How to be "Present-able" at GHC2009

As we get down to the nitty gritty details, I have been asked to blog about what to do if you are a presenter. There are many presenters at GHC, well over 300 of you! You can imagine there are also many types of presenters: keynote speakers, invited technical speakers, panels, BoF's (Birds of a Feather) - so many of you! That is what makes this Conference so special - it's unique and it's all about you - you make it happen.

So, generally, here are some things you should think about:

1. Register! Yes, you need to register in order to attend! If you only want to attend for one-day, we have a special one-day rate for speakers. Email me and I will send the code to you although you should have received it by now. The Early Bird Rate expires on Wednesday, September 9th so don't delay any longer - DO IT NOW!

2. Childcare - If you are speaking, the last thing you want to worry about is childcare - so don't! Sign up for free childcare now and we'll take care of the rest. Registration for childcare also ends September 9th.

3. Your presentation - if you are on a panel or a doing your own presentation, please use our Speaker Template and check out our 7 tips to better presentations found on our Information for Presenters page of the GHC website. Be sure to include a slide that introduces the presenters - attendees always ask for this.

4. Meet with your panelists - practice, practice, practice. I would highly recommend you create an outline of your materials and decide who will talk about what pieces given the expertise of the people participating. Meet at least twice and make sure everyone understands their role. Leave plenty of time for questions at the end of your presentation. I know many of you are just now thinking about this - schedule those two meetings NOW. Don't wait until you arrive at Hopper.

5. When your presentations materials are done, post them on our Conference WIKI. This way attendees will be able to see what you are going to discuss before, during and after the Conference.

6. There is a lot of information specific to your presentation - posters, New Investigators, etc. Please visit the Information for Presenters page for all of these details.

7. Have fun! Be on time - both starting and stopping! There will be a Hopper (conference volunteer) available if you have any questions, just look for the red vest.

8. If you have any questions, email me or see us at the Information Table at the Conference.

Do you have a suggestion for presenters? Be sure to add your comments to this blog. I appreciate your words of wisdom!

See you in Tucson,
Deanna