Information for symposium organizers
How do organizers solicit submissions for presentations in their symposium?
General advertisements for presenting at the conference will be sent out to the chemistry education community by the BCCE organizing committee. Additionally, depending on their topic, areas of expertise, and access to networks, symposium organizers are encouraged to send out additional materials inviting submissions to their symposia. This could include sending emails through listservs, social media posts, attendance at other conferences, and conversations with colleagues. Please refer presenters to the BCCE 2022 website, which is updated regularly with information related to the conference. Abstracts must be submitted to the MAPS system, which can be accessed through the BCCE 2022 website.
How long is a symposium?
A half-day symposium is approximately 3 hours (8 presentations), either in the morning or afternoon. A full-day symposium is approximately 6 hours (16 presentations), both morning and afternoon blocks. Each session will have a short break mid-way through. There is also 5 minutes at the beginning and end of each session for opening and closing remarks from the presider. You may opt to designate the last presentation slot as a panel discussion with the presenters. Please stick to the scheduled time slots to allow attendees to move between symposia easily during the conference.
How long is an oral presentation?
An oral presentation is 20 minutes, including time for questions.
Can I present my work at a symposium I am organizing?
You are welcome to present your own work in a symposium you are organizing. You will still need to submit a separate abstract for each presentation in MAPS by the deadline in order to be included in the program.
What is the difference between a symposium organizer and a presider?
Symposium organizers do the work of organizing the symposium before the conference, including reviewing and accepting abstracts for presentations. Presiders are present at the conference during the symposium to introduce speakers and ensure everything runs smoothly. One or more of the organizers may serve as the presider(s), or you may appoint someone else to preside. The presider(s) must register for and attend the conference; organizers are not required to do so.
What does a presider do?
The symposium presider(s) is responsible for arriving prior to the start of the symposium and helping presenters set up. The presider should give brief opening remarks (~5 minutes), introducing the topic and structure of the symposium as well as any other important information. They should then introduce each speaker (be sure to ask people how they would like to be introduced and how to correctly pronounce their names). During each presentation, the presider must keep track of time to stay on schedule and typically gives presenters a warning when their time is nearly up. The presider should then moderate the question-and-answer period, making sure to end on time. At the end of the symposium, the presider should give brief concluding remarks (~5 minutes) wrapping up the session and giving any relevant follow-up information. The presider is also responsible for counting the number of attendees at the symposium and reporting this information to the program committee. If you encounter technical difficulties as a presider, tech support will be available on-site during the conference.
What equipment will be available?
Each room will be equipped with a projector and a computer. It is recommended that presenters bring an electronic copy of their slides on a drive and use the computers in the rooms, however, they may use their personal computers if they prefer.
When and how should organizers communicate with presenters?
Organizers should communicate with presenters in their symposia, through email, a few weeks in advance of the conference. Presenters will automatically receive acceptance and scheduling notices through MAPS, but organizers should provide additional information specific to their symposium such as when to arrive and what to expect during the symposium. They should also serve as a point of contact for presenters with symposium-specific questions. Members of the program committee are also available to answer more general questions.
How will symposia be scheduled in the conference?
Technical symposia will take place Monday-Thursday. Symposia will be scheduled by the program committee based on theme, topic, and available space. Symposium organizers will be notified of the day, time, and location of their symposia in late April.
What is the timeline for symposium organizers?
Abstracts for oral presentations may be submitted January 10-February 28. Symposium organizers will then have access to MAPS to review submitted abstracts March 9-21. During this time, organizers will need to accept or reject each abstract submitted to their symposium and create a schedule for each session. This information will then be sent to the BCCE program committee, who will then schedule the day, time, and location for each symposium. The final program will be completed and published in May.