PLEASE NOTE: NEW CONTENT, TUTORIALS & UPDATES ADDED DAILY!
#AAS238: Tools & Resources!
Learn How to Participate in the Virtual Meeting
We are looking forward to the start of our virtual meeting happening 7-9 June 2021, with the workshops on Friday, 4 June. We have put together the following resources to help you prepare for the online environment.
Register for the meeting so you can access the virtual platform (all attendees including speakers, presenters, exhibitors, and press must be registered). If you need assistance with registration please contact reg-help@aas.org
Test your login. Log in to the AAS site with the same user name and password as used for registration. Make note of your user name and password. You will need it to access the virtual meeting.
By 3 June you will receive a private invite to the Slack workspace: 238th Meeting of the AAS on Slack
A week prior to the meeting, each registrant will receive an email with a unique URL to connect to the Virtual Meeting. Watch for this email, and check your spam filter. Note:If you are also an Exhibit Booth Rep, you will receive a separate email with different login credentials when you are scheduled to work at your exhibit.
Familiarize yourself with the Block Schedule or the Program Planner.
Check your internet connection, sound, and camera settings on your computer. As an attendee, you will have an opportunity to interact face to face with our exhibitors and other attendees, if you wish. Therefore, we suggest checking your computer audio and video settings before joining. Learn how here.
Watch zoom training videos indicated in the resource gallery below to become familiar with the platform. Please note that you DO NOT NEED TO INSTALL the Zoom application on your device in order to participate. You will have the option to view all Zoom webinars and meetings from your browser (Chrome is suggested).
We invite all presenters to use the AAS-approved virtual backgrounds when you are on camera. You are also welcome to use your own virtual backgrounds.
During 7-9 June
How do I access the virtual meeting?
Here is a video from AAS 236 to show the user login experience: AAS236 Attendee Login
How do I attend an oral session?
After signing into the virtual meeting, attendees will enter the virtual lobby. Upon entering the lobby, attendees will be prompted to click "Auditorium" or select the tab "Auditorium" at the top of the screen. From there, you will enter the auditorium and with your mouse, click the black screen that says "click here to join sessions" in order to access the list of sessions for a specific day.
Virtual Meeting Auditorium
When viewing the schedule of the day, a session is available when the "join"button appears.
Approximately 5 minutes before the start of each session the "join" button will appear allowing individuals to come in, prepare to listen, learn, and engage in science.
How do I network during the virtual meeting?
Attendees will have an opportunity to network via Slack throughout the virtual meeting.
Access to Slack will be available in the virtual lounge. Upon entering Slack, there will be multiple channels available for chat.
Example of the Virtual Lounge
How do I view an iPoster?
Attendees will access the iPosters via the Gallery through a web browser and the AAS Virtual Environment. iPoster Authors can communicate with presenters using the designated Slack Channel. Many authors will pre-record a narration of their iPoster, so make sure you look for and LISTEN to those iPosters.
The iPoster gallery will be made available the week of 7-9 June 2021.
Check back for more information!
How do I visit an Exhibitor?
The Interactive Exhibit Hall will be open daily 9:30 am - 6:30 pm ET during the virtual meeting!
More to come regarding specifics on accessing the exhibit hall!
Example of Virtual Meeting and Exhibit Space
After 9 June
What information will be available to me post the meeting?
Meeting attendees will have access to the recorded sessions after the session has concluded. Following the meeting, the AAS will offer other options to non-registrants.
More information on other opportunities to access the videos is to come!
How do I access the post-meeting information?
More information on other opportunities to access the videos is to come!
I am a virtual meeting attendee and will also participate as a:
You should have received several emails with an invitation to a Zoom link for the day and time of your oral talk. Locate this email and click on the link 15 minutes prior to the start of your talk so you can rehearse to make sure your computer settings work properly.
Check the Block Schedule or the Program planner, then make a note of your session date and time (time zone: ET, Eastern time)
Practice your presentation in a quiet, comfortable well-lit area.
All oral presentations will be through "screen share", so it is important that you practice your presentation on the laptop or computer you plan to use on the date and time of your scheduled session.
Presenters will receive a customized email invitation with a unique Zoom URL for that presenter only.
This URL will access the assigned session as the role of a presenter.
Do not share this URL as it will not work for anyone else and will expire once your session is over.
More details and instructions will be explained in the Speaker Prep webinars.
Plan to attend one of the following Speaker Prep webinars (recordings of these sessions will be posted here):
For AAS 238, all iPoster presenters will be required to give an iPoster-Plus talk via zoom.
