ASC 2020 – Virtual Meeting – FAQs
Version of August 3, 2020
Q. How do I get access to ASC 2020?
A. First, you will need to register. If you are a presenting author, a link will be emailed directing you to the registration page on or before August 21, 2020. More details are below. If you are an attendee, a link will be available on the ASC 2020 website and via a general registration announcement e-mail.
When you have successfully registered, an email will be generated with your personal login credentials. Your login credentials will create a profile on the platform, with private messaging, private video calls, and other features that should not be shared. You should take precautions to protect your login credentials.
You cannot upload your presentation until you have registered, so it is important to make plans to register at least a week before the conference starts if you are a presenter.
Q. When will the virtual conference be?
A. The conference will take place between October 24 and November 7, 2020. The 2-week format is intended to accommodate multiple time zones and limit online screen time.
Q. Will there be an exhibit?
A. Yes, please go to https://ascinc.org/asc2020/exhibition/exhibit-information/ for more details.
Q. What is the virtual conference platform?
A. ASC 2020’s virtual conference will be held on the Whova platform in conjunction with iPosterSessions. All attendees will access the conference via the Whova platform. Whova will host all oral and plenary presentations and will provide attendees with a way to communicate with other attendees via public and private chat features. The iPosterSessions platform will host all the poster presentations for the conference.
The exhibit and sponsor section of the Whova platform will be managed by the Conference organizers and will link to the iPosterSessions platform. The iPosterSessions platform will be the mechanism for hosting the virtual exhibit hall where exhibitors will build their virtual exhibit booth.
Instructions on how to build your iPoster will be made available at a later date.
Q. What time zone will the meeting be presented in?
A. The conference schedule is organized to reflect the international nature of this meeting by using time blocks of 0800 to 1100 Eastern Daylight Time (GMT – 0400) for Week 1 and 1500 to 1900 Eastern Standard Time (GMT – 0500) Week 2. Click here for the time zone conversions.
Q. That’s the middle of the night for me. How can I participate?
A. The majority of the scientific content of the meeting will be released for viewing by attendees “on demand” 2 or more days before a scheduled “live” discussion. Talks and posters will be pre-recorded and available 24/7 during the meeting dates. Each day there will be a three hour window when live session discussions will take place and it is hoped that all attendees will be able to participate in these.
Q. What is the registration cost?
A. $245 (early fee) per attendee . Registration includes access to the virtual meeting platforms, one presentation, and one manuscript submission. Registration also provides access to all sessions, breakouts and exhibits, special programs, a download of the special issue of IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, and entitles a vote in the ASC election.
The registration fee supports the costs for the virtual platforms, production of the special issue, costs associated with organizing the program, management of the conference, support for special programs, support for the exhibition, and administrative costs.
Q. What does the registration platform do with my information?
A. All attendees will be required to agree to certain Terms and Conditions and a Code of Conduct section which describe how personal information will be used.
Q. Will Short Courses be offered?
A. Yes. As before, ASC will offer short courses on the virtual meeting platform. Short courses will be offered over multiple days to accommodate instruction of long courses. A fee will be requested on the registration form to help cover costs for the instructors. Short Course descriptions will be made available soon.
Q. Do I have to download anything to use the Whova or iPosterSessions platform?
A. For the Whova and iPosterSession platforms you do not need to download anything. Closer to the conference, we will make available the Whova mobile mobile app which would need to be downloaded. Other software may be designated by the platforms directly.
Q. Will the platforms work on a tablet or phone?
A. Yes! Both platforms have arranged for the virtual platform-website to work on most newer (~6 years) Apple and Android mobile devices. Certain types of mobile devices, including BlackBerry and Windows phones, may not work. However, it is strongly recommended that authors use a computer to upload their oral presentation or build their iPoster.
Q. When will the virtual conference platforms be accessible?
A. We hope to be able to open the platform on August 21 in a preview mode. Full access will be granted by early September.
Q. I have an old computer. Will I be able to use the virtual platform?
A. The virtual platform is browser based. If your computer is able to efficiently download and view media content such as videos on a browser, then your system is likely to be sufficient to allow you to attend the meeting.
