Annual Conference Session Moderators

Moderator Responsibilities

Before the conference

• Meet with your co-moderator (if any) to determine how you all want to split responsibilities as well as logistics of the session such as computer usage.
• Email presenters in your assigned session with session day/time and logistics. Logical details might include:
  • How much time they’ll have to present
  • How much time for Q&A
  • Starting time for each talk
  • Technology arrangements
• Confirm with the authors who will be presenting, as it’s not always who is listed.

At the Conference

Before the Session

• Arrive 10 minutes early to the room where you are moderating the session.
• Put slide(s) provided by the program chair of important reminders on the projector for early session attendees.
• Meet the presenters as they enter the room and review their names’ pronunciation.
• Ensure all presentations are loaded on the computer and ready before the session starts. If presenters are planning on using their personal computer, make sure their computers work with the projector system.

During the Session

• Introduce yourself at the beginning of the session. Remind presenters of the time limitations and any time warnings.
• Introduce each presenter (or presenters) before their presentation. The next speaker should prepare their slide show at the end of each presentation. Introduce the presenter when ready.
• One primary responsibility of the moderator is to ensure that the presenters begin and finish their presentations on time.
  • If a presentation is about to run over time, the moderator has the authority to stop the presentation in a respectful manner.
    
  • To facilitate movement between concurrent technical sessions, each paper in a given technical session is allotted the same amount of time. If a presenter is absent, please wait to begin the next presentation at the scheduled time.
• Guide questions and answers. Typically, session moderators try to ask at least one question if Q/A are light from the audience.
• Try to take a count of the session attendees to report back to program chair.

At the End of the Session

• Thank everyone for coming to the session and ask for one more round of applause for the presenters
• Remind attendees about important upcoming divisional sessions (such as Woods Lectureship Award, Open Mic, Business Meeting, etc.)

After the Session

• Please email the program chair with session attendee count.