You should have received several emails with an invitation to a Zoom link for the day and time of your oral talk. Locate this email and click on the link 15 minutes prior to the start of your talk so you can rehearse to make sure your computer settings work properly.
Check your email for instructions on logging into the iPoster portal to begin putting together your iposter.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT YOUR IPOSTER: May 28th
We recommend that you use the Narrate feature when authoring your iPoster. This will allow attendees looking through the Gallery to view your iPoster as if you were right there with them explaining the highlights.
During your assigned iPoster Plus Oral Session, you will present using "screen share", so it is important that you practice your presentation on the laptop or computer you plan to use on the date and time of your scheduled session.
Presenters will receive a customized email invitation with a unique Zoom URL for that presenter only.
This URL will access the assigned session as the role of a presenter.
Do not share this URL as it will not work for anyone else and will expire once your session is over.
More details and instructions will be explained in the Speaker Prep webinars (see schedule below).
In addition to your scheduled iPoster Plus time, you can chat at your convenience in the Slack Channel that accompanies your session. Slack allows for chatting between individuals or with a group. See SLACK Tutorial
More details and instructions will be explained in the iPoster Presenter Training webinars.
View iPoster Sessions Tutorials
For an overview of editing the Templates and a look at how your iPoster will be displayed at your meeting, check out our Tutorials. If you have questions about creating your iPoster, you’ll find answers to most of them by visiting our Quick Guide and FAQ. If you'd like to see what your AAS colleagues have done at previous meetings (and how your iPoster will be displayed) take a look at the Gallery Screen from AAS 237.
Upcoming iPoster / iPoster-Plus Author Training via Zoom
iPoster / iPoster-Plus Author Training #1
Wednesday, 12 May 2021 | 10:00 AM EST | View Zoom Recording
iPoster / iPoster-Plus Author Training #2
Wednesday, 19 May 2021 | 1:00 PM EST | View Zoom Recording
iPoster / iPoster-Plus Author Training #3
Wednesday, 26 May 2021 | 3:00 PM EST | Zoom Link : here
Session Chair
If you have not confirmed your participation as session chair, please contact our Science Program Administrator, Sherrie Brown.
Ensure you've received a "panelist" email with the private access link for your session. If you have not received the panelist email, please contact our Senior Meetings Manager, Rita Braxton
Session Chair Information
Regular contributed oral talks are 10 minutes.
(5 minutes for talk + 3 minutes for questions and answers + 2 for changeover)
Dissertation contributed oral talks are 20 minutes
(15 minutes for talk + 3 minutes for questions and answers + 2 for changeover)
Special Session talks vary in length.
As the Chair and Session Organizer, you will control the length of each presentation.
Invited talks are 50 minutes.
(40 minutes + 10 minutes for questions and answers)
The Responsibilities of Session Chairs
Session Chairs are responsible for the implementation of the rules governing the oral presentations established by the AAS Board of Trustees and the success, defined broadly, of the session they are chairing. Along with the fair application of the time limits for presentations and questions, session chairs must be familiar enough with the audiovisual equipment and support resources to assist individual presenters. Staff or volunteers will be provided in each Zoom webinar to assist session chairs with getting assistance or solving minor problems, yet the session chair must also familiarize themselves with the tools being used before their session begins to ensure success. It is recommended that session chairs attend a Speaker Prep Webinar (schedule below) to get acquainted with the system.
Additionally, session chairs are responsible for ensuring a professional atmosphere in each session, consistent with the AAS professional ethics guidelines and anti-harassment policies. All communication will take place in Slack. Each session has a slack channel. Session chairs will monitor the Q&A from the audience in Slack and determine the best questions to ask the presenters. Questions may be addressed directly to the presenter using the @FirstNameLastName or to the session chair directly using @FirstNameLastName while in the slack channel.
Session chairs should especially be wary of harassment of early-career speakers in the form of overly challenging or humiliating questioning by session attendees. If a question is inappropriate or unprofessional, it is appropriate for the session chair to intervene or take another question.
Finally, Session chairs are expected to attend a practice session 15 minutes before their session starts, where they will have a chance to see the technology used in the sessions, to meet the tech staff, and to discuss how to handle situations that may arise. A brief summary of key points is given here.
SESSION CHAIR GUIDELINES
Keep the program on schedule to facilitate the parallel sessions, and
Help coax the discussion of papers with a question of your own, should none come from the audience.
Talks are not to be rearranged nor are presentations to be added unless approved by the AAS Office. Be sure to check the online program or mobile app for any withdrawn presentations.
Plan to attend one of the following Speaker Prep webinars (recordings of these sessions will be posted here):
