We are delighted to welcome you soon to Xishuangbanna, China, for ATBC 2026!
 

As we prepare for an exciting week of knowledge exchange and collaboration, we are pleased to share the following guidelines for moderating symposium, oral, and open-format sessions.
 

These recommendations are intended to help ensure that all sessions run smoothly and offer a meaningful experience for both presenters and attendees.
 

Symposium Sessions

Before Your Session

• Arrive early
  Please arrive at your session room at least 15 minutes before the start time.

• Review the program
  Double-check the session schedule, room number, assigned speakers, and presentation order.

• Know your speakers
  Please review the presentation titles, speaker names, and presentation order in advance. If you notice any issue or if any adjustment is needed, please inform us at conferences@tropicalbiology.org as soon as possible so that the program can be updated accordingly.

• Check presentations and technical setup
  Confirm that all presentations have been uploaded, are functional, and are in the correct order. Please coordinate with the technical team and volunteers regarding microphones, pointers, slide controls, and any other technical needs.

• Prepare for discussion
  Prepare a few relevant questions to help launch the general discussion segment at the end of the session, if time allows.

• Pointer and slide control
  Before the session begins, briefly show each speaker how to use the pointer and presentation controls to ensure smooth transitions between talks.

 

During the Symposium Session

• Opening

Begin the session at the scheduled time by welcoming participants, introducing the symposium title, and briefly presenting the speakers.

• Time Management

Each speaker has 15 minutes total, unless otherwise agreed by the symposium organizers:

· 12 minutes for the presentation

· 3 minutes for Q&A

To help keep sessions on schedule, three cue cards will be available in each room:

· A green card will be shown when 3 minutes remain

· A yellow card will be shown when 1 minute remains

· A red card will be shown indicating that the presentation time has ended.

• Volunteer Support

Two volunteers will be assigned to your symposium to support session logistics. They can assist with:

· Timekeeping, including showing time cue cards

· Passing the microphone during Q&A

· General coordination to ensure the session runs smoothly.

• Q&A Facilitation

Moderate the Q&A to ensure that questions are concise, on-topic, and that answers remain within the available time.

Repeat questions if needed for clarity, especially in larger rooms or for recordings.

• General Discussion (if time permits at the end of the session)

If time allows, use your prepared questions to open the floor.

Moderate the conversation to keep it focused, respectful, and inclusive.

Highlight key takeaways, areas of agreement, points of debate, or open questions from the discussion.

• Closing Remarks (if time permits at the end of the session)

· If time allows, you may offer a short summary of key points and conclusions.

· Where appropriate, suggest future research directions or important questions that remain.

· If applicable, announce details of Part B (a second session of the same symposia) or any upcoming related sessions.

​

After the Symposium

• Session Report Submission

Please complete a brief session report immediately after the symposium ends, or after Part B, if applicable.

​

• The report will ask you to:

· Check off the presentations that were actually delivered during the session. A list will be pre-filled.

· Provide a brief session summary, maximum 300 words.

This report will help us to issue participation certificates and prepare the overall conference report.

​

Oral Sessions

Before the Session

• Arrive early

Please arrive in the room at least 15 minutes before the session start time.

• Check presentations

Confirm with the technical staff that all presentations have been uploaded, are in the correct order, and are working properly.

• Review the program

Familiarize yourself with the list of speakers, their presentation titles, and the presentation order.

• Prepare questions

Have one or two backup questions ready for each talk and for the general discussion, in case there are no audience questions.

 

During the Session

• Volunteer support

Two volunteers will be assigned to your room. They will assist with:

a) Timekeeping using cue cards

b) Passing the microphone during Q&A

c) General coordination

d) One will be coordinating with the AV and computer or IT desk to ensure good communication and flow of slides loading.

• Start the session

Please begin the session at the scheduled time. Please give a brief welcome, and announce the title of the session. If the audience is too dispersed, kindly invite attendees to move forward and occupy the first rows to create a more engaging atmosphere.

• Introduce each speaker

Announce the speaker’s name and the title of their talk.

• Keep time

Each speaker is allocated 15 minutes total:

· 12 minutes for the presentation

·  3 minutes for questions and discussion

To help keep sessions on schedule, three cue cards will be available in each room:

· A green card will be shown when 3 minutes remain

· A yellow card will be shown when 1 minute remains

· A red card will be shown indicating that the presentation time has ended.

Session volunteers will assist in ensuring that all speakers adhere to the allotted time. Please coordinate with them before the start of the session.

• Manage Q&A

Keep questions focused and within time. Repeat questions when needed for clarity.

• Stay on schedule

Ensure that the session finishes on time.

• If time remains at the end of the session

If there is still time available after the scheduled presentations, we recommend continuing the discussion. You may:

a) Pose open-ended or thought-provoking questions to the audience related to the session’s overall theme; and/or

b) Invite additional questions for the speakers.

If the discussion has been exhausted, it is acceptable to conclude the session before the scheduled end time.

 

After the Session

• Cue cards

Please leave the cue cards with the room technician at the end of the session.

• Session report

Please complete the short session report immediately after the session ends. The report should include:

· Presentations that were actually delivered

· A brief session summary, maximum 300 words

This report helps us prepare the official conference documentation, and issue certificates for presentations marked as delivered.  

​

​

Open-format Sessions

Before the Session

• Arrive early

Please arrive in the room at least 15 minutes before the session start time.

• Coordinate with volunteers

Two volunteers will be assigned to your session. Please introduce yourself and coordinate with them before the session begins.

• Check presentation files

Coordinate with the technical staff to confirm that any participant presentations, if applicable, are correctly placed in the session folder and organized in the right order.

• Review session content and roles

Ensure that all panelists, co-moderators, and/or other participants are present, understand the session’s structure, and are clear about their roles and timing.

• Collect presentation files

If there are presentations from participants who did not submit an abstract to the conference, please collect these files in advance and provide them to the room technician on a USB drive before the session begins. Coordinate with the technical staff to confirm that any participant presentations, if applicable, are correctly placed in the session folder and organized in the right order.

​

During the Session

• Start the session

Welcome attendees warmly and provide a brief introduction to the session topic, format, and objectives. Clearly describe the structure of the session, for example, roundtable, panel, interactive workshop, or discussion format, and encourage active and respectful engagement throughout. If the audience is too dispersed, kindly invite attendees to move forward and occupy the first rows to create a more engaging atmosphere.

• Facilitation and time management

Guide the session according to your proposed structure and timing. Please coordinate with volunteers to support:

· Timekeeping

· Microphone handling

· General coordination

• Summary and closure

Conclude with a concise summary of the key takeaways, areas of consensus or debate, and any open questions or future directions. If applicable, invite participants to stay engaged through mailing lists, collaborative outputs, or follow-up activities during the conference.

 

After the Session

• Session report

Please complete the short session report immediately after the session ends. The report should include:

· A brief session summary, maximum 300 words, highlighting key discussion points or outcomes

· A list of presenters or participants (and their emails) who should receive a certificate of participation

This report helps us prepare the official conference documentation and issue certificates.

​​