Logistics

To participate in the workshop you need to install two programs: Zoom and Slack.

Zoom

The presentations will take place over Zoom: https://zoom.us/
Please set up and test Zoom on your computer ahead of time. Presentations will be given live (not pre-recorded) by the presenter who shares their screen over Zoom.

A pictorial guide showing the buttons and options to be familiar with during a Zoom meeting is here.

Participants can type and send their questions via Zoom during the presentation. One of the organizers will moderate a question and discussion session after each talk. We can start the discussion with the questions submitted over Zoom chat. Participants can virtually raise their hand in Zoom to ask a question.

Slack

We will use Slack for sharing information like Zoom session links, messaging, and coffee breaks. If Zoom goes down, Slack is also our go-to for sharing information.
Please set up Slack on your computer and make an account: https://slack.com
The organizers will invite participants to the Slack channel with their registered e-mail addresses.

The organizers will make a Zoom meeting for each workshop session. Links and information about the sessions will be distributed through the Slack channel. With the Zoom link, participants can join the meeting as long as they have Zoom installed. They do not need to make a Zoom account.

We also ask speakers to watch the Slack channel in the closest coffee break after their talk for any ongoing questions and discussion. Slack is a good place to continue any discussions. One-on-one video calls can be started in Slack.

We will have virtual coffee sessions on the Slack channel. If there is someone you want to talk with one-on-one, you can start a one-one-one video chat from Slack with the click of a button.

Virtual poster session

Our poster session will work by a mixture of Zoom and Slack. We will make a separate Slack channel for each poster. In that channel will be a link to a Zoom session with the poster and presenter. Participants can navigate the channels in Slack and join a Zoom poster session at will by clicking on the link. They can also leave the session and join another as they wish.

Zoom tips

  • If possible, plug in your computer to a hard line internet connection instead of using wireless. Wired connections are more stable.
  • Do not connect to a VPN during the workshop unless necessary. VPN drop-outs are another way to lose your connection to the meeting.
  • During presentations, mute your microphone in Zoom so that only the speaker’s audio is live.
  • During presentations, turn off your camera in Zoom to save bandwidth.
  • If you are presenting, check the lighting around your Zoom set-up. For a good video feed, you want good lighting in front of you (behind the camera) and no direct lighting behind you (in front of the camera). If you are presenting, please test ahead of time.