Chairing a conference session at a scientific conference can be a daunting task, especially if it’s your first time! As we are approaching the 79th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, title: "Understanding the Inclusive Organization," taking place in Boston, Massachusetts, USA from 9th to 13th August 2019, we thought it might be useful to highlight or share “top tips” for chairing scientific sessions based on our own experiences.
I am sharing some key points for chairing scientific session at the conference:
1. Come prepared (i.e., Make sure you know how to introduce each speaker, Make sure you know how to introduce each presentation, and Think about what the talks in your session have in common)
2. Manage the time well (Bring a clock and remember to note when each talk starts, Inform the speakers and the audience , Be strict with the speaker, Be strict with the audience, and Be strict with yourself).
3. Make the speakers feel at ease (If possible, try to be in the room ten minutes earlier, Agree on a format for the session, Prepare emergency questions, and Remember to thank the speakers).
4. Put yourself into the shoes of the audience ( Formally welcome the audience, Introduce yourself, and Don’t let the audience drift away).
Please also share your views and experiences while chairing any past scientific sessions at the conference. Thank you.
Hussain - all good points that you have made. I would add - ensure that you have arranged a formal 'minute-taker'. Taking meeting minutes yourself would be an added distraction when you want to focus on ensuring that things run smoothly.
One more thing that I would add - is incorporate appropriate humour - where you can without forcing it. Usually, a few carefully prepared initial observations helps to 'break the ice'.
Be prepared to interrupt the speaker when he or she goes too long. Everyone is expecting you to do it so that the conference continues to go smoothly. If you don't do it, no one else will. Not following the schedule is unfair to the speakers who follow and to the audience.
Most of time I have seen that programs very rarely begins in time. Some people keep on delivering lectures without thinking whether others are liking or not.
Hussain - Chairing a scientific session is a challenging job but things can be made easy by following certain steps: 1) It is the responsibility of chair person to control the speakers and the audience so that don't let things overrun rule but instead make your speakers and audience know the rules. 2) Introduce yourself gently but authoritatively. 3) Distribute the time as per the number of speakers available and write down the actual staring time of the speakers and the end time. 4) It is a good practice to communicate how much time is left to the speaker. 5) Keep control of the question and answer sessions. 6) Listen to speakers attentively and write down the main points. 7) Present your comments at the end of every presentation or at the end of the session.
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