Saturday, December 24, 2016

BIT's World Gene Convention (WGC)


This posting pertains to:
Part I. 2016 Shanghai conference
Part II. 2017 Macao conference
Part III. 2019 Qingdao conference
Part IV. 2020  Osaka conference

Part I. 2016 Shanghai conference

A spate of emails started in January 2016 for the "World Gene Convention--2016, Shanghai." The suggested topic? "About Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences, Interpretation," and then "Beyond uniqueness: the birthday paradox, source attribution and individualization in forensic scienc…." My efforts to persuade what I stereotypically imagined to be a warehouse of poor, Chinese women typing away at cheap keyboards from emailing me failed miserably, so I adopted the opposite strategy. I proposed to speak on on chimerical K-DNA.
From: hedy1 [josie@wca-2015.com]
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 3:53 AM
Subject: Invitation for Keynote Speaker at the World Gene Convention-2016, Shanghai, China

I'm writing to follow-up my last invitation as below, would you please give me a tentative reply? Thank you very much. I apologize for the inconvenience if the letter disturbed you more than once.

It is our great pleasure and privilege to welcome you to join the 7th World Gene Convention-2016, which will take place in Shanghai, China during November 3-5, 2016.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, it’s our honor to welcome you to give a plenary keynote speech at the conference. More info about the program is available at http://www.bitcongress.com/wgc2016/ScientificProgramme.asp

Under our SAB members’ contributions and endeavor, BIT’s 6th Annual World Gene Convention-2015 (WGC-2015), successfully held in Qingdao, China during November 13-15, 2015. Totally, there were nearly 300 world-renowned experts, professors, laboratory principals, project leaders and representatives of well-known enterprises attended the WGC-2015. Participants from the international enterprises, academic and research institutions enjoyed the three days scientific program. Depending on the warmly support and good suggestions from all of the participants, we are confident in organizing WGC-2016 which would be better and more successful than WGC-2015.
...
We expect your precious comments or suggestions; also your reference to other speakers will be highly appreciated. We look forward to receiving your replies on the following questions:
1. What is the title of your speech?
2. Do you have any suggestions about our program?
...

Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao
Organizing Committee of WGC-2016

Let's see if anything has changed
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2016 10:42 AM
To: angela@wca-2015.com
Subject: Re: Invitation for Keynote Speaker at the World Gene Convention-2016, Shanghai, China

Dear Xiao ​Teresa, As a keynote speaker, I would need an honorarium to enable me to travel to Shanghai. Is this feasible? I look forward to your response and to visiting Shanghai.

Thank you, David

Nope, same old Teresa
From: janice
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 2:45 AM
To: David.Kaye@asu.edu
Subject: Invitation for Keynote Speaker at the World Gene Convention-2016,Shanghai, China

Dear Dr. David H. Kaye, ...
It is our great pleasure and privilege to welcome you to join the 7th World Gene Convention-2016, which will take place in Shanghai, China during November 3-5, 2016. On behalf of the Organizing Committee, it’s our honor to welcome you to give a plenary keynote speech at the conference. ...
1. What is the title of your speech?
2. Do you have any suggestions about our program? ...
We look forward to see you in Shanghai in 2016 for this influential event.

Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao, Organizing Committee of WGC-2016

OK, here's a title to consider
Dear Xiao ​Teresa,

As a plenary keynote speaker, I would describe my latest research on "K-DNA: A Nonoptical Isomer with Strongly Chimerical Properties." Of course, I would need an honorarium to enable me to travel to Shanghai. I look forward to your response and to visiting Shanghai.

Thank you, David

Apparently, BIT would prefer a talk "about Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences":
From: janice
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2016 2:45 AM
To: David.Kaye@asu.edu
Subject: Invitation for Keynote Speaker at the World Gene Convention-2016,Shanghai, China

Dear Dr. David H. Kaye,

I'm writing to follow-up my last invitation as below, would you please give me a tentative reply? Thank you very much.I apologize for the inconvenience if the letter disturbed you more than once. ...
We would like to welcome you to be the chair/speaker in Session 4-3: New Achievements of Forensic while presenting about Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences. Interpretation…. If the suggested thematic session is not your current focused core, you may look through the whole sessions and transfer another one that fit your interest ...

Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao, Organizing Committee of WGC-2016

Let's see where this takes us.
From: Kaye, David
Sent: Friday, June 3, 2016 8:01 PM
To: alice@gene-congress.com
Subject: RE: Confirmation for Chair/Speakers for the World Gene Convention-2016, Shanghai, China

Dear Alice, Janice, Jane, or ​Teresa,

Earlier I wrote that "As a plenary keynote speaker, I would describe my latest research on "K-DNA: A Nonoptical Isomer with Strongly Chimerical Properties." Of course, I would need an honorarium to enable me to travel to Shanghai. I look forward to your response and to visiting Shanghai."

Since you have suggested the title "About Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences, Interpretation," I will combine the two to speak on "K-DNA: A Nonoptical Isomer with Strongly Chimerical Properties that is in Need of Interpretation in the Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences."

I look forward to further information on the honorarium. To travel to China, chair the session, and deliver my address, I would need only U.S. $2,500.

Thank you, David

Could they have overlooked my proposal?

From: janice [mailto:audrey@wcaconvention2015.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2016 8:16 AM
To: kaye@psu.edu
Subject: Confirmation for Chair/Speakers for the World Gene Convention-2016, Shanghai, China

Dear Dr. David H. Kaye,

I'm writing to follow-up my last invitation as below, would you please give me a tentative reply? Thank you very much.I apologize for the inconvenience if the letter disturbed you more than once.
It is our great pleasure and privilege to welcome you to join the 7th World Gene Convention-2016, which will take place in Shanghai, China during November 3-5, 2016.
We would like to welcome you to be the chair/speaker in Session 4-3: New Achievements of Forensic while presenting about Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences. Interpretation…. If the suggested thematic session is not your current focused core, you may look through the whole sessions and transfer another one that fit your interest ... .
... WGC-2016 ... aims to provide a platform for all experts from academia, industry and national labs to discuss latest hot researches and achievements. Attendees will hear world-class speakers discussing the challenges and opportunities facing the gene field. The business & academic experts who are from home and abroad will give excellent keynote speeches.

...Shanghai has numerous name tags attached to it, like "Paris of the Orient" and "Pearl of China", ...
We expect your precious comments or suggestions; also your reference to other speakers will be highly appreciated. We look forward to receiving your replies on the following questions: 1. What is the title of your speech? 2. Do you have any suggestions about our program?
...
Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao
Organizing Committee of WGC-2016

Maybe the mention of an honorarium discouraged them. I'll try again.
From: Kaye, David
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2016 9:33 PM
To: 'alice@gene-congress.com' <alice@gene-congress.com>
Subject: RE: Confirmation for Chair/Speakers for the World Gene Convention-2016, Shanghai, China

Dear Xiao Teresa,

Earlier I wrote that "As a plenary keynote speaker, I would describe my latest research on ‘K-DNA: A Nonoptical Isomer with Strongly Chimerical Properties.’ Of course, I would need an honorarium to enable me to travel to Shanghai. I look forward to your response and to visiting Shanghai." After you suggested the title About Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences, Interpretation," I proposed to combine the two to speak on "K-DNA: A Nonoptical Isomer with Strongly Chimerical Properties that is in Need of Interpretation in the Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences," but I did not hear from you until today. How does the title I sent sound? Has the SAB had the chance to consider it?

Awaiting your suggestions,
David Kaye

Sadly, no honorarium.
From: teresa [mailto:teresa@gene-congress.com]
Sent: Monday, August 1, 2016 4:05 AM
To: Kaye, David <dhk3@dsl.psu.edu>
Subject: RE: Confirmation for Chair/Speakers for the World Gene Convention-2016, Shanghai, China

Dear Dr. David H. Kaye,

Thank you very much for your interests in our conference! It is an honor for us to have your support.
I will forward your speech title to the organizing committee, and will let you the results as soon as possible.
In addition, as your concern, basically, we cannot cover your travel expense due to limited budget this year; also cannot offer an honorarium. We feel very sorry but we do hope you can understand our situation.

Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao
Organizing Committee of WGC-2016

No surprise there, but what about the K-DNA+Encyclopedia paper? Did Teresa ever hear from her organizing committee? Two emails, dated August 2 and then August 10, bearing Teresa's name at the end (but coming from janice <liz@wcacongress2016.com>) disappointingly duplicated the earlier one welcoming me as "the chair/speaker in Session 4-3: New Achievements of Forensic DNA while presenting about Beyond uniqueness: the birthday paradox, source attribution and individualization in forensic scienc…."

Ah well, 2017 is coming, and with it, announcements of the 8th WGC will fall like raindrops. Sure enough ...

Part II. 2017 Macao conference

Sent by elaine <esther@wcm2016congress.com> 1/17/17 and again by ann <linda@wgc2016.com> 2/20/17
Dear Dr. David H. Kaye,

I'm writing to follow-up my last invitation as below, would you please give me a tentative reply? Thank you very much. I apologize for the inconvenience if the letter disturbed you more than once.
It is our great pleasure and privilege to welcome you to join the 8th World Gene Convention-2017, which will take place in Macao, China during November 13-15, 2017. We would like to welcome you to be the chair/speaker in Theme 707: Forensic while presenting about Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences. Interpretation... If the suggested thematic session is not your current focused core, you may look through the whole sessions and transfer another one that fit your interest ...
... The business & academic experts who are from home and abroad will give excellent speeches. [Y]ou will benefit from the wonderful experience in Macao, China. Macao is an international free port. ...
We expect your precious comments ...
Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao
Organizing Committee of WGC-2017, East Area, F11, Building 1, Dalian Ascendas IT Park, 1 Hui Xian Yuan, Dalian Hi-tech Industrial Zone, LN 116025, China, Tel: 0086-411-84799609 EXT 826, Email: teresa@gene-congress.com

Teresa-Elaine reiterated the "chair/speaker" invitation on 1/22/17 with another topic. The email came from alma@bitcongress.com)
Dear Dr. D.H.Kaye,
I'm writing to follow-up my last invitation as below ... We would like to welcome you to be the chair/speaker in Theme 707: New Achievements of Forensic DNA while presenting about New Achievements of Forensic DNA.... We expect your precious comments ...
Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao ...

Three emails came a day later, ostensibly from Teresa. They were sent by elaine with the URLs isabella@gfac2017congress.com, katrina@gfac2017congress.com, and alma@bitcongress.com. Aside from differences in the spelling of my name, they were identical to the above.

On 2/19/17, another of Teresa's "chair/speaker in Theme 707" invitations came from ann (Wed5@wed-2017.com). Now Teresa-Ann wanted me to speak on an unpublished paper (available on SSRN) that, like the one mentioned in the previous set of emails, had little or nothing to do with "Theme 707: New Achievements of Forensic DNA."

Never-say-die Theresa reappeared on 5/11/17 (twice) as the writer of emails sent by vivian with the URL flora@wcfnconference2017.com and vivian (irene@wcfnconference2017.com). These implored me to give "a tentative reply" to the repeated invitation (she's good at that) to "be the chair/speaker in Theme 707: New Achievements of Forensic while presenting about Forensic." Theresa-Vivian-Flora and Theresa-Vivian-Irene apologized "for the inconvenience if the letter disturbed you more than once."

Teresa made two more appearances on the signature line of an email of 7/14/17 (one to Dr. David H. Kaye coming from Nina with the URL janet@gene-congress.com and the other to Dr. D.H. Kaye from nina with the URL teresa@gene-congress.com). She sent the "Cordial Invitation to Chair/Speakers for the WGC-2017, Macao." Theresa-Nina-Janet said that she too "would like to welcome you to be the chair/speaker in Theme 707: New Achievements of Forensic." Generous to a fault, she added that "[i]f the suggested thematic session is not your current focused core, you may look through the whole sessions and transfer another one that fit your interest ... ." And then she touted the "dynamic scientific program" and the "wonderful experience in Macao ... famous for ... hotel." She advised (yet again):
○ Depending on the warmly support and good suggestions from all of the participants, we are confident in organizing WGC-2017 ... .
○ WGC-2017 ... aims to provide a platform ... to discuss latest hot researches ... The business & academic experts who are from home and abroad will give excellent speeches.
○ We expect your precious comments or suggestions; also your reference to other speakers will be highly appreciated.
Part III. 2019 Qingdoa conference

Teresa is back (using various email accounts)!

