Machine Learning Workshop - session chairs

• An AV technician will provide a training session for all session chairs on 23 March at 14:00. Please create a Slido account before attending the session. It is free and simple to do: https://www.sli.do/
• Familiarise yourself with the speakers in your session and prepare a short introduction for each presentation. We recommend using the speaker name, affiliation and information from their biography, which you can access from the event microsite, to create your introduction.
• Familiarise yourself with the programme schedule for your specific session. We will advise which presentations are live vs pre-recorded.
• If you are new to Zoom, please read through the Zoom guidance below.
• Be available to the authors/speakers in your session and assist with questions as required. If the questions are out of your scope please forward the question to events@ecmwf.int.
• Create a Slido account, it’s free and simple to do: https://www.sli.do/

1. Use the Zoom link to join the session.
2. Log in early! Join Zoom during the break preceding the session you are chairing, or if the session is the first of the day, at least 15 minutes before the start. This will allow you time to meet the technician, greet speakers and it also allows us to deal with any last-minute technical issues and talk through how the session will run.
3. Ensure your video is switched on and your microphone is muted. We will ask you to unmute your microphone at the appropriate time.
4. Log in to the questions through Slido: https://accounts.sli.do/invitations-link#key=e93cdf7ac480f2780938cd5a7f92612c5c371ae6e5700d3b78eea60d0ca37840
1. Select ‘log in to your account’
2. Enter your email and password used to create your account ahead of time
3. Select ‘Audience Q&A’ in the top tab menu, this is where questions will appear

• The technician will provide a countdown to announce when the session is live. When the broadcast starts, introduce yourself, the session, and each presenter before their presentation.
• Encourage the virtual audience to submit questions.
• Keep track of time allotted for each presenter and feel free to interrupt if they are running over. Whilst at an in-person event, speakers may be able to stretch the timing; that is not the case at a virtual event. The virtual audience will be tuning in to see what they need as specified in the programme and will expect us to be on time. There is a timer in Zoom to help keep an eye on the time for speakers' presentations. We recommend 'pinning' the timer, to do this:
  1. Hover or click on the 'Timer' thumbnail
  2. Click the three dots in the top right of the thumbnail
  3. Click 'Pin'. This will turn on the pin and keep the 'Timer' thumbnail at the top of your gallery
  4. To remove the pin, click the three dots again and 'Remove pin'

  Depending on the number of people in the call, you may not see 'Timer' in your gallery. If this is the case, click the 'View' button (top right), then click 'Gallery view', then scroll through the thumbnails until you find 'Timer', then follow the instructions above.

• When each presentation is finished, open the Q&A. See below for information about moderating the questions.
• Be prepared to ask complementary questions if necessary.
• When you close the session, please remind the virtual audience what is coming up next in the programme.

If you have not used Zoom before

• Download “Zoom Client for Meetings”

Use a laptop or desktop PC (with webcam and microphone installed). If this is not possible, you can download the app on iPads and other tablets.

Best results are achieved with a wired headset microphone if you have one. Please do not use a Bluetooth/wireless headset.

Location, location, location!

You will appear in the live stream when you introduce a speaker and during the Q&A, so it is important that your camera set up is good. Find a suitable location, whether at home or in an office please consider the following:

• If you have a good quality wired headset mic then please use this.
• Don’t set up in front of a window as the light behind you will put you in silhouette.
• Find a quiet location.
• Use a wired internet connection if you can.
• If using WiFi then make sure you are as close as possible to your router.

Some co-ordinated branded backgrounds specific to this event are available. We encourage you to select one to use as a background during the session you are chairing to give a consistent branded theme to the event.

• How to use a virtual background.
• Virtual background - left
• Virtual background - right

• As viewers watch the live stream, they can ask questions via the Slido panel, next to the livestream player.
• You do not need to monitor the livestream during the session you are chairing. You will see and hear the presenter in the Zoom call.
• Access Slido using the links above, preferably using a different device to the one you are using for Zoom.
• Once you login, you will be brought to the moderator view of Slido.
• Select ‘Audience Q&A’ in the top tab menu and you will see questions appear on the right hand side.
• When  you hover over a question, you will see three button options appear
• Star question (can be used as a means of queuing questions to be asked)
• Highlight question (brings the question to the top of the list and highlights it for the audience. This can highlight to the audience which question is being asked at the time of discussion)
• Mark question answered (this will remove it from the list, clearing it for the following speaker)
• Please remember to clear the questions ahead of each presentation to avoid confusion for the following Q&A

What are the presentation formats?

• Speakers have three presentation options.

1. They can present their talk live by sharing their screen.
2. They can present live but have the AV technician share their slides. They will need to indicate when to move on to the next slide.
3. They can pre-record their talk but will still need to join Zoom to respond to questions at the end.

What if a presenter looks like they will take longer than the allotted time for their presentation?

• Politely interrupt the speaker and tell them how long they have left.
• Skip Q&A if need be and ask the virtual audience to post their questions on the speaker's page on the microsite.

What if there are no questions for the speaker?

• Feel free to ask any questions of your own. Or move on to the next speaker if that fits with the schedule.

What if the presenter is a no-show?

• Continue to the next speaker if they are ready. If the missing presenter arrives late, move them to the last time slot in the session.

Will the sessions be recorded?

• Yes and they will be published for on-demand viewing.

What to do if a speaker runs into a technical issue or loses their internet connection?

• Technical issues can be addressed and resolved by the AV technician. If the speaker loses internet connection, go to a break until it is time for the next speaker (to adhere to the schedule).

Technical issues or questions during the event?

For technical questions, please contact Glasgows on:

• Tel: 01772 767750
• Email: ecmwf@glasgows.co.uk

Any other questions?
Contact events@ecmwf.int