Guidelines for Speakers

Computer Hardware

All venues used for presentations at AMICAL 2014, excluding Posters, will be equipped with at least the following:

• Windows PC: laptops in the larger venues, desktops in the classrooms
• projector
• wired internet connection
• cables for connecting your own laptop if desired:
  • VGA (to projector)
  • headphone plug (to speakers, if you’re playing audio content during your presentation)

Microphones

The larger venues (Library Upper Level and auditoriums) will be equipped with a stand- or podium-mounted microphone. Wireless (clip-on) microphones may also be available; please let us know by 2 May if you would prefer to use a wireless clip-on mic.

Other Equipment Issues

If any of the following apply to you, please note our requests:

• If you have any equipment needs beyond what is indicated above, you should inform us (contact@amicalnet.org) by this Friday 2 May.
• Planning to present using your own laptop? Be sure to bring your power adapter to your session.
• Planning to present using own Mac? If so, please tell us by 2 May what type of port you use for an external display (e.g. Thunderbolt, etc.). If you’re not sure, take a look at this table, or at least indicate the model of Mac you’re bringing.

Loading and Testing Your Presentation

If you have presentation slides or other materials to display, you should submit them at least a week before the event using the form above. We should then be able to test and make available your files on the computer set up for your session. You should also come to your session with a back-up copy of your own.

Your room will be available for testing, and loading an updated version of your materials if necessary, in the morning during check-in and during breaks in the program. If you have specific setup requirements, please contact us in advance.

If you use an updated version of your presentation materials at the event, please submit the updated version to us using the same Presentation Files & Permissions Form.

Poster Presentations

For Poster presentations, each presenter will have a bulletin board, a small table and a chair. The bulletin boards are 150 cm (width) x 107 cm (height) and materials can be posted on them with push pins. If you wish to use a computer as well, please bring your own laptop. Wi-Fi will be available in the Poster area. Presenters can set up during the coffee break right before the poster session; if you wish, you also have the option of setting up the previous afternoon.

Printing

Free printing on specific printers at the ACG Library will be available to all attendees, and speakers will be given priority. Details will be provided on the conference website and at the start of the event.

Materials/links to Post Online

If you have any materials that you would like to post online for attendees, we’re allowed to attach a single file to the page for your session in Sched. If you have multiple files, you can combine them into a zip file.

If you have a link you would like to post under your session description, you can send us the URL.

Conveners and Staff Assistance

All sessions except Posters and Technology Showcases have been assigned a convener that is listed below the speaker on the session page in the online schedule. Conveners are there to make sure that you’re able to run your session as effectively as possible while not affecting adversely other parts the program. See below for more details on the responsibilities of conveners.

Late Changes to Venue or Other Session Details

The room assignments have largely been settled for all sessions, but there is always a possibility that we may need to make late changes. If this happens, we will do our best to update your session in the online schedule (Sched) with any changes. You can treat Sched as the definitive, most up to date, version of the program.

Presentation Files & Permissions

All speakers using presentation files or software should submit the Presentation Files & Permissions form. This is a great help in managing both the setup for your sessions and the post-conference incorporation of your materials, if you allow it, into our presentation archive.

If you are giving a Keynote/Presentation/Panel/Lightning Talk, you must submit the form before the event even if you do not have a presentation file to send, to indicate whether you permit us to stream/record the session.

You may submit the form more than once, in case you have an updated presentation file to give us later.

Guidelines for Conveners

All volunteers have been contacted by the AMICAL 2014 Volunteer Coordinator about convening one or more specific sessions, as listed in the Convener list of the online schedule.

Convener Responsibilities

As a session convener, you will be responsible for making sure that your speaker is able to run their session as effectively as possible while not affecting adversely other parts the program. More specifically, you should:

• check whether the speaker needs assistance from Information Resources staff for setup
• encourage attendees to come in from the break, if your session falls just after one
• start the session at the scheduled time
• introduce the speaker
• make sure the speaker is aware of time remaining
• if there is a mid-session break scheduled, make sure this happens
• end the session at the scheduled time
• quickly announce the venue(s) of next session(s), if there are any taking place in a different venue

Speaker Info

In the online schedule, under the speaker’s profile you will find their title/institution/bio. If you wish to contact them by email, you can find their address, as well as the other info from their Sched profile, in a spreadsheet that was attached to the “Guidelines for AMICAL 2014 session conveners” email (sent out on May 10, 2014).

Times and Venues

The most reliable and up to date source of information for the times and venues of your sessions is the online schedule. The location of the venues is shown in this campus map [PDF], a hard copy of which you’ll receive at conference check-in.

Keynotes, Presentations, Lightning Talks, and Panels

If you are convening one of the Keynotes, Presentations, Lightning Talks, or Panels that are taking place in the main venue (Library Upper Level), note that most of these sessions are being live-streamed online and recorded. For those cases, please coordinate on the starting and ending of the session with the staff managing the streaming/recording.

Questions?

If you have questions related to convening, send an email to contact@amicalnet.org with “Conveners” in the subject.