When I quit drinking, I noticed that not everyone around me drank, and I had never questioned them on it. Seriously, people are too self consumed to really care about what's in your hand drink-wise. Not sure what you're looking for, help to not drink during a 2 week work function? (That would seem reason enough to me..), or just for lent? Guess it depends on the 'why'. Because you're posting here, and you talk about big book studies I'm going to assume you feel you have a problem with alcohol.
I guess for your work functions, just order whatever you enjoy taste-wise, I found I like Sprite, I quit drinking diet Pepsi as it was my 'drink' mixer. Iced tea, water.. whatever.
Maybe tell us a bit more what you're looking for, I feel like I'm not hitting on what you were asking.. lol.. sorry bout that.
PS.. just to get thru the 'drink break' at the conference, you could always just say you're on a medication that it interferes with, or that you're trying to be healthier with the 'new year', or that you're allergic, on a diet, watching your sugar.. whatever. I also did find that when I started simply saying "I don't drink", people didn't care much about that either, I got a lot of "oh, ok", or "cool" and that was fine to deal with!