Information for Speakers

One week before the Conference, you will be sent an email containing:

• Key session information, including:

• Session start and end time

• Session host name and mobile phone number

• Session chair name

• Your presentation start time

• Your personalised link to access the Conference platform. 

Preparing for the event

Prepare your slides

Please keep the following in mind:

• We recommend using a 16:9 aspect ratio for your slides.

• Keep your slides simple and clean and avoid including lots of text. Remember, some participants might be watching on a tablet or laptop or may have your presentation displayed in a small window.

Upload your slides via the Presentation Portal

Your slides will be made available to attendees via the Conference platform. To facilitate this, please upload your slides via the Presentation Portal by 31 August. 

Prepare your setup

As you get ready to present, please note the following information:

• Internet connection: If possible, use a wired internet connection.

• Web browser: You will need to use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to access the Conference platform. 

• Audio:

• Microphone: We recommend using an external microphone or headset. Please do not use the built in microphone in your laptop.

• Headphones: Please use headphones or a headset to ensure there is no feedback from your speakers into your microphone. 

• Video: An external webcam will generally provide higher quality video than the camera built into your computer. Please ensure you are positioned right in front of the camera as some video view options on the Conference platform crop the sides of the video feed.

• Lighting: If possible, have a lighting source in front of you and avoid backlighting so that you are visible to participants.

Watch the presenter instructions video

Attend a speaker briefing

All speakers who will be presenting must attend one of the speaker briefings. You’ve been emailed information on registering for one of these sessions.

On the day

Have all files to hand

If you would like to share any videos or other media during your presentation, you will need the files saved to your local drive. We suggest you have a folder on your desktop containing all materials you need for your presentation. Note that you cannot share a video from a streaming platform such as YouTube or Vimeo; it must be a local file.

Access your session

Access your session using the ‘Preview’ button on the main page of the Conference platform 30 minutes prior to the start time. Your session chair will meet you in the session.

How your session will run

Presentation length

Presentation length is as follows:

• Lightning talks: seven minutes plus two minutes for questions (one minute buffer for change over time)
  
• Full presentations: 20 minutes plus five minutes for questions.
  

Session facilitation

Each session will have a host and a session chair:

• The host is like a producer. They will be responsible for moving presenters from the greenroom to the main stage, adjusting the main stage layout, providing technical support, and ensuring the session runs smoothly. 

• The session chair will take on the standard session chair responsibilities. They will welcome participants to the session, give an Acknowledgment of Country, provide housekeeping information, introduce the speakers, and facilitate questions.

Running order

Concurrent sessions will run as follows:

1. Session chair will open the session with an Acknowledgment of Country.

2. Session chair will make housekeeping announcements.

3. Sponsor video will play.

4. Session chair will introduce the first speaker.

5. First speaker will present. 

6. Session chair will facilitate questions posted in the Q&A app. 

7. Session chair will thank the first speaker.

8. Session chair will introduce the next speaker and so on. 

Introductions

Your brief introduction will be included in your presentation time:

• For lightning talks, the chair will introduce you by name, position title and institution only. 

• For full presentations with a single presenter, the chair will read a short biography and will keep the introduction to 30 seconds. 

• For full presentations with multiple presenters, the chair will introduce each presenter by name, position title and institution only.

Acknowledgement of Country

The Chair will give an Acknowledgement of Country at the start of the session. You are welcome to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which you live and work at the beginning of your presentation.

Screensharing

You will be able to share your own slides during the session.

Stay on mute until you are called on to speak

Once you have been added to the preview screen or the main stage, it is important that you keep your microphone on mute until the chair introduces you and you have been called on to present. Please also keep your microphone on mute when you are in the greenroom, unless you are speaking. 

Chat

Participants will be invited to use the chat for backchannel conversation during the event. This will be monitored by our team.

Questions

Questions will be sourced using the question and answer functionality on the Conference platform. The chair will monitor the questions and relay them at the appropriate time. If there isn’t time to address all questions, you are encouraged to respond via text after you have finished speaking. 

Communicate with the organisers

• The Conference platform has a green room that allows you to see and talk with your session chair and producer. 

• There is also a presenter chat that can be used during your session while you are in the green room or on stage to allow you to chat with the host, chair and other speakers. Please keep the presenter chat open while you are speaking.

• There is a ‘whisper’ function that the host may use to speak to you while you are presenting. This won’t be audible to attendees.

• The Conference platform also has functionality that allows the producers to send you a chat message at any time, wherever you are on the platform. Please keep an eye out for messages throughout the event.