Speaker Information

Oral presentations are an integral part of the 2014 International Firefly Symposium program. Oral presenters selected from abstract submissions will be asked to prepare their presentation with the following information in mind. Should you have any questions about the following speaker instructions, please contact Jasmine Garcia at j.garcia@ufl.edu or 352-294-3584.

Speaker Timing

Besides the keynote address, speakers will each receive 25 minutes for their presentation. These 25 minutes include any time for question & answers as well as your moderator’s brief introduction of your talk. You may want to build in a few minutes at the end of your presentation for discussion or questions. 

Speaker Registration

All presenters must register for the conference and pay the applicable fee by June 13, 2014 in order to CONFIRM their participation as a presenter, and to have their abstract published in the symposium Program & Abstracts Book. If your talk will be given by a colleague, please inform Jasmine Garcia immediately so that your presentation may be confirmed.

Speaker Cancellation

In the event a situation should arise that would prevent you from honoring your commitment, we trust that speakers will alert us immediately. If possible, we ask that you use diligent efforts to help locate a qualified substitute, thereby preventing the program from being compromised.

Presentation, Equipment, Instructions & Preparation

Knowing the audiovisual set-up will prevent difficulties with your presentation and contribute significantly to the success of the symposium. PowerPoint is the recommended visual application. Following is the equipment that will be available, instructions to ensure the actual presentation goes smoothly, and some tips.

Equipment Available

• PC laptop with 2010 Microsoft PowerPoint Application
• Computer projector
• One wired podium microphone
• One wireless lapel microphone
• Wireless remote control to advance and reverse your slides
• Wireless Internet access
• Please note: A moderator will be present during each session to assist speakers with the microphone, and a volunteer will be assigned to operate audiovisual equipment.

PowerPoint Presentations

• Embed graphs or figures into the document as independent objects; do not dynamically link from other programs.
• Attempt to limit file size to 25 MB and less. Photos for slides can be compressed and saved in a lower resolution.
• Disable any automatic advance timers in your file.
• When saving your file, use the name of the person who is presenting, e.g. JohnDoe.ppt.
• If you will not be at the symposium the day before your presentation, you may email it in advance to Jasmine Garcia at j.garcia@ufl.edu. Note: All presenters must still check-in with conference staff or the audiovisual operator prior to their talk to confirm that their presentation is playing normally.

Submit your Presentation Prior to your Talk

• Be prepared to submit your presentation at conference registration on Monday, August 11^th, upon arrival to the symposium. The registration office will be open from 4:00-8:00pm.
• After Monday, you will need to submit your presentation to the audiovisual operator located at the audiovisual station in the general session meeting room (Century Ballroom A). To avoid program disruption, please submit your presentation to the AV operator before sessions begin, during breaks, or after sessions have concluded for the day.
• Important Note: You must submit your presentation at least one day before your talk.
• Your presentation will be set-up in advance to facilitate a smooth transition from one speaker to the next.
• Upon submission, staff will ensure your presentation loads and projects correctly, and familiarize you with the equipment.
• Presentation files will be accepted on flash drives. Label your device with your contact information as follows: first & last name, day & time of presentation
• We encourage you to use the laptop offered by the conference. Should you decide to use your own laptop, you will need to test your laptop 24 hours prior to your talk. To avoid disruptions to other speakers the day of your talk, your laptop will need to be set prior to your session beginning. Do not forget to bring your power cord, computer cable and, if using a Mac, an adapter. Label your laptop and touch base with the audiovisual operator to facilitate a smooth transition from one speaker to the next for your session.

Session Moderators

Each session will be facilitated by a moderator who is responsible for keeping speakers on time. Plan to arrive at the session 5 minutes prior to the published start time and introduce yourself to the moderator. They will review the speaker timing method with you. Be sure they know how to pronounce your name. It is best to sit in the front row for convenient access to the podium.

Color Shifts and your Presentation

Due to the different resolutions of laptops and projectors, color shifting can occur. Please be aware when creating the presentation that the colors may change some when projected. Also, please note that this conference will be using the 2010 version of Microsoft PowerPoint. Please review the following information on how presentations saved in an earlier version of PowerPoint may be affected.
Features that are lost when you open a presentation created in an earlier version than PowerPoint 2010
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/features-are-lost-when-you-open-a-presentation-created-in-an-earlier-version-of-powerpoint-HA010338389.aspx

Tips for Developing your PowerPoint Presentation

• To ensure your presentation is easily visible from any seat in the room, please use the following minimum font sizes:
• Title: Bold Typeface minimum 40 pt size
• Subtitles: Bold Typeface minimum 32 or 36 pt size
• Text and Figures: Bold Typeface minimum 24 or 28 pt size
• Note: San-Serif fonts such as Arial or Verdana are easier to read in a large room
• The 6x6 readability rule: no more than six words per line and six lines per “page” (i.e., Arial font size 40).
• Use upper and lower case letters rather than block: ALL CAPS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO READ.
• Lines that are used for emphasis should be bolder than background lines or borders.
• Use contrasting text and background colors (white or yellow text on blue or black background).
• Avoid using the color red as it tends to bleed into the background and is generally difficult to read.
• Paragraphs should be clearly separated using a blank line. Lists should be organized using figures, dashes or bullet points. Please keep in mind that graphics and charts must be read from a considerable distance.
• To ensure a safety zone for over-projection, leave a ¼-inch border, with no text or graphics, around your slide. Otherwise, logos close to the border of your slide may be cut off.
• For a quick readability check: Stand back ten feet from your 14” monitor. If you cannot read the text clearly, your point size is too small for projection.

Reviewing your Presentation Time

• Allow about 2 minutes at the beginning of your presentation time for introduction by the moderator.
• Allow about 3-5 minutes at the end of your presentation time for questions from audience members.
• Example: If your presentation time is 25 minutes on the agenda, plan for an actual presentation time of about 18-20 minutes.

Questions or Assistance
Jasmine Garcia
2014 International Firefly Symposium Coordinator
Tel: 352-294-3584
Email: j.garcia@ufl.edu