AoIR Conference === Internet Research 7.0 === "Internet Convergences" Hilton Hotel, Brisbane, Australia === 27-30 September 2006 The Association of Internet Researchers is pleased to announce that registrations are now open for its 2006 conference, to be held at the Hilton Hotel in Brisbane, Australia, on 27-30 Sep. 2006. This major international conference takes place in the southern hemisphere for the first time. Themed 'Internet Convergences', the seventh annual AoIR conference will explore how the Internet acts in both converging and fragmenting ways - physical, cultural, technological, political, social - on local, regional, and global scales. Internationally, AoIR is the leading academic association dedicated to research and analysis of the Internet and related network technologies. Established in 2000, it has grown to become a key player in supporting Internet research and disseminating findings. A key reason for holding the conference outside of North America or Europe is to emphasise the international perspective of this global, networked organisation. The conference will feature keynote lectures by Professor Guo Liang, deputy director of the Center for Social Development in the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), and Professor John Hartley, Research Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Creative Industries and Innovation at Queensland University of Technology and Australia Research Council Federation Fellow. Conference delegates are also invited to attend a public lecture by Dr Merlyna Lim - this lecture is offered by the Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies with support from the ARC Cultural Research Network and AoIR. Delegates are now able to register for the conference through the conference Website at http://conferences.aoir.org/. Conference registration also includes one year's membership of AoIR. In addition to conference registration itself, further registration options are available for the pre-conference workshops held on 27 Sep. 2006, the conference reception (free for all delegates), and the conference dinner. The IR7.0 conference hotel is the five-star Brisbane Hilton. There is heavily discounted conference accommodation available at the Hilton Hotel, starting from A$215/night (~ US$160). Please note that discounted rates are available through the Hilton Website during the conference period 27 Sep.-1 Oct. Should you wish to stay for longer, the Hilton is happy to make discounts available on request before and after this period. Please enter a booking for 27 Sep.-1 Oct. and indicate your extended stay in the booking comments - Hilton staff will endeavour to provide you with room discounts throughout your stay. Please see the Hilton's AoIR 2006 booking site at http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/private_groups/bsbhitw_air for more details. We look forward to seeing you in Brisbane in September! Axel Bruns === Conference Chair Fay Sudweeks === Programme Chair Matthew Allen === AoIR President Gold sponsors: === Cisco Systems (www.cisco.com) === Institute for Creative Industries and Innovation (www.ici.qut.edu.au) === Creative Industries Faculty (www.creativeindustries.qut.edu.au) Major sponsors: === Australasian CRC for Interaction Design - ACID (www.acid.net.au) === Peter Lang Publishing USA (www.peterlangusa.com) -- Dr Axel Bruns a.bruns@qut.edu.au - http://snurb.info/ Media & Communication Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Qld. 4059, Australia Creative Industries Faculty Z2-202, CIP - (07) 3864 5548 Queensland University of Technology CRICOS No.: 00213J