ICML 2009: Chairing a Session

Thank you for agreeing to being a chair at ICML - these guidelines are provided to ensure a professional and successful conference as a well-prepared Chair ensures that speakers give high quality, timely presentations and that the Question & Answer (Q & A) session at the end of the session is managed well. It is therefore essential that you recognize the importance of this role and ensure that your session runs smoothly. It is important that the session keeps to time as many attendees will attend papers in several concurrent sessions.

Prior to ICML

Make contact with the speakers in your session – it is recommended that you do this about 4 – 6 weeks prior to ICML as many speakers will need time to travel to Australia and some may even have a holiday prior to ICML. ICML will advise you of the email addresses and biographies of the speakers. Make sure that you can introduce each speaker in the allotted time.

For the 90 minute sessions

• The Chair has six minutes for introductions & housekeeping (1.5 mins for each speaker)
• Presentation time 4 talks each 17 minutes (total 68 mins)
• Question time four minutes each (total 16 mins)

For the 75 minute sessions

• The Chair has seven minutes for introductions & housekeeping (1.5 mins for each speaker)
• Presentation time - 4 x 14 minutes (total 56 minutes)
• Question time three minutes each (total 12 mins)

For the 60 minute session on Friday afternoon

• The Chair has three minutes for introductions & housekeeping (1 mins for each speaker)
• Presentation time 3 talks each 16 minutes (total 48 mins)
• Question time three minutes each (total 9 mins)

Make sure you are familiar with their abstract and ensure that you have made a time to meet them before their session. It would be good idea to arrange a short meeting of all the speakers the day before the session - this way the speakers get to meet their fellow speakers. You could arrange to meet in the foyer of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition centre

Prior to Your Session

• In the event that one of your speakers cancels at the very last minute, you will be advised by the Conference Committee. As it is anticipated that the audience will move in and out of sessions use this 'spare time slot' for discussion or question and answers relating to the session - hopefully this shouldn't happen but you never know!
• Familiarize yourself with the Speakers Presentation Room in the Conference Centre. The is room will be staffed for the same hours as the Registration Desk. The Registration Desk will be open the following times:
• Tuesday 1st September (4.00pm-6.00pm)
• Wednesday 2nd September (7.30am-6.00pm)
• Thursday 3rd September (7.30am-5.00pm)
• Friday 4th September (8.00am-12.00pm)
• Familiarize yourself the room your session is going to be held in. Speakers will be advised to have provide a copy of their powerpoint presentation to the staff in the Speaker Preparation Room at least 2 hours before their presentation.
• Remind speakers of time limits allowing some time for questions and changeover time format.
• Meet with the technical staff prior to your session to review the workings of the lights, the AV equipment, and good positions for your speakers in your session's room. Laser pointers will be available in all rooms
• Meet with all your speakers 15 minutes before the start of your session. At that time, make any needed introductions and help them feel comfortable with the room arrangements and fellow participants.
• Discuss their positions at the podium and remind them of their time limitations. Have all your speakers try out the microphone to determine any required assistance and to ensure a reasonable comfort level.
• Describe to your speakers the method you will use to notify them when they are nearing their presentation time limit and how you will interrupt them if they have reached the end of their allotted time.  
• Try to leave time for pertinent questions and answers (especially if the talk is particularly inspiring or controversial).  If however, all time has expired for that speaker, it is acceptable to ask the audience to discuss issues with that speaker after the end of the session. It is up to you as the Chair to ensure that ALL speakers receive their allotted time and that the audience has opportunity for their questions and comments.
• Inform your speakers of the exact time that each of their talks are to begin, and remind them that attendees are free to get up and move to another session after each talk. Further explain that because of this expected movement, it is particularly important for each talk to finish on time AND for the next speaker to begin at the appropriate time (even if the previous speaker ends early). You can help facilitate a smooth change between speakers.

During your session

• Concern yourself with the environment - If there are problems a technician will be available to help. There will be a technical in Great Hall 1 and 2 and other technicians will assist in the other rooms as required. Directly ask members of the audience if they can see you and hear you clearly. Your audience will appreciate that you are in charge and concerned about them and the quality of the session.
• Using the microphone, formally announce the beginning of the session. If needed, politely encourage the audience to settle into their seats and conclude their conversations and turn off all mobile phones
• Introduce yourself as Session Chair and give your affiliation. Advise the audience that Q & A will be at the end of the session and for them to prepare questions for this session.
• Ensure that you look interested in each presentation – there is nothing worse for the speaker or the audience to see a 'bored' chair!
• For each talk, introduce the speaker; give their affiliation and the title of their talk. It is nice to give a brief introduction of the speaker -- perhaps their background, or how their talk fits into the scheme of the session or conference. You may wish to use the published abstract as a starting point for this "introduction" material. It is up to you as the Session Chair to assist your speakers if there are problems. If the speaker's voice is fading, offer water. If the speaker cannot be heard or cannot be seen, you should politely try to correct the situation.
• You must keep track of elapsed time during a presentation. There will be Chairman's timer lights will be in each room to assist you keep track of time.
• As the allotted time for the speaker's talk ends, thank the speaker and initiate applause for the speaker. (applause can be in the handover time)

Question and Answer Session

The Qustion & Answer session will be after all the presentations.

• Invite questions from the audience but ensure that as Chair you have at least one question for each speaker to encourage discussion.
• When questions are asked, make every effort to get a microphone to the questioner - there will be microphones in each room.

At the End of the Presentations

When the last speaker's presentation and questions/answers have concluded, THANK the audience for attending, hand out any gifts and state that your session is now completed.

Thank you again for agreeing to chair a session.