Skip to main content

Session Organizer Guidelines

All sessions will take place at the Palm Springs Convention Center.  Please be sure to check the printed program when available for room assignments.

Note: All Session Organizers are required to register prior to the start of the conference.  You will receive a specific code that will allow you to register at the complimentary rate after submitting your Session Information Form.  If you serve as a Session Organizer but are also a speaker within your own session, or another session, please review the Invited Speaker Guidelines as well.

As a Session Organizer, you have the responsibility for ensuring the quality of the papers and presentations within your session.  Other responsibilities include:

  • Presentations:  Speakers are asked to provide a PowerPoint presentation and to upload their presentation prior to the February 26th deadline.  Those who do not meet the deadline will be required to submit their presentations at the Speaker Ready Room a minimum of 4 hours in advance of the session.  Once completed, the PowerPoint presentation will be pre-loaded onto the session computers.  If speakers have not met the requirements above, please direct them to the Speaker Ready Room prior to the start of their session.
  • Begin the session on time:  Arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure speakers are in their seats and ready to begin.  Encourage the audience to take their seats so that the session can begin as scheduled.
  • Introduce the session: Announce to the audience the name of the session to ensure that they are in the correct room. Develop opening remarks for your session.  Provide a brief overview of the session and what the audience should expect, as well as a brief introduction of yourself.  If you will use PowerPoint slides during your opening remarks, you will need to submit a copy of your presentation to ABRF 2013 Meeting Management no later than February 26, 2013.  You can also bring a copy of your presentation to the Speaker Ready Room onsite, and an audiovisual technician will upload your presentation to the session computers.  We highly recommend that you check in to the Speaker Ready Room at least 4 hours prior to the start of your session to ensure that you presentation works properly.
  • Introduce each speaker:  Provide introductory remarks for each speaker.
  • Monitor the timing: Monitor each presentation and make sure that each starts and stops on time.  Use any reasonable means to stop a speaker who has exceeded the allotted time.  The session must stay on schedule so that individuals who are presenting a paper or individuals who wish to hear a specific talk may do so at the time indicated in the program.
  • Ensure the quality of the session:  You may politely interrupt speakers in order to ask that they speak more audibly, slowly, or clearly; to face the audience, or to briefly explain the message of an illegible slide or transperancy.
  • Q&A:  The Session Organizer, not the speaker, conducts the discussion by recognizing participants on the floor.  During discussion, ask participants to identify themselves and speak audibly so the audience can hear the questions as well as the replies.  If a paper draws no questions from the floor, you are encouraged to ask questions in an attempt to stimulate discussion, if time allows.  To maintain the schedule, it may be necessary to defer the lengthy discusssion to the end of the session or to suggest that the discussion be continued in private, once the session has ended.
  • Wrap Up:  Provide a brief summation of the session and end the session on time.

Important Reminders:

  • Register for the meeting before February 1, 2013.  All Session Organizers will receive a registration code to utilize their complimentary registration.  If you do not receive this code prior to the registration deadline, please contact Tim Thoms-Cappello at abrf@courtesyassoc.com.
     
  • Reserve your room by February 1, 2013 to guarantee the conference rates.  Please visit our Hotel & Travel page for more information.
     
  • ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: All speakers and Session Organizers who are also presenting must submit an abstract.  Session Organizers may submit one all encompassing abstract for their respective session, or individual presentation abstract. It is probably most appropriate to have one abstract for a roundtable, and individual abstracts for a scientific session. To submit an abstract, please be sure to review the abstract instructions for speakers, found here.  Please note that all Session Organizers and Speakers must be registered prior to submitting an abstract.