Please be available in your allocated room at least 15 minutes before your session starts. Make sure you are acquainted with the audio visual and light controls, the microphone system and general room set up. Please then ensure that all speakers are familiar with the equipment they will be using. In particular please check that the Powerpoint ® presentations are ready to go before the session begins. Speakers have been asked to load their presentations, with the help of the assigned Student Volunteer, at least in the break prior to their session.
Please start sessions on time, even if people are still arriving. If you are introducing the session, please keep this brief since it eats into the time of the first speaker! Please keep speakers on time! It is essential that sessions run to the schedule indicated, given that there are 4-5 parallel sessions. Hence it is your job to ensure that speakers start and finish on time.
For standard spoken presentations, please give speakers a warning shortly before their time is up (at 10 minutes), and then tell them when their time is up at 12 minutes. This allows 3 minutes for questions and gives the audience time to move between rooms, after each presentation, if they so desire.
For speed session presentations, give speakers a warning shortly before their time is up (at 3 minutes), and then tell them when their time is up at 4 minutes. There is no time for questions between speakers, and this allows 1 minute for changeover. There is a 45 min discussion after the speed session in which you will need to chair the session for specific questions for all speakers, and for general discussion.
If a speaker shows no indication of stopping at the required time, you must ask them to stop immediately, even if their talk is not completed. Ensure that question time does not extend beyond the allocated time, even if there are lots of questions still requiring responses. There are opportunities during the breaks for these additional questions to be directed to the presenter. Do not start presentations early. If a speaker finishes early or even if a talk is cancelled use the time by inviting questions from the previous presentation.
A volunteer will be allocated to ensure that the presentations are uploaded and if there are any audiovisual problems one of the room monitors assigned to your session can summon the IT technician.
Remember, you are in charge of your session – the audience will appreciate good chairing which will keep proceedings on time and speakers and audience under control.
Finally, please remember to remind the participants to turn off all mobile telephones.
These guidelines are also available as a pdf.
