by Jason Moore
I’d like to share my dissertation work at an upcoming conference, but ASME wants the copyright. What do I do about it?
I’m wrapping up my dissertation (moorepants.github.com/dissertation) and want to present some of the material in it at some upcoming conferences in my field. One that I am hoping to go to is: http://mne.psu.edu/dscc2012/, which is an ASME conference. ASME requires you to sign over copyright when you submit a paper for the conference. I sent them this email inquiring about options to retain my copyright:
Hi,
I am about to submit a paper to the DSCC/MOVIC 2012 conference which is using ASME’s paper system. I’ve read that I will need to assign copyright to ASME. I’ve actually already published the material under a Creative Commons license as part of my dissertation and I am the copyright holder. I will be submitting a small portion of the dissertation for this conference. I’m happy to let ASME publish the material as part of the conference proceedings as it is permissible under my CC license, but I’d like to retain the copyright to my work. I’d like to know what my options are for retaining the copyright and if there is an option to retain copyright on the form I will be required to sign?
Thanks,
Jason Moore
And this was the reply I got:
Dear Mr. Moore:
ASME requires first publication as a criterion for conference submission and publication. You will be unable to submit your paper to the DSCC conference.
Thank you,
Tamiko Fung_
This is really absurd. I’m sure people double publish stuff all of the time. How are you supposed to publish dissertations, theses and journal articles on you work and present it at a conference. If I present it at the conference that precludes me from publishing it in my dissertation or a journal and if if publish first I can’t present it at a conference.
ASME Copyright Terms:http://www.asme.org/kb/proceedings/proceedings/copyright-terms-and-conditions
If I publish it with ASME first I’d have to get permission from them to use the material afterwards and even potentially have to pay them a fee!: http://www.asme.org/kb/proceedings/proceedings/post-publication-permission-to-publish
What should I do about this?