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Tech Conference At UM Features Steve Bannon As Keynote Speaker

Steve Bannon, former presidential adviser to Donald Trump, speaking at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland.
Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons
Steve Bannon, former presidential adviser to Donald Trump, speaking at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland.

Former Presidential Adviser Steve Bannon is scheduled to be the keynote speaker at a conference on the University of Montana campus in Missoula December 10.

The International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology is billed on its website as a scientific forum on research in entertainment computing.

It’s scheduled to take place at UM December 10 through the 14th.

The website says Bannon’s speech at the University Center will be open and free to UM faculty and students and Montana residents with a valid ID.

Conference organizer Adrian Cheok tweeted yesterday that Bannon will talk about how "economic nationalism will help minorities to obtain more high tech jobs."

After this post was originally published, the Missoulian reported UM spokesperson Paula Short confirmed Bannon is scheduled to appear in-person on UM's campus and that ACE organizers have rented university facilities.

Some members of the computing research community have condemned the conference on Twitter, and said researchers should boycott the event.

The ACE Conference is scheduled to be held in conjunction with the 4th International Congress on Love and Sex With Robots on UM’s campus. Those who pay the registration fee will be able to attend both. It will cover topics such as intelligent electronic sex hardware, robot emotions and roboethics.

Update, 5:15 p.m., 10/30/18: This post was updated to indicate that the Missoulian reported that UM spokesperson Paula Short confirmed that Bannon is scheduled to appear in person on UM's campus and that ACE organizers have rented university facilities.

Shaylee covers state government and politics for Montana Public Radio. Please share tips, questions and concerns at 406-539-1677 or shaylee.ragar@mso.umt.edu.  
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