AAFS nerves...

This evening, I am at home in England, preparing a presentation to give in Atlanta, Georgia tomorrow morning. No, I've not invented a time machine or developed teleportation, but am living vicariously through one of my collaborators. Last year, I gave a presentation at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences conference in Chicago, called 'Femmes Fatales: Why Women Dominate the Discipline of Forensic Anthropology.' It discussed the reasons why Forensic Anthropology appears to be inundated with women. At the moment, women outnumber men enrolled on Forensic Anthropology courses in the UK by at least 2:1, and this trend seems to be world-wide. After my talk, I was approached by a high-profile American Forensic Anthropologist, suggesting we collaborate on further research, to explore the extent of the phenomenon in professional practice on her side of the pond. This year, the presentation is called 'Further Femmes Fatales: Do Women Dominate Forensic Anthropology in the UK and the USA?'

So, here we are...the presentation is at 08.30 tomorrow morning - luckily in Atlanta time - which gives me a few more hours to finish writing the slides! I have always been a 'last minute' person, and I guess this situation is no different. My collaborator may be the one presenting to the audience in Atlanta tomorrow, but I will have butterflies and stage fright all the same.