Unfortunately, I did not start my IMS planning and travel arrangements until recently. Can I now create an ad-hoc trip and still attend?

Yes. It is surprising this year that good airfares are not sold out (in early April) and still decent prices could be found except for most popular dates. So, if you are willing to be a bit flexible, one trick you could go with is to add a few extra days for a private or mini-vacation, but not after the event as many of us we heard are planning on to do - but actually prior to IMS.

Since many schools are out around early June, there is a Dirac-delta kick in airfare prices at around June 1st; so, you might still find some bargain tickets for the last week(s) of May. (Of course, this would not work very well for you if you are the type of engineer who furiously still works on his/her presentation the days before the Symposium starts...).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.