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Roles and responsibilities

This is a list of roles and associated responsibilities for a large conference during the conference week. This list is written for a large conference (e.g. IPAC); smaller conferences may not need all these roles, and/or one person may be able to serve in many roles.

  • Editor-in-Chief (LOC, also member of the JACoW Team)
    • Is responsible for the production of the Conference Proceedings
    • Organises the Proceedings Office Team (people, room, logistics)
    • Defines the editing baseline and decides on borderline cases
    • Completes the editing after the conference, creates the proceedings and delivers them to the JACoW Proceedings Webmaster
  • Paper Editors (JACoW and some LOC members)
    • Process papers, including checking references
    • Resolve paper format/template issues with authors
    • Work with Editor-in-Chief to ensure consistency for proceedings
  • Presentations Manager (and team; usually JACoW)
    • Organises and runs speaker ready room
    • Ensures presentations run smoothly
    • Coordinate chairs and student secretaries in oral sessions
    • Process transparencies to PDFs for proceedings
    • Embed videos into PDF when necessary
    • Resolve transparency/talk issues for publication with authors
  • IT Manager (and team; LOC, JACoW can help with IT experts)
    • Ensures IT setup for conference, including Proceedings Office, registration, wireless setup for delegates, and Internet cafe
    • Monitors network traffic
    • Addresses/coordinates any required IT response
  • Author Reception and Title/Authors Check (JACoW and possibly LOC member)
    • Provide "first line of defence" between authors and editors
    • Answer questions from authors regarding paper processing
    • Check Titles and Author lists on papers vs Indico for proceedings
    • Serve as Paper Editors when available
  • Presentation A/V Manager (LOC and subcontractor)
    • Ensures A/V equipment running smoothly in presentation rooms
    • Ensures speaker introductions delivered to session chairs from Scientific Secretariat
    • Manage A/V company representatives if A/V company subcontracted
    • Often a role of, e.g., one of the LOC Chairs
  • Poster Police (LOC members and/or student grant recipients)
    • Check author presence and poster quality at poster sessions
    • Enter poster police data into mobile app
    • Take photos of non compliant boards for records
    • JACoW can provide training but usually students or LOC members
  • Oral Session Assistants (student grant recipients)
    • Provide assistance with speaker microphone placement on stage
    • Run microphones during questions
    • Change between individual talks during scientific sessions
    • Other activities as requested by A/V manager and session chair
    • Usually serving in this role is a base requirement for all student grant recipients
  • Student Session Manager (LOC member)
    • Ensure coordination of student poster session information with students
    • Deliver student grants
    • Organise student assignments during week
    • Communicate clear schedules and expectations to students
    • Organise student poster judging session and volunteers
    • Organise email to student poster winners, plaques or certificates
  • Poster Session Manager (and team; LOC members
    • Ensure proper setup of poster area (boards, board layouts, prominent board numbering)
    • Ensures prominent signage to direct authors and delegates to individual poster board areas
    • Directs poster authors to correct poster areas (particularly student posters on Sunday)
    • Ensures poster posting materials are available before every poster session
    • Coordinates disposal of abandoned posters, poster area cleanup
  • Industrial Exhibition Manager (LOC member)
    • Ensure proper setup of industrial exhibition area (booths, power, drapery, carpeting, etc)
    • Interact with exhibitors and address their needs
    • Ensure proper setup of additional exhibitor areas (e.g. professional societies, journal tables, etc)
  • Registration (LOC members or subcontractor/venue staff)
    • Greet and register delegates
    • Collect registration fees, where appropriate
    • Disburse registration materials, e.g. bags
  • Treasurer (LOC member)
    • Manages conference expenditures and incomes
    • Make decisions regarding funding adjustments (e.g. food services)
  • Food Services Coordinator (LOC, subcontractor or venue staff)
    • Coordinate food service for editorial team
    • Coordinate food service for satellite meetings
    • Coordinate lunchtime food service
    • Coordinate food service for special events
  • Social Program Manager (LOC and/or subcontractor)
    • Coordinate social programmes for delegates and guests
    • May also be a social media coordinator
  • Conference Photographer (subcontractor or LOC)
    • Photographs conference events
    • Photographs conference speakers
    • Delivers relevant photographs to social media coordinator for use in real-time postings