Virtual Conference - FAQ

How do I participate?
First register for the conference. Conference content and events are only available to those signed in with a completed registration.
Secondly download the apps. The conference is using the GoToWebinar platform to host the video chat sessions. This is a simple to use, highly secure, professional grade platform which will optimise access allowing global participation.
You will need to have the GoToWebinar app installed on the machine you will be using to participate in the conference Q&A sessions. You do not need a license, all events will be using the conference's license. You can use the web client to view webinar sessions but this will not allow most of the meaningful participation that the app does, it will not be suitable for authors or conveners.
If you already use GoToMeeting you will already have the app installed.
Please install the app as soon as possible. It is free for you to use and download on this page:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install
We recommend you test your installation and audio settings here.

You will also need the Discord app to access the virtual exhibition, text chat rooms, mentor pod meeting rooms and theme text chat rooms. Details of how to download and install this can be found here.

How do I access the live sessions?
If you are an author or convener (and registered) we will add the links to the Q&A blocks you are involved in to the My Webinars list on your account. Sign in and via My Goldschmidt go to My Webinars. If you do not see these links under that heading please contact the helpdesk so we can ensure you get correctly set up before the event.
You can also enrol in the pre-week June 15th-June 21st for other blocks you want to attend. To enrol for other blocks, go to the program page, find the session that you are interested in, click on the am or pm session as appropriate and then you will see a button to click on to enrol for the webinar for that session. This is then included in 'My Webinars".
When the moment for the block arrives you can then click the Join Webinar link in your My Webinars list to take you into the Webinar. Please plan to attend the entire hour as we expect timings within the hour to be fluid.
Start and end times will be strict though.
If the webinar ends without warning before the timetabled finish click the join link again and wait, the tech team will restart the webinar.

What will happen during the conference?
Most of the meeting format will be very familiar to previous Goldschmidt delegates. Parallel sessions, Plenary talks and an Early Career program will feature. During the week of the conference there will be video Q&A or text Q&A for every session. We will run our exciting program of Plenary lectures with time for direct questions. Useful seminars for Early Career delegates will be spread through the week. The Theme 15 presentations and panel discussions should draw a good audience and hopefully some seminars & presentations from our conference sponsors will be available. You can visit the virtual booths of our wonderful exhibitors whose support has helped us keep down the registration rates (Discord tutorial here). All events help to further the aims of the conference to disseminate your science and develop your community.

What are you doing about timezones?
We are lengthening the conference day and running it at times that will enable participation within sociable hours, from as many locations as possible. There will be two blocks of sessions each day. We aim to ensure that most delegates will be able to find some content of interest live at the times they are online. Event and program times will appear to delegates in the time their computer's "local" time.
We expect delegates to dip in and out of the meeting rather than sitting through large blocks of sessions, maybe scheduling catch-up chats off-platform with other delegates they are keen to talk to.
All the discussion sessions will be recorded and available online for registrants for 30 days after the meeting so you can catch up on what you missed. Also remember that even if your session is in the middle of the night, at least you won’t have to deal with jet-lag or airplane food at either end of the conference.

How will my abstract be presented? How should I prepare my presentation? What formats and file size will I need to provide?
Please see the Information for Authors page for answers to these questions. You can view a guide to preparing a attractive presentations and preparing for the Q&A times here. Credit: Alice Williams.

What will the sessions look like?
Delegates may view uploaded presentations on the website beginning on 15 June. Session discussions will then take place from 22-26 June via online chats moderated by the session conveners.
A 1-hour time slot will be allocated to each session (more than one if the session is large) and authors will be invited to answer questions about their presentations. Other delegates can attend as audience. Questions can come from the audience (submitted to the technical support via text), from other authors, or from the conveners. The technical set-up will be managed by one of the conference's volunteer team. The session will be recorded and available online for 30 days.
We will provide a space for authors to give details of times they will be available, on the platform of their choosing, to answer further questions or continue discussions from the session.

How do I access the pre-recorded presentations?
Go to the program page and find the session of interest, you will see a list of abstracts, find the abstract you are interested in and click on the the small 'viewing' symbol to access the presentations. Please note that not all abstracts have pre-recorded presentations.

What does registration include?
Registants will have access to the content and the tools.

• You will be able to upload your presentation
• You will be able to view the presentations of other authors
• You will be able to use Ask the Author to send questions
• You will be able to view and join in the discussion sessions
• You will be able to join the Virtual Mentoring scheme
• You will be able to sign up for the Early Career development seminars
• Early Career delegates can sign up to the Meet the Plenary events
• You will be the first to see the Plenary and Medal talks and can ask questions live

Those wishing to present must register by June 3rd so they can access the upload instructions for their presentations. Instructions will be sent to all authors but only registrants will be able to access the tools.

Will there be a social program?
We are doing our very best to find some sort of social which might work in the virtual format, all sensible suggestions gratefully received.

How will Plenaries talks be given?
To ensure quality these talks will be recorded in advance and then streamed as part of a session followed by live Q&A. The Plenaries will be shown twice in the week allowing people from multiple locations the chance to put their questions to our speakers.

When are the deadlines?
A full timeline is in progress. The confirmed dates can be found here.

Will I have to download extra software?
No paid software will be required to access the conference content. You may have to sign up to certain services to access the sessions but these will be free at the point of use. Full instructions will be given.

What about the workshops?
Some of our workshops are moving to a virtual format and full details can be found on the Workshop page.