Below are some organizational hints for workshops and conferences. A summary of common tasks and who-does-what is on a separate page.

Reducing Conference Costs

Conference and travel costs are becoming significant concerns as research budgets are stretched. Below are some suggestions on how to reduce conference expenditures and encourage transparency, some of which are probably best implemented by societies and conference steering committees.

Papers

Sessions

A Guide for Session Chairs

Local Arrangements

Registration

Food

Social Event

Volunteers

AV

Posters

Other

Ideas

Checklist

Two months
  • Finish collecting copyright forms
  • Prepare USB or CD-ROM
One month
  • Best-paper award plaques
  • Volunteer plaques or certificates
  • Easels, posterboard
  • Registration desk staffing
  • Discuss audio and video needs with local A/V crew
  • Get permission to tape keynote speakers (if applicable)
One week
  • Gather presentations
  • Attendee packages (maps, USB, ...)
  • Send most current break/session schedule to hotel
On site
  • Confirm break schedule with hotel
  • Check audio setup, lighting
  • Check laser pointer at podium