Instructions for Moderators

Overview

Thank you for agreeing to be a moderator for a session at SPNHC-TDWG 2024, our second joint conference. Below are some basic pointers and instructions for being a moderator or co-moderator. You will also get more specific instructions from our local hosts. Please go over these before your session and have them handy during your session. See also the Instructions for Presenters.

It would be best if one of the moderators had a laptop (or at least a tablet) to be on Zoom and monitor:

  1. Questions from remote participants (posted in Zoom chat)
  2. To watch for virtual presenters who come online to answer questions. The moderator should confirm their presence for the technician, who will enable their mic and webcam (if desired).

A guest wifi network (and eduroam) is available in all KU locations for internet access.

A Virtual infrastructure vendor (ICON)  will provide technical support for the conference, run all Zoom infrastructure. Together with an audio-visual team, they will ensure the Zoom broadcasting and recording of in-person and remote presentations during the conference. 

Session roles and tasks

Discuss this with your co-organizers beforehand to decide on a division of labor. This is just a guide.

  • Depending on the length of your session and if you are speaking, please decide who will be a moderator, who will be managing questions for speakers, and whether a separate timekeeper is desired. 
  • Arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of your session to do sound checks with speakers and ICON, get familiar with the staging, and the equipment.
  • Have your session agenda readily available. Learn how to pronounce the names of speakers for when you introduce them, and find out if there are preferred pronouns to use (or allow speakers to introduce themselves). You will have access through the podium computer to the Google Drive with all presentations.  Make sure that you tee these up ready for presentation.
  • Communicate with speakers about how you will signal when time is drawing close and when time is up (e.g., playing a sound at 7 minutes, 9 minutes, and at 10 minutes, interrupt the speaker, remind the speaker about leaving time for questions).
  • Please run your session to the times allocated. Remember that we have three rooms running concurrently, and audience members will be trying to room-hop to see individual presentations. That only works if all sessions adhere to the same time schedule.
  • Questions can be posed during the session at a microphone (in person), on Zoom, or via the chat feature within Oxford Abstracts. One of the session organisers must monitor the online chat and relay any questions to the room.
  • Keep in mind that the role of moderator may require recognizing and dealing with the inappropriate behavior often stemming from unequal professional status between a speaker and an audience member, which may require intervention.
  • At the start of the session, please:
    • Put up our general session slide with vendor information
    • Introduce the session title and code (e.g., LTNG02 or SYM36).
    • Thank our Title, Diamond, and Platinum Sponsors for their support.
    • Remind attendees that the online chats (Zoom) will be monitored for questions.
    • Mention that links for on-demand viewing of the session will be made available to registrants as soon as they are ready.
    • Make any announcements provided by the LOC.
  • At the end of the session:
    • Please thank the speakers and the attendees.
    • Mention, again, links to on-demand viewing of the session will be made available to registrants.
    • Make any announcements provided by the LOC.

If you are working with online presenters:

  • You will need to play the pre-recorded presentation and monitor to see if the presenter is online for questions.

 

Moderator script

(Please enter your specific information where the red XX’s are:

  • Hello and welcome to the 40th Annual SPNHC conference.
  • This is Session XX entitled XX, and I am your moderator XX. My co-moderator is XX. (if needed)
  • This year’s meeting was made possible, in part, by the generosity of our sponsors, especially our Title, Diamond, and Platinum sponsors. We are grateful to them and ICON Event Group for today’s tech support.
  • This session will be recorded for later viewing and posted to the SPNHC YouTube channels.
  • Thank you all for joining us, and thank you to all the speakers in this session. Each presenter will talk for 10 minutes with 3 minutes of questions and 2 minutes to transition between presenters.
  • I will indicate by hand signal when 2 minutes remain, will stand with 1 minute remaining, and will stop you at 10 minutes to stay on time.
  • If you are attending virtually (online), please ask questions of the speakers using the chat feature in Zoom. The moderator will ask your question if time permits.
  • Audience, please raise your hand and use the microphone to ask questions so that they may be heard by the online audience.
  • Please use the online chat judiciously, as any inappropriate use of the chat may result in you being removed from the session.
  • If you would like to continue the conversation online, continue using the chat function in Oxford Abstracts.
  • Please enjoy the session.

Additional Considerations

  • Be alert and have considered what you will do to defuse a situation, deflect attention from someone acting inappropriately, or support the speaker or a questioner from someone in the audience who does not act respectfully during the session. See also Code of Conduct.