A MESSAGE TO STUDENTS

At this first convention of the new millennium, we wish to inform you of the student activities you can expect in Paris. Student activities are becoming more and more important within the AES, not least because of the increasing number of student sections. These sections, which are prevalent in America, are also growing in Europe. We hope to see a similar increase in the Latin American and International Regions as well.

While preserving the valuable basis of student activities from previous conventions, we want to take into account the changing needs of students within the AES. Two major changes have, therefore, been made in the program: the introduction of a Student Section Report meeting, and a change of the competition into awards.

The Student Section Report meeting is a student version of the Regions and Sections meeting. Its aim is to clarify the role of student sections within the AES, and explain how they function. Chairs of each student section will be invited to briefly describe the main activities of their section for the previous year. They will be able to raise any issue, and seek help and advice on any problem they have encountered. In the second part of the meeting, details will be given on the nature of student sections, why you may wish to create one, how they work, and the activities you could organize. Any person interested in the subject (student or not) is welcome to attend this meeting. Subir Pramanik, chair of the Regions and Sections Committee, and Don Puluse and Roy Pritts, co-chairs of the Education Committee, have kindly agreed to be present and take part in this event. Please come with all your questions and ideas.

The other major change is in the recording and poster sessions. In an attempt to solve the problem of categories while still maintaining the high quality of this event, we have come up with some modifications. The previous categories have been eliminated, making this year's session open, and awards will be given to those students who have shown professionalism in their area of audio engineering. In a similar manner, the poster awards will give students an opportunity to present their research work in any subject covered by the AES, by presenting a preliminary document on their work, followed by a poster.

Other events will include the traditional Education Fair, and Student Delegate Assembly (SDA) meetings during which we will try to clarify the role of the SDA within the AES. In the Job Forum, a panel of active professionals will address the issues of market, education, and expectations in a variety of careers in audio. An assembly area will be provided during the entire convention, where all students can meet and discuss student matters. A display area will be used for the posters; and a room will be provided where students can listen to their recordings. Many of the student events will be held in this location.

Descriptions, dates, times, and rules for the awards are available on the AES web site, along with a list of the less expensive hotels and youth hostels in and around Paris.

We would like to thank Daniel Zalay, Roy Pritts, Roger Furness, Subir Pramanik, Frans Swarte and the convention committee for their help and advice in our work. We hope you enjoy what promises to be an exceptional convention.

See you there.
Blaise Chabanis and Emily Morin