From: lorraine [carrie@wgc2018congress.com]
Date: Dec. 30, 2018, 10:48 AM
Subject: Confirmation for Chair/Speaker for the WGC-2019, Qingdao, China
Dear Dr. D.H.Kaye,
I didn’t hear from you since the first invitation. Hope you everything goes well. I'm writing to follow-up my last invitation as below, would you please give me a tentative reply? Thank you very much. In case of your missing this grand event, I would like extend this email to you again. I apologize for the inconvenience if the letter disturbed you more than once.
Following the great success of past nine years, BIT’s 10th World Gene Convention-2019 (WGC-2019) will be held during September 20-22, 2019 in Qingdao, China. It is our great pleasure and privilege to welcome you to join the WGC-2019, we would like to welcome you to be the chair/speaker in Theme 1: Latest Research of DNA, RNA and Nucleic Acid while presenting about DNA, RNA and Nucleic Acid.....
Currently, we have received many speech applications. We are very grateful for the large amount of interest and continue to work hard to finalize a scientific program that will exceed expectations. Because speaking opportunities are limited, we encourage potential speakers to promptly send in the application to have a chance at getting one of the limited spots. So, if you feel interest but have not yet submitted a speech title or Abstract, please forward these materials to us at your earliest convenience. As soon as we receive this information, we can then finalize the details of your presentation.
WGC had been successfully organized in Singapore, Macau, Shanghai, Qingdao and Haikou in last nine years. To update the frontiers of life sciences and Industrial Biotechnology, WGC-2019 comes back to Qingdao. WGC-2019 is a dedicated event where you will have the opportunity to learn about new developments in the field of gene, biotechnology and life sciences, share aspects of your own work by submitting a oral presentation or poster. With the participation of outstanding international experts, we hope productive discussions would stimulate new creative ideas to translate new discoveries into better practice and application. We hope your participation would contribute to your professional development and relationships. Wish you enjoy the conference. We have no doubt that networking with your colleagues, on an international scale, will result in a creative exchange of ideas and be personally rewarding. We hope that you enjoy the meeting enough to join us in 2019.
WGC-2019 features a very strong technical program, mainly focused on: breakthroughs in gene, advances genomics & genetics, new research of DNA and RNA, focus on basic research, the frontier research of life sciences, new biotherapy discovery, emerging areas for medicine applications, robust technology development, and cutting-edge Biotechnology. It aims to provide a platform for all experts from academia, industry and national labs to discuss latest hot researches and achievements. Attendees will hear world-class speakers discussing the challenges and opportunities facing the gene, biotechnology and life sciences field. The business & academic experts who are from home and abroad will give excellent speeches.
We expect your precious comments or suggestions; also your reference to other speakers will be highly appreciated.
We look forward to receiving your replies on the following questions: 1. What is the title of your speech? 2. Do you have any suggestions about our program?
... In addition to the amazing conference, you will benefit from the wonderful experience in Qingdao, China. Qingdao (Tsingtao) is a city of picturesque red-tiled roofs nestled between green hills and blue sea. The mild climate, the bathing beach, and Mount Laoshan make Qingdao a popular health and holiday resort, particularly in summer when visitors come here in droves for sightseeing and escaping the heat.
Thank you very much and we look forward to your active support and participation. Finally, we hope and trust that you will find the conference and your visit to the very beautiful and exciting city of Qingdao, in September 2019 both valuable and enjoyable! Look forward to hearing from you soon!
Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao
Claims: This email was found in an article published of the Public Domain. [← Maybe this means Teresa is scouring journals for the email addresses of authors?]
From: lorraine [abby@wgc2018congress.com]
Date: Sun Jan 20, 2019, 8:12 PM
Subject: Confirmation for Chair/Speaker for the WGC-2019, Qingdao, China
Dear Dr. D.H.Kaye,
I didn’t hear from you since the first invitation. Hope you everything goes well. I'm writing to follow-up my last invitation as below, would you please give me a tentative reply? Thank you very much. In case of your missing this grand event, I would like extend this email to you again. I apologize for the inconvenience if the letter disturbed you more than once.
[Previous email repeated.]
Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao
Claims: This email was found in an article published of the Public Domain

