Present & Convene

• Online sessions will be 90 minutes in length and will take place daily from 10:00–11:30 EDT on 6-10 May 2024.
• Online sessions will take place in Zoom Meeting. All online sessions will also be streamed onsite in the Rotunda room of the Rhode Island Convention Center.
• If you are presenting in an online session but will attend the meeting in person, please still plan to present online. The Rotunda room will not be equipped to manage in-person presentations in online sessions.
• If you are presenting multiple abstracts, we cannot guarantee that you will be free of scheduling conflicts.

Steps for a Successful Online Session Presentation

1. Register

• You must register to present at AbSciCon24.
• Please register at least 36 hours in advance of your session. Register by the early bird deadline of 3 April 2024 to take advantage of lower registration rates.

Register

2. Prepare and Rehearse

• All online session presenters are asked to make slides or a PDF poster to present during their session. It is not necessary to upload your presentation in advance.
• Organize your ideas and make a plan for staying within your allotted time. Please refer to the online program for the length of your allotted presentation and session schedule.
• If you have any questions regarding the session schedule, please reach out to your session chairs.
• Leave adequate time for Q&A and transitions. For example, if your total presentation is 9 minutes, please allow 1-2 minutes for individual Q&A and transition.
• Create an opening statement.
• Discuss the material as it appears in your accepted abstract.
• Rehearse speaking slowly and clearly. If your rehearsal runs long, reduce the material and rehearse again.
• Use simple, active words and short sentences. (Some online attendees might be using translation services.)

3. Promote Your Session

• Use AbSciCon’s customizable Canva templates to promote your #AbSciCon24 session on social media.

Canva templates

Learn More About Promoting Your Session

4. Check Your Tech

• Online sessions will take place in Zoom Meeting.
  • Zoom links will be available to presenters in the online meeting platform 20 minutes before the start of the session. A presenter link will not be emailed to you.
  • Test your ability to log into the online meeting platform and mobile app before the day of your session.
• Online attendees can use a web browser or the Zoom app.
• Most major functions are supported in the browser version, including screen sharing, chat, and breakout rooms.
• Be prepared to share your screen to display your presentation during the session.

Read More About Zoom's Supported Browsers and Functions

5. Log In to Present in Your Session

• Log in to the online meeting platform and navigate to your session, then click the join link on the session 20 minutes before it starts. 
• Detailed instructions will be provided via email in advance of your session.
• Session chairs will introduce presenters and moderate the Q&A.
• When it is your turn to present, you will share your screen to present your slides.
• Please plan to attend your full session to participate in Q&A and discussion.
• Technical support will be available.

• Online sessions will be 90 minutes in length and will take place daily from 10:00–11:30 EDT on 6-10 May 2024.
• Online sessions will take place in Zoom Meeting. All online sessions will also be streamed onsite in the Rotunda room of the Rhode Island Convention Center.
• If you are chairing an online session, you can chair the session virtually. However, at least one session chair must be present in person in the Rotunda room to facilitate Q&A from the in-person audience.

Steps for Chairing a Successful Online Session

1. Register

• You must register to chair a session at AbSciCon24.
• Please register at least 36 hours in advance of your session. Register by the early bird deadline of 3 April 2024 to take advantage of lower registration rates.

Register

2. Get Ready to Chair

• Session chairs play an important role in making sure that session attendees feel safe, welcomed, and included.
• Help ensure that sessions reflect diversity, inclusion, and excellence in science.
• Review how the session will run and identify a general discussion topic based on the session.
• Prepare to discuss the larger science questions around presentations or to explore future needs and challenges.
• Reach out to the presenting authors in your session. Session chairs can obtain a presenter report via Participant’s Corner, accessible from the User Portal.
• At least one session chair must be present in person in the Rotunda room to facilitate Q&A from the in-person audience.

3. Promote Your Session

• Use AbSciCon’s customizable Canva templates to promote your #AbSciCon24 session on social media.

Canva templates

Learn More About Promoting Your Session

4. Check Your Tech

• Online sessions will take place in Zoom Meeting.
  • Chairs should plan to join the Zoom session via the link that will become available in the online meeting platform and mobile app 20 minutes prior to the start of the session. The link will not be emailed to you.
  • Test your ability to log into the online meeting platform and mobile app before the day of your session.
• Online attendees can use a web browser or the Zoom app.
• Most major functions are supported in the browser version, including screen sharing, chat, and breakout rooms.

Read More About Zoom's Supported Browsers and Functions

5. Log In to Your Session Early

• Log in to the online meeting platform and navigate to your session, then click the join link on the session 20 minutes before it starts. Chairs attending in-person should also arrive at the session room 20 minutes before it starts.
• Technical support will be available.

6. Chair Your Session

• Give short welcome/introductory remarks that acknowledge the audience and encourage participation. Due to safety regulations, please advise the in-person audience not to sit in the aisles or block aisles or doorways.
• Introduce presenters and keep speakers on time. Ensure that all speakers are treated equally and have their fully allotted time.
• Encourage participation and treat all presenters and attendees with respect.
• If needed, interrupt speakers to ask them to speak more audibly, slowly, or clearly.
• Moderate Q&A with the audience following each presentation. Keep the session on schedule and do not allow Q&A to go over time.
  • There will be a mic in the audience so that in-person attendees can ask questions.
  • One session chair should monitor the Zoom Q&A for any questions from the online audience.
  • Please ensure questions are asked at the floor microphones or repeat any audience questions through a microphone before allowing them to be answered. This gives everyone in the room and those watching online a chance to hear the question that was asked.
  • Time permitting, facilitate discussion if there are no questions from the audience.
• Treat all presenters and attendees with respect. Be aware of aggressive questioning that borders on bullying or harassment, especially if directed towards students or early career scientists. Please speak up and intervene. Reach out to an AbSciCon staff person for assistance or report Code of Conduct concerns to [email protected].
• End the session at the scheduled time. If there is active discussion, encourage attendees to continue discussion outside of the session room.