Ways to participate in the DPS-EPSC meeting as a Virtual Attendee:

If you are not yet registered for the meeting, please do so on the meeting registration page (scroll down to the section on “Virtual Participation Registration Fees”). Virtual registration is available and the same price up through Oct 6 (no additional fees for late registration as compared to regular registration).

1. Prepare your schedule via the meeting app

• New this year!  We will be using a new application called “Engagefully” that will fully integrate both a desktop and mobile app so when you make your personal schedule, that will transfer across both.
• The meeting app will be available on or around September 20. 

2. Present at or attend a talk session via Zoom and participate in the Q&A

• Zoom links to view sessions will be available in the meeting program.  If you are a presenter you will get a specific link to join your specific session as a panelist from the AAS staff in advance of the meeting.  
• Virtual presenters will share their own screen/presentation for their talk.  If you feel comfortable doing so, please have your camera on as well. 
• New this year!  We will be setting up several cameras in the physical session rooms, so the in-person speakers and the audience can be seen via Zoom.
•  New this year! For regular oral sessions, there will be a set of 4-5 talks (7 min for the talk, 1 min for transition) followed by a panel-style Q&A for all of the presenters in that set.
• New this year!  The Q&A panel for Zoom will be enabled, so people watching the talks can ask questions directly in Zoom by text.  (Slack will also still be available to ask questions if you prefer). 

Deadline to upload talks: All talk presentation files (for both in-person and virtual presenters) need to be uploaded to the meeting website by Friday, September 29.  Instructions for uploading talks and how to use Zoom will be forthcoming.  For virtual presenters, we will use this as a backup file in case you have issues showing your presentation. 
 
3. Present at or attend the dedicated virtual poster session via Gathertown

Date/Time: Thursday October 5 – 10:30 am-12:00 pm Central US time (5:30-7:00pm in Europe, CEST)

• This is a dedicated time for everyone to visit the virtual posters (there are no other sessions at this time).  All virtual presenters from all topical sessions are invited to present their posters during this time!
• Each poster presenter will have a dedicated spot in Gathertown and their poster will be uploaded to those spots by the VOC a few days before the conference (see submission deadline below!).  You will also be able to share your screen in Gathertown if you would like.

Deadline to upload virtual posters:  We are requesting all virtual poster presenters upload their poster pdfs to the meeting website by Wednesday, September 27.  This will give us time to get everything loaded in Gathertown.  Instructions for uploading posters to the meeting website and how to use Gathertown are forthcoming.
 
 4. Present at or attend a hybrid poster session via Gathertown

• In addition to the dedicated virtual-only poster session above, virtual poster presenters and attendees are also invited to join Gathertown during the time of the in-person poster session for your specific topical session (can check the meeting schedule for times).  (e.g., if your poster is about planetary rings, the poster highlight session for that topic is Monday from 1:30-3:00 pm US Central time)
• We will have some Gathertown stations setup in the physical poster hall at the meeting venue for people to join Gathertown during the topical poster sessions.   

5. Present at or attend a poster lighting talk session via Zoom

• For virtual presenters these will be the same logistics as for an oral session, where you will be sent a specific link for your session to login as a panelist.
• 1 min presentations on your poster, your poster pdf will be displayed on the screen at the lightning stage during your 1 min talk. 
• Must have already signed up for these when you submitted your abstract. 

6. Discuss science with any meeting attendee asynchronously via Slack

• Invitations to join the meeting Slack will be sent on or around September 20.
• New this year!  Links to the Slack channels associated with each session will be directly available from the meeting program. 

7. Participate in the virtual poster scavenger hunt

• Attention all virtual poster presenters! The VOC invites you to participate in this year’s Virtual Poster Scavenger Hunt. We are asking each of you to put something on your posters that DPS-EPSC attendees will have to search for, identify, and report to us. It could be your favorite fun fact, a silly science comic or meme, or whatever you think would be a fun thing for another attendee to find! You can add it anywhere on your poster, but don’t make it too hard to find. The goal here is to get more people to read your posters searching for a clue and have them learn about your research in the process.
• Once you’ve added your scavenger hunt item to your poster, please email a description of the clue and your poster’s title to Jessica Noviello ([email protected]) so that she can compile an answer key.
• Details about how to participate in the scavenger hunt are forthcoming.
• Three lucky winners who submit complete and correct scavenger hunt reports will win a $25 digital gift card to the vendor of their choice, courtesy of DPS. We hope you participate in the DPS-EPSC Virtual Poster Scavenger Hunt! 

8. Additional ways virtual posters will be advertised

• A 1 page print out of each virtual poster will be posted on a physical poster board in the poster room for in-person attendees to view.
• A large screen in the physical poster room will flip through virtual posters for viewing by the in-person attendees.
• If you are a student or recent graduate who signed up for the Outstanding Poster Contest (OPC), your poster will be evaluated by pre-selected judges, which increases attendance for your poster. 

9. Sign up for other hybrid events, programs, and workshops at the meeting (including professional development and social events):

• Workshops
• Professional Development Events (e.g., early career presenters review, mentor-matching program, student poster contest, workshop on mental health, women in planetary science discussion hour)
• Open Mic Night (will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook)
• DPS Virtual Classroom visits

 
Ways to engage with the virtual attendees if you are attending the meeting in person

1. Attend the dedicated virtual poster session via Gathertown on your own computer

Date/Time: Thursday October 5 – 10:30am - 12:00 pm Central US time (5:30-7:00pm in Europe, CEST)

• This is a dedicated time for all virtual poster presenters and for all attendees to visit the virtual posters (there are no other sessions at this time).  All virtual presenters from all topical sessions are invited to present their posters during this time!
• Instructions for how to use Gathertown are forthcoming. 

2. Attend a hybrid poster session via the Gathertown stations at the conference venue or on your own computer

• We will have some Gathertown stations setup in the physical poster hall at the meeting venue for people to join Gathertown during the topical poster sessions (also called poster highlight times). 
• You can also join via your own computer.  We are working with the venue to try to provide some tables in a quieter area for people to get on gathertown with their own computers. This will likely be in conference room 11 at the venue.
• Bringing a headset with you is recommended, but we will also try to provide some at the gathertown stations.

3. Watch virtual talks in a session room or via Zoom on your own computer

4. Attend a lighting poster talk session

• The Lightning Poster Talk sessions will be held on a small stage in the poster hall; check the schedule for the dedicated times
• Both virtual and in-person presenters will present and the session will be available to watch through Zoom, similar to the oral sessions
• 1 min presentations on your poster, your poster pdf will be displayed on the screen at the lightning stage during your 1 min talk. 
• Must have already signed up for these when you submitted your abstract.

5. Participate in the virtual poster scavenger hunt

• The VOC is organizing a virtual poster scavenger hunt for fun items in the virtual posters.
• Details about how to participate in the scavenger hunt are forthcoming.
• Three lucky winners who submit complete and correct scavenger hunt reports will win a $25 digital gift card to the vendor of their choice, courtesy of DPS. We hope you participate in the DPS-EPSC Virtual Poster Scavenger Hunt! 

6. Discuss science with any meeting attendee asynchronously via Slack

• Invitations to join the meeting Slack will be sent on or around September 20.
• New this year!  Links to the Slack channels associated with each session will be directly available from the meeting program. 

7. Check out the 1-page versions of virtual posters in the physical poster hall, or the running feed of virtual posters on one of the large screens also in the physical poster hall.