As far as my character goes, they could be at the STEM conference at the request of a scientific journal, for some general coverage reporting and to cover one or two specific presentations in detail.  Not their most favorite type of story to cover, but it pays the bills, and sometimes they get some interesting tidbits from security-negligent science types blowing off steam.<br/><br/>Maybe the outlet that tapped them with the assignment is the American Science and Technology Journal.