Q. Do I have to submit another abstract?
A. If you have an accepted abstract, NO. We are planning on an announcement calling for abstracts for late-breaking material. Also, see the next question below.
Q. How do I change or update my abstract?
A. Abstract corrections (i.e. changes of spelling or single words) can be managed by contacting Centennial Conferences. Abstract changes (i.e. involving title or content) must be reviewed and approved by the program committee. Contact Centennial Conferences and please be sure to indicate that you wish to make a change and not a correction in your message.
Do not withdraw your abstract and submit a new abstract if you want to make changes. Withdrawing an abstract will remove the abstract from the program.
Q. What happens if I have multiple presentations?
A. Authors with multiple presentations are being contacted by e-mail to identify co-authors who can be registered to give the presentation and publication. Instructions for identifying co-authors and handling of special circumstances will be described in the email to authors.
Q. When do I have to submit my presentation?
A. All presentations must be uploaded by October 15, 2020 to allow for screening checks. Oral presentations will submit a pre-recording of the full presentation as well as a Powerpoint or PDF slide deck. Further instructions about formatting will be provided by e-mail. Poster presentations will be built directly on the iPosterSessions platform. Instructions, demonstrations, and assistance will be provided.
Q. What will an oral session be like?
A. Oral sessions will focus on the discussion of pre-recorded content led by the session moderators. Authors will be asked to submit a slide deck in addition to the pre-recorded presentation to allow questions to be addressed. In addition, the first 2 slides will be requested to provide a synopsis of the presentation to allow the author to preview the on-demand material and allow the discussion to be introduced by the moderator.
The oral discussion will be recorded, and the full recording will be available for playback shortly after the completion of the oral session. Detailed presentation guidelines will be made available at a later date.
Q. What will a poster session be like?
A. Poster sessions will be operated on the iPosterSessions platform, which you can preview here. Poster galleries (a combination of poster sessions in one virtual hall, like the physical meeting) will include as many as 200 posters. Clicking on a poster will bring you to a detail where poster content can be viewed—and we are proud that the iPosterSessions platform allows for content like no other virtual poster format! Poster presenters can interact in person during the “live” period of time identified on the program, or any other time the presenter chooses to be available. Other methods of interaction include chat, messaging, and e-mail, all connected through the poster platform. Poster presentation guidelines will be made available at a later date.
Q. Will there be a special issue of IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity?
A. Yes. Each registration grants the opportunity to submit a manuscript about the corresponding presentation for consideration for publication in the ASC 2020 special issue. The expected publication date of the full special issue is August 2021, but many articles will be available for individual download as soon as February 2021 depending on the progress of peer review.
Each registration also entitles access to a download link for the full special issue when it is available. We are proud to again partner with the IEEE Council on Superconductivity to make this full issue collection available to all registered attendees.
Q. Will everything be on the platform after the conference ends?
A. Conference material will be available until December 31, 2020. Individual presenters may be given the opportunity to remove their talk/poster after the meeting is over, so some talks may only be accessed via the session recordings.
Q. Is there any way to meet with someone privately during the meeting?
A. Yes! You can meet up as a group and create private meetings using built-in functions with any other attendee or exhibitor.
Q. If the orals and posters are all pre-recorded, how do we ask a question?
A. Sessions listed on the agenda can be clicked on to reveal a list of all the pre-recorded talks and posters. You can listen to the talks and view the posters and leave chat questions for the authors any time once they have been made available. During the scheduled discussion times a live discussion will take place, led by the session moderators, who will also have access to the chat questions.
Q. What if I miss a chat session? Can I see a transcript?
A. Yes. All text chat conversations will be available on demand after the session to read and to continue the discussion if desired.
Q. Is there any other way to connect with a presenter?
A. You can leave both private and public chat messages. All communication content, tone, and text must comply with the conference code of conduct. Reported violations of the code of conduct will be reviewed and may result in expulsion from the meeting.
Q. How will someone find me?
A. When you register for the meeting, your name will be visible in the “Attendee” section. We encourage you to fill out your Profile once you access the Platform so that others know it is you, and can also find you based on your fields of study and interests.