usb/zip drive and copy them to the computer in their room before the panel comes to order, rather than using their personal computers or try to log on to their GDrive. Zip drives may seem archaic, but they limit the time lost for changing computers and logging on to the cloud.

Can I present via Zoom? No, this is a completely in-person conference.

Can I present via Zoom if I have to cancel at the last minute? We’re sorry but this is strictly an in-person conference.

Can I print my presentation when I get there? Yes, if you need to, see one of the conference organizers once you’re in Perugia.

Is there any dress code? We’re pretty casual, but think business casual and then maybe for the Gala Dinner a little more dressed up. That said: come as you are. It’s a small, intimate conference and we don’t stand on formality.

I’ve never presented before–do you have any advice? Absolutely. We will be happy to send our (admittedly opinionated!) suggestions for powerpoints and some general suggestions for presenting (mainly for junior scholars–though wea template presentation and the conference organizers are available ahead of time if you’d like to chat with us. Two crucial things: a powerpoint that has very little text, and practicing your talk over and over, with a stopwatch.

Can I request a specific day to present on? We endeavor to accommodate these requests but cannot guarantee specific days, especially since sometimes (very occasionally), because of cancellations, panels have to be consolidated.

When will I get a draft program? We’ll send out the draft program after the close of registration.

The final program is different from the earlier draft you sent.—Given the paucity of funds for travel, a small number of our colleagues will likely cancel their participation, many in the last week. In order to try to maintain coherence within panels and keep them balanced as far as number of presenters, we occasionally have to reshuffle the program. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

I see a Chair listed on the program. Who is that and what is that person’s role? —Each panel has a chair, usually one of the organizing committee or another person we’ve asked to fill this role. The role is logistical: that person could, before the conference, connect everyone on the panel via email to coordinate. The chair at the conference will bring the panel to order and then give each other presenter three time warnings during their presentations to help the panel have time for Q&A at the end.

What is the dress code for the various events? The Gala Dinner on Friday night is relatively formal, but the aperitivo and the informal meal much less so. We just want our presenters to feel comfortable: there is no dress code.

What’s the vibe? How many people come? There are usually between 50-80 attendees and the vibe is friendly, with lots of post-conference socializing in the city’s many restaurants and bars.