Thank you very much for volunteering to serve as the chairperson for a scientific session during vEGU21: Gather Online. As the session's leader, your main responsibility is to ensure the session is run in a timely and respectful manner.

FAQs for conveners and chairpersons to run a vPICO session

  1. What information shall we give to participants at the beginning of the session?

    If conveners have scheduled a 5-minute introduction to the session they can provide some general background information about the session. They can just repeat to the presenters that the slides will be handled by the conference assistants and remind them to keep their microphones off unless they are presenting. The live stream will pick up the camera and microphone of the active presenter.

  2. How can conveners/chairs actively lead the session?

    By giving the introduction above, introducing speakers (to have some similarity to the real life session), leading the central discussion after the live presentations and making sure that the individual presentation chats are going well (possibly also visiting presenters who have few people in their chats).

  3. Are the slides of the 2-minute live briefings automatically shared with the participants according to the schedule?

    Yes, they will be on the streamed iFrame in the live session page.

  4. Do conveners need to take some action by sharing the slides and open the floor to presenters?

    Slides are shared by the conference assistants and it would be good if conveners announce the presenters (see above).

  5. What shall conveners/chairs do if a 2-minute introduction slide has not been uploaded by the author?

    Then the author should speak without a slide support; the iFrame will remain empty except for the speaker's video.

  6. What shall conveners/chairs do, if the slide is available but the author is not present and has not provided a pre-recorded video?

    Co-authors can enter the BBB video chat and can give the 2-minute presentation. If no-one is present and there is no pre-recorded video I guess you can only skip the presentation and move to the next one – would allow to make up some time.

  7. How do we contact and interact with the conference assistant in case we need help?

    The conference assistant will be on the backend BBB video chat as conveners/chairs are. Conveners can send them a chat message on the backend BBB app and even directly talk to them (as long as they are not the active speaker because then their conversation will be streamed – it will be a bit distracting for the speaker though to hear something else being said at the same time so maybe the chat is a better idea).

  8. How can participants split time between breakout chats? Specifically, a presenter may watch the chat pertaining to their own presentation while joining the chat of another author until a question is raised in the chat of the own presentation. We assume that opening two browser windows at the same time is the solution.

    Exactly - you can open as many chat windows as you like!

Tips for chairing a successful vEGU21 session

  • Chairpersons are expected to introduce themselves to the audience, to open and close the session strictly on time, and to ensure that the session speakers are present and able to make their 2-minute presentations without disruption. All times allocated in the conference programme include the time for change-over.
  • Chairpersons should enter the session's live video chat as soon as it opens 15 minutes prior to the session's start. All sessions can be accessed via the conference programme as well as the visual virtual conference centre.
  • If authors cannot be present during the live session, they are asked to inform you and the conveners beforehand and to upload a pre-recorded *.mp4 video file of their 2-minute presentation. This video will then be shared by the conference assistant during their scheduled presentation time.
  • Please remind attendees that it is not permitted to take screenshots of any live presentations or text chats unless the author explicitly grants their permission to do so. Presenters are asked to include symbols encouraging or not allowing screenshots and sharing. This is valid for the live presentations.
  • Please encourage all participants, if they have not already done so, to upload display materials and remind them that commenting on these will continue through the end of May.

Additional guidance for chairing vPICO sessions

  • vPICO sessions are run using the BBB platform. Please read the details of the technical requirements and the description of such a session in the presenter guidelines. A conference assistant will be present during the video chat for assistance and for handling the presentation slides, which authors must have uploaded at least 24 hours in advance. To ensure that the session runs smoothly, no late additions or individual screen sharing will be allowed.
  • The vPICO format consists of two parts: an introductory round of live 2-minute talks followed by breakout text chats. The live talks are run through a video chat that includes you, the conveners, and the abstract authors who are presenting. The audience will watch this via a live stream.
  • At their discretion, conveners may have included a small number of 5- or 10-minute solicited talks in the vPICO session. Please let the audience know this is a longer solicited talk when you introduce this speaker(s).
  • Following the live presentations, the central video chat will open for all attendees for further group discussion hosted by you. However, the intended focus is on the breakout text chats (one per abstract), rather than on the central video chat, which will be limited to 200 participants.
  • The live text chats can also be accessed from the live session page.

Additional guidance for chairing a US, GDB, SC, or MAL session

  • US, GDB, SC, or MAL sessions run as Zoom Webinars. All webinar panellists (convener, co-conveners, chairpersons, and speakers) will receive an invitation email after 6 April. Through this link, they are asked to enter the Zoom Webinar 15 minutes prior to the session's start.
  • These 15 minutes are reserved for panellists to clarify last issues. A conference assistant is present and will open the webinar for general attendees as soon as all panellists are ready.
  • All panellists present by sharing their screen and running their presentations on their own device. They must un-mute their microphone only during their own presentation. Should individuals pre-recorded their talk due to their absence in the Zoom Webinar, the conference assistant will run the video.
  • Attendees ask their questions through the Zoom Webinar Q&A tool. The chairperson organizes the discussion round.
  • Please also read the details of the technical requirements and the description of such a session in the presenter guidelines.
  • Please note that the sessions will be recorded for on-demand viewing by conference registrants afterwards. Convening, chairing, or presenting in such sessions implies the acceptance of the recording.

Requirements for serving as the session chairperson

  • All chairpersons must be registered for the conference in order to access to the live sessions.
  • If you are not a session convener, please check in the programme at least 2 days before your session takes place to make sure the conveners have assigned you the chairperson role in the session modification tool. You must be identified by name and email in this tool in order to assign a Copernicus Office user ID to the chairperson. Please also verify that the conveners used the same email address and Copernicus user ID under which you registered for the conference.