My invitation as chair seems to have lapsed, but not my opportunity to be a speaker
From: ashley [ashley@pepcongress.com[
Date: Sun Mar 17, 2019, 8:38 AM8
Subject: Interested in Giving a Talk at WGC-2019, Qingdao, China
Dear Dr. D.H.Kaye,
I didn’t hear from you since the first invitation. ...
[Previous email repeated.]
Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao
Claims: This email was found in an article published of the Public Domain
Part IV. 2020 Osaka conference
 
Teresa is back!
From: sophie [sophie@foodcongress2019.com]
Date: 2019年 5月 9号 10:34 PM
Subject: Recruiting for Chair/Speaker for WGC-2020, Osaka, Japan
Dear Dr. D.H.Kaye,
This is Teresa, Program Coordinator of the WGC-2020. Please accept my apology if this email bothers you, as I have tried to send you this invitation in last months but without any response from you.

It is our great pleasure and privilege to welcome you to join the World Gene Convention-2020 (WGC-2020) conference, which will be held during June 17-19, 2020 in Osaka, Japan. On behalf of the Organizing Committee, we would be honored to invite you to be a chair/speaker at Block 1: Latest Research of DNA, RNA and Nucleic Acid while presenting about DNA, RNA and Nucleic Acid at the upcoming WGC-2020.

WGC had been successfully organized in Singapore, Macau, Shanghai, Qingdao in the last eight years. More than 3,000 famous experts and scholars from around the world have participated in our WGC. ...

Aiming to promote an international exchange of scientific knowledge and experience in the field of gene, life science, biotechnology and biopharmaceutical, ... .

We expect your precious comments or suggestions; also your reference to other speakers will be highly appreciated. We look forward to receiving your replies on the following questions: 1. What is the title of your speech? 2. Do you have any suggestions about our program?

We sincerely wish you can accept our invitation and join us to contribute your invaluable experience and knowledge at this magnificent conference. Look forward to hearing from you soon!

Sincerely yours,
Ms. Teresa Xiao
Claims: This email was found in an article published of the Public Domain.

10 comments:

  1. Thank you, you saved me a lot of time!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haha thank you for the article, also Teresa Mails in my inbox ;)
    See you in Osaka .......

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you very much for sharing your work. It is like the service of a reviewer in peer-review: free of charge you check "material" that is out there and see if it attains (at least) minimal standard levels. After following the back and forth of the "reviewer" and the "reviewed author" the result is clear: reject!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Teresa (in the guise of Alma, but whose email names her as Olivia) has also favored my inbox a number of times, most recently for the “conference” in Osaka. I am asked to chair a session on pathology, referencing a paper I actually did write: “Pathologies of van Stockum dust/Tipler's time machine,” published in the (real) journal “General Relativity and Gravitation” a few years ago. The astute reader might have guessed that this is a physics journal, and has nothing to do with either genes or pathology! “Van Stockum Dust” is a particularly weird solution of Einstein’s field equations of general relativity.

    If I were going to be in Osaka, I might agree to chair this “session” to see what transpires…

    ReplyDelete
  5. Alma's been emailing me too - but from "Wendy's" address. Otherwise much the same.

    I'm an economist, not even a biochemist/pharma expert and I had never seen anything like this before. Then I published one paper, in a book about antitrust economics, that referred in the title to a case in the pharmaceutical sector and now I get bombarded with invitations to fake conferences (mostly China) and to republish in fake journals (mostly India).

    No idea why this has hit pharma (or all the physical sciences?) but not economics yet. I'm pretty sure it's not our superior scam-spotting abilities!

    So, yeah, see you all in Osaka.

    Jon H

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  6. Alma's been emailing me (from Fiona's email). I thought I was special! - thanks though :)

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  7. What a pity. As a historian of race science, I was so hoping to meet all you geneticists, economists and physicists at Osaka. I have to say though. This is the least obviously fake of all the fake conference invitations i've received so far, which is why I Googled it and found this blog. Thanks for destroying my dream trip to Japan, David ;)

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  8. Thank you for this information.
    I sought guidance about responding to an invitation for WGC2023. I am not going to waste my time to reinvent the wheel by repeating your steps.
    Warm regards,
    James

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you for the information. I shall not reinvent the wheel by repeating your steps.

    ReplyDelete