This page contains instructions for session chairs, speakers (contributed talks in breakout sessions), and poster presenters.

1. Session Chairs

1.1. Plan and Run Your Session

• Chairs are entirely responsible for all aspects of the session.
• Check the block agenda for the date, time, and location of your session, and know whether it is in one of the two remote-ready rooms (see below).
• All sessions are 1.5 hours. It is recommended to reserve ~40% of the time for discussion and Q&A.
• Identify speakers, create an agenda, and update your session's webpage (see below).
  • Accommodate requests to speak from other attendees whenever possible.
  • Invite attendees to speak in your session, or arrange discussion panels, etc.
  • Communicate expectations to the speakers (e.g., uploading slides in advance, keeping to time; see below).
• Identify in-person helpers for your session: a note-taker, a time-keeper, a Slack monitor, and a breakout summary slide presenter.
  • These roles could all be filled by the chair, co-chair, or one or more helpers.
  • Contact Melissa Graham if you have un-filled helper roles.
  • Sessions in the remote-ready room will need additional helpers to facilitate remote participation.
• Do the extra preparatory work to enable virtual participation if your session is in a remote-ready room (see below).
• Two Friendly Reminders slides have been prepared which you can use to welcome people.
• Be aware of your biases and responsibilities as session chair.
  • When taking questions, start with one from a junior or diverse audience member.
  • Solicit additional contributions with leading questions such as "What do junior people think of this policy?" or "How might this affect people from smaller colleges?".
  • If you witness violations of the Code of Conduct, follow the reporting recommendations.
• Session chairs should bring their own laptop and dongles to connect to the projector in the room.
  • Remote-ready rooms will have a dedicated laptop for Zoom and screen sharing (see below).
  • Arrive in the room at least 15 minutes prior to your session to test your A/V (use the Slack #help channel for assistance any time).
  • Feel free to show up 15 minutes prior to any other session in your room to check out the set-up and get instructions in advance, too.
• Prepare for the Breakout Summaries Plenary, Fri Aug 11 at 9:00 am:
  • Session chairs are responsible for creating and presenting a single 1-minute slide to summarize their session.
  • Chairs may designate this job to a helper.
  • A link to the shared slide deck for the breakout summary plenary will be circulated to all session chairs.
• Flip charts, markers, and post-its may be available upon request.

1.2. Update Your Session's Webpage

• Well in advance, review the session description and revise as needed.
  • This is how RCW attendees will decide whether to come to your session.
  • Chairs are encouraged to initially include text such as “Please contact [your name] (your email) if you would like to contribute…”
• Add the session agenda below the abstract (e.g., speakers' names, titles, talk durations; panel participants; discussion topics).
  • If you do not have edit access and want to make changes yourself, contact RMcKercher at lsst dot org.
  • Otherwise, contact SOC co-chair Melissa Graham and she will update the session webpage for you.
• Ensure that your speakers upload their slides in advance to the session webpage.
  • In the “Upload slides” section at the bottom of the session webpage, enter the agenda item in the “Subject” block, choose your file, and click save.
  • Anyone may upload slides to the session webpage.
  • This requirement is made to improve accessibility to information and facilitate discussion.
  • This requirement also greatly facilitates slide display in remote-ready rooms that use a designated laptop.
• After the session, upload the notes to the session webpage (e.g., as a PDF).

1.3. Use the Rubin 2023 RCW Slack Space

• All attendees will be sent links to join the Slack space 1-2 weeks in advance of the RCW.
• Join the channel for your session.
• Review and update the channel's description if needed.
• Consider creating pinned posts with any information or resources for your participants.
• Welcome people to the channel and ensure it is monitored during the session.
• Use the #help channel to request assistance at any time.

1.4. Facilitate Remote Participation from a "Remote-Ready" Room:

• "Canyons ABC" and "Pima" (including the plenary session) have the hardware to support virtual participation and designated Zoom numbers.
  • “Canyons ABC” will feature a U-shaped table with tabletop microphones at the front of the room and theater seating in the rear.
  • “Pima” will be set up with two rows of classroom seating (tables) while the remainder is theater-style (no tables). Only the podium and two Q&A locations will have microphones.
  • Both remote-ready rooms will have a designated laptop connected to both the projector and the room's Zoom; all slide display happens from this laptop.
    • The session's webpage will be open on this laptop. All slide decks must be uploaded to this page to facilitate access and display. 
  • IT staff will be onsite and typically in the room from ~15 min prior to your session start to help with set up, and can be called back at any time (use the Slack #help channel).
  • We highly advise reaching out to IT early in order to briefly test the setup to ensure you are prepared.
• Identify a co-chair or volunteer to sit at the dedicated laptop and be the point of contact with your virtual participants. They should:
  • monitor the Zoom chat to ensure all can see and hear
  • raise questions and issues from virtual participants
  • invite virtual participants to unmute and speak (at the chair’s discretion)
• Ensure all components of your session are virtually accessible.
  • Presenters must use the room’s Zoom Meeting ID and provided in-room laptop.
  • Slides must be uploaded to the RCW website in advance so they are web-accessible for both IT and participants.
  • Presenters must speak into a microphone for remote participants to hear.
  • Any small-group discussions or icebreaker games must be facilitated for the virtual participants.
  • Any brainstorming session should include virtual participants (they need to see the whiteboard and be able to contribute suggestions).
  • During Q&A or big group discussions, any attendee who is speaking should either be given a microphone, or the question must be repeated by the host for the virtual participants.

2. Speakers (Contributed Talks)

• All contributed talks are scheduled in breakout sessions.
  • RCW attendees may reach out to session chairs to volunteer contributions, but there is not always time for everyone to speak.
  • If you think you're speaking in a session but you're not listed in the agenda on the session's webpage, reach out to the chair immediately.
• It is recommended that contributed talks be allocated 10 minutes (e.g., 7 for the presentation and 3 for questions).
  • Session chairs may opt for shorter flash talks, longer talks, panel-style talks, etc.
  • Speakers and session chairs must communicate with each other about the expectations.
• Slides must be uploaded to the session's webpage in advance of the session.
  • Slides should be created in widescreen 16:9 format. This template may be used.
  • Speakers are encouraged to create slides using color palettes and fonts that are suitable for color-blind and dyslexic participants.
• Remote speakers are only possible in sessions that are scheduled in a remote-ready room (Canyon ABC or Pima; see above).
• If the session in which you are speaking is in a remote-ready room, your presentation will be recorded.
  • Contact the session chair if you do not want your presentation to be recorded.

3. Poster Presenters

• Poster presenters will be assigned a day for their poster.
• Undergraduate and graduate student poster presenters are invited to give a 30-second poster flash talk in the Mon or Tue plenary.
  • Contact Melissa Graham if you are a student, who wants to give a flash talk, but you haven't been contacted about this yet.
• All physical printed posters must be no wider than 36” and no higher than 44” (i.e., portrait layout, see image below).
• Posters must be printed before arriving at the venue. 
• Poster presenters should put up their poster before the morning coffee break, and take it down after the afternoon coffee break.
• Posters will be viewable by in-person attendees during the morning, lunch, and afternoon breaks.
• Poster presenters are not expected to stand near their posters during the breaks (but of course they can if they wish).