GUIDELINES for session chairs of the Scientific Sessions

Dear Colleague,

The Organizing Committee thanks you for agreeing to be a session chair of a scientific session of the 2004 IEEE NSS/MIC/SNPS and RTSD Conference. We hope that the following information will be useful for you. We would be grateful for your objective evaluation and welcome suggestions for improvements.

                                                                                                            Sincerely

Alberto Del Guerra   

General Chair           

BEFORE THE CONGRESS

Please familiarize yourself with the papers to be presented in your session. If you feel it is useful, contact the speakers directly. Information regarding addresses, e-mails and telephone/fax numbers can be obtained through the chairs of your Conference track.

If you are unable to attend the meeting because of unforeseen circumstances please inform the Conference Coordinator as soon as possible.

UPON ARRIVAL AT THE CONGRESS VENUE

Contact the Conference Office located in room Mileto (Ergife Palace Hotel). The Conference Office is in charge of the general organization of the scientific program and would be pleased to assist you during the congress if required to do so.

MORNING DAY OF YOUR SESSION

· On the morning of the day of your session, please attend the briefing with the    chair of your conference track from 8 am to 8:30 am in room Treviri (Ergife Palace Hotel).  You will be informed of the last minute changes and you will be given the late change report to be filled in at the end of your session.

· Locate the room where your session will be held. Floor plans are available in the Booklet.

DURING YOUR ORAL SESSION

· Arrive at your session room 10 minutes early to familiarize yourself with the equipment. A room assistant is assigned to your session. Please find the time to check together with her/him how timing devices and audio-visual equipment operate.

· Meet the presenters.

· Remind them of the overall schedule and of the necessity to allow sufficient time for discussion. Tell them that you will not accept any time overrun.

· If you have a co-chair, decide with him/her how to share the responsibility (introducing the speakers, monitoring time, managing discussion, drawing the session to a conclusion) taking into consideration respective experience with moderation.

· Take charge of your session and introduce yourself.

· Start the session on time, even if the attendance is very low.

· Keep on time; do not hesitate to inform the speaker that the allotted time is running out.

· If the presenter is not sufficiently fluent in English, help him with any possible questions from the audience.

· Do not accept late schedule changes proposed by the speakers, as attendees may walk from one room to another in order to listen to a particular paper.

· If a presentation cannot be given or if the speaker does not appear (no show) , use this time to start a discussion so that the next presentation can take place on schedule.

Announcements:

·    Announce the session:

      -Number

      -Topic

·    Announce any changes, of which you have been notified at the morning briefing.

·    Announce the speaker/presenter.

Discussion:

· Take charge of the discussion period. Recognize questions from the audience and allow each person who would like to do so to participate in the discussion.

· Repeat or paraphrase the question if there is a language problem. Ensure correct use of the floor microphone. Make sure that everybody is able to hear the question, especially when it arises from the front rows.

· Do not hesitate to reformulate the answer if it is not clear enough.

· Try to clarify any practical points that would be useful for the audience. Avoid a too highly specialized a discussion that might be obscure to the audience.

· No video or audio recording of a presentation is allowed without the speaker's prior permission.

· At the end of the session, thank the presenters and the audience.

DURING YOUR POSTER SESSION

· Meet the presenters.

· Remind them of the overall schedule.

· If the presenter is not sufficiently fluent in English, help him with any possible questions from the audience.

· If you have a co-chair, decide with him/her how to share the responsibility taking into consideration respective experience.

· If you are part of the committee that has to select the best posters, please coordinate with the chair of the relative committee.

AFTER YOUR SESSION

Fill in the late change report, which has been given to you at the morning briefing

1. indicate the new name if there is a presenter change.
2. indicate if a presentation cannot be given or if a speaker/poster presenter does not appear (no-show).

Return your report to the Conference Office with any changes (including no-shows and presenter changes), that have occurred during the session to the Conference Office immediately after the session. Please return your report even if there are no changes and collect your complementary gift.