As in the past number of years, we're sponsoring TNC, the largest and most prestigious European research networking conference, and we have a booth in the exhibition hall. Unfortunately, this year the booth is at the very back in a corner but luckily people know how to find us and we are usually surrounded by an interested crowd of people. It is great to also have my colleagues Massimo Candela and Christian Teuschel here as well. While I am running around doing Programme Committee tasks, Massimo and Christian are at the booth telling people everything about RIPE NCC services, especially RIPE Atlas, RIPEstat and related tools. It also helps that Christian actually studied in Linz and speaks the language :-)

Massimo, our best RIPE Atlas "sales person" :-)

Christian Panigl, this year's Chair of the TNC Programme Committee, managed to bring this year's TNC to Linz, which is a great little town mostly known for its arts and sciences festivals and initiatives, organised by Ars Electronica and other organisations. Christian Panigl also managed to organise fantastic weather!

The Linz Design Center, venue for TNC17

TNC welcomed us with great weather and a big sign in front of the Linz Design Center. 695 people have registered for this year's conference, which is the highest number yet. Gerfried Stocker, founder of Ars Electronica, gave a very inspiring opening keynote about the importance of art and science for society and for building communities. He also said that it is important that we think technology through to the end, which means considering the human beings using the technology - "Only those products that meet the requirements of the users will make it."

Lightning Talks

Another highlight of TNC are the Lightning Talks: Two 90 minute sessions (First Strike and Second Strike) with 15 or 16 presentations, each five minutes long. I've been trying for years to convince the RIPE Meeting Programme Committee to consider a five-minute lightning talk session. It's super energetic and you literally feel the ideas flying around the room. This year's session was particularly inspiring because there was a number of students who presented about their research and studies, for instance about the development of smart textiles or the importance of design in technology products, or why the use of new technologies and modern teaching methods are more suitable for students nowadays.

Ernesta Grigaytite, one of the students  presenting during the Lightning Talks session at TNC17

Now I am looking forward to the Opening Reception, which takes place on a boat on the Danube. If the boat stays afloat, I'll be back tomorrow to share some more information about what's going on at this excellent conference.