Will the SAS Global Forum 2022 be a pysical event or will it be virtual or a hybrid?

[acordes]

I'd like to repeat the fanstastic experience from the 2019' Dallas SGF

[Kurt_Bremser · Accepted solution]

Looks like SASGF as we knew it (a forum encompassing all people involved with SAS, developers, coders, decision makers, statisticians) is dead, see https://communities.sas.com/t5/SAS-Global-Forum-Discussion/What-is-the-state-of-SASGF-2022/m-p/77558... 

There will be separate forums, physical for the "managers", but virtual for everyone else.

[acordes]

that's a pitty. Another 'victim' of the pandemic. 

Hope that they reconsider this strategy once the covid is overcome. 

[ChrisHemedinger]

The new user-focused event, called SAS Explore, is slated as a virtual event in 3Q 2022. If/when the conditions are favorable for such a large in-person event again, this SAS user event could definitely be "live" on-location in future years. The decision about it being virtual applies for 2022 -- for future events, all possibilities are open.

This is just one in a series of events from SAS -- check out the lineup here. This is in addition to local and regional events, some of which are in person. For example, PharmaSUG is planned as in-person in Austin TX during May 2022, and we are planning to support that event with SAS staff and speakers. There are also multiple regional user group events (WUSS and SESUG) planned for the fall of 2022, currently planned as in-person experiences.

[Quentin]

Thanks all.

For those of us hoping for a return to in-person user-centric SGF in future years, probably one of the best ways we can voice that desire is to attend in-person RUGs as they return.

SAS is obviously a data-centric company.  If the data show that SAS users still want and will attend in-person conferences, my guess is they will be more likely to think about restoring a global in-person user conference.

If in-person RUG attendance declines this year and next, that would support the thought that the pandemic has led to a larger cultural shift (among users and/or employers) away from in-person toward virtual.

One of our best ways to 'vote' for in-person SGF is to spend our $ and time on in-person RUGs.  (I say that as a user; I'm not a RUG person.)

And of course we can still take advantage of all the wonderful virtual offerings from SAS and RUGs and LUGs  (I am a LUG person.... come join a BASUG webinar. : )

--Q.

[Kurt_Bremser]

I seriously contemplate going to San Francisco in the fall for the WUSS forum, and presenting there.

Depends on

• it actually happens
• travel is possible (I've done my part, right now I am at three shots of vaccines)
• it fits into the budget I will have from my severance pay

On top of it all, as a 49ers fan I would have the one-time opportunity to see my team play "live" in a regular season game.

[Reeza]

I miss conferences 😞
WUSS would be a good one in the Fall - though anything above 0 would be nice right now to me (-20c last night)

[Quentin]

PharmaSUG in Austin TX in May should be much warmer! : )

[Kurt_Bremser]

I can answer to my post now.

• I will present at WUSS 2022
• In connection with a week of San Francisco with my wife. Cable cars, here we come!
• After that, watch the 49ers play the Seahawks (my wife's team!) in Levi's Stadium
• On to Kings Canyon and Sequoia NP
• Las Vegas
• Grand Canyon
• Hollywood and Universal Studios
• Highway #1 back to SF

[ChrisHemedinger]

See you there @Kurt_Bremser !

[epower]

thats a bummer.. One of the best parts of SAS GF was the SAS resources on site to talk about their products. I got more useful direct information there than I would get at most of the presentations. This always positively directly impacted on how we used SAS and future plans.  I can feel the lack of these interactions as I havent been able to go now for a couple of years...  That's when you know the value