Appendix M Session Chair Information The success of the meeting greatly depends on the engagement of the session chairs, who are responsible for being the “host” for each session, helping to ensure that the speakers and audience all have an enjoyable and productive experience. In order to prepare for being a session chair, be aware of the following:
All session chairs should be notified by the symposium organizers of the date and time of their session. Once the schedule is finalized, the ECS meetings staff will send all chairs a confirmation of their session details, including the location and any co-chair names. Anyone unable to serve as session chair, MUST find a substitute session chair. He or she also needs to notify the symposium organizers and the ECS meetings staff of any session chair substitutions. Make sure to take care of any chair substitutions as soon as possible. Review the full Guidelines for Technical Session Chairs document. Make sure to find the session room in advance of the symposium. Arrive at your session at least 15 minutes early so as to: o Become familiar with the lighting and projection system. o Find the audio visual help desk in the hall in the event of a technical problem. o Identify and greet your speakers. (Calm any nervous speakers as best you are able.) Confirm the pronunciation of their names. Determine if there is a substitute speaker. If so, announce the change when the paper is introduced. Check the “Cancelled Presentations” link in the online Meeting Program to see if there are any cancelled presentations for your session. Save the speakers’ PowerPoint talks onto the computer. Label the files as to indicate the sequence of the talk and the speaker, such as “3-Smith”. Review the slides. Pre-loading talks reduces technical problems and promotes remaining on schedule. At the start of the session, identify the session. Remind attendees that presentations may not be photographed and/or recorded without the prior consent of the speaker. Keep the session on schedule. o Because attendees move between sessions, the session chair’s primary imperative is adhere to the schedule in the meeting program. o If you have a cancellation, either call a recess until the start of the next paper or conduct a discussion to fill the void. Whatever you do, DO NOT change the order or the times of papers. During the session, roughly estimate the attendance and note it on the session attendance form in the red Session Chair Information packet located in your session room. Make sure to also note any cancelled presentations or “noshows.” At the end of the session, thank the speakers and the audience. If the symposium continues later, inform the audience.
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