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SDM21 Participant Guide

We are looking forward to your participation at the SIAM International Conference on Data Mining (SDM21). We have prepared this guide to explain how the different presentation formats will operate. 

Please click here for a walkthrough of SIAM’s 2021 virtual conference platform from the point of view of an attendee.

Follow the links below to learn more:


Instructions for Doctoral Forum Poster Presenters

Preparing and Uploading Your Poster: Deadline is Wednesday, April 21

Please read and follow all instructions carefully and confirm your poster information is in final form before clicking “Send” in Step 5. Once you submit your poster, you will *not* have an opportunity to edit it.

  1. Assemble your one-page poster, ideally in PDF format. Other formats, such as PPT or PPTX, will not display in the platform and will instead download and launch the browser’s default app. The orientation can be either portrait or landscape. Although there is no maximum file size, recognize that attendees viewing the poster will need to be able to efficiently load your content. To produce a thumbnail image of your poster for Step 4 below, you can use this tool by Adobe to convert your PDF file to JPG format. PowerPoint can save a PPT or PPTX file in JPG format. If you have a paper in PDF format that accompanies your poster, you will have the option of uploading that to your poster as well in Steps 4d and e below.

  2. Optional: Prepare a video walkthrough. If you wish to upload a video, complete both step 2 and step 3. If you prefer not to upload a video walkthrough, skip to step 4. Your video can be prepared using your favorite video capture tool (e.g., Zoom, OBS Studio, Kazam, Screenshot/Quicktime) or using the video capture tool provided by vFairs. You must record your video in MP4 format. We encourage you to start this as soon as you have your poster prepared. Please be sure to state your name and poster title in the video.

  3. Optional: Upload your video to vFairs. Point your browser to https://www.vfairs.com/upload and enter the information requested using the following format (do not include the “<” and “>” symbols – they simply denote information that varies by poster presenter):
    a. Virtual Event Name or URL: SDM21
    b. Webinar Title: < Title of your poster>
    c. Your Name: <YourFirstName YourLastName>
    d. Your Email Address: [email protected]

    Please be sure to enter [email protected] and not your own email address in the designated spot. Your own email address will be entered in Step 4 below.

  4. Drag and drop your MP4 video file in the dashed box or use the browse button to locate it among your files.  Click Send. A URL will appear next to “Video URL:”. 

  5.  Build your e-poster. Point your browser to https://siamsdm21.vfairs.com/backend/index.php/job/poster-upload. The Virtual Event Name or URL will already be completed for you. Enter the information requested as follows (do not include the “<” and “>” symbols – they simply denote information that varies by poster presenter):
    a. Poster Title: <Your First Name, YourLast Name> - <Title of your poster>
    b. Your Name: <YourFirstName YourLastName>
    c. Your Email Address: <YourEmailAddress>
    d. Handout Title: If you have a paper in PDF format that accompanies your poster, enter its title here. If not, enter N/A (for not applicable). You will not be able to submit your poster with this field empty.
    e. Handout Link: If you have a paper in PDF format that accompanies your poster, use the “Browse…” button to upload it here. Although the “All Supported Types” filter in the bottom right mentions many different formats, only a PDF file should be included as a handout.
    f. Poster Thumbnail: Use the top “Browse…” button to upload the image file of your poster produced in Step 1 above. Note that if you do not do this, your e-poster will not display on the platform without being clicked.
    g. Poster Url: This is to upload the poster itself. Use the bottom “Browse…” button to upload the PDF (or PPT/PPTX) file of your poster. If you are uploading a PPT/PPTX file, toggle the filter in the bottom right of the upload window to “All Files (*.*)” to find your file.
    h. Collateral Video URL: If you opted to record a video in Step 2, copy and paste the URL returned to you in Step 3 above to link your video to the poster. If you did not record a video, leave this spot blank.
    i. Keywords: Please enter your name and some optional comma-separated keywords here to be used in a keyword search.

  6. Click Send to submit your poster. You will receive a confirmation message with a link to your uploaded poster document (PDF, PPT, or PPTX).  

The firm deadline for you to prepare your poster, record your video, and build your e-poster using the steps above is Wednesday, April 21 at 23:59 AoE.

Please note if you do not upload a thumbnail image in Step 4f above, your e-poster will display a blank image.

Presenting Your Doctoral Forum Poster

The Doctoral Forum Poster Session is scheduled for Saturday, May 1 at 3:30 PM Eastern Time. At that time, you will be expected to have your poster open to respond to questions posted in the Q&A window attached to your poster. At the top of your poster’s Q&A wall, you will see an individualized link to a group video meeting room that you can use to discuss your poster with attendees. We recommend you keep the video meeting room open for the duration of the poster session to greet attendees as they enter. As viewers post messages on your Q&A wall, you may find it convenient to periodically copy and paste the video meeting room URL to have it appear on the wall without having to scroll.

There will also be a poster session chatroom in the conference platform chat feature accessible via the navigation bar at the top of the platform window. The poster session chatroom is to facilitate discussions, via text and group video, among the poster presenters and attendees.


Invited Plenary (IP) Sessions

Session Chairs and Speakers

Invited prize and plenary talks will be run using Zoom’s webinar format. Session chairs and speakers will be sent Zoom links by email in advance of each talk. If by the morning of your session you have not yet received the link, please let vFairs/SIAM staff know using the tech support chat room within the platform and they will provide you with the appropriate link.

Session chairs and organizers are required to join, via the link they will already have received by email, 15 minutes prior to the posted start time of the session. Please introduce yourself as a chair or speaker to the vFairs staff in the Zoom, and that person will assist you with testing audio, video, and screen share capabilities. Session chairs are responsible for ensuring that speakers stay within their allotted time.

The session will be recorded and made available for viewing on demand by registrants through the virtual conference platform.


Contributed (CP) Sessions 

Session Chairs and Speakers 

Contributed Sessions will take place during their scheduled times in a live and interactive format (using Zoom’s meeting format). Session chairs have communicated with speakers in each session to collect recordings and will play a twelve (12) minute pre-recorded presentation for each speaker. The recording will be followed by a live five (5) minute time slot for Q&A. A live discussion period will conclude the session, during which all speakers should be present to participate.

Each session chair is responsible for making sure that the time allotted for each presentation and Q&A is seventeen (17) minutes. Please do not deviate from the schedule, even if a speaker finishes early. It is imperative that session chairs strictly adhere to the time limits to avoid conflicts with other sessions happening in parallel. Session chairs should be prepared to moderate the Q&A period for each speaker.

Session chairs and speakers are required to enter their Zoom sessions 15 minutes in advance of the posted start time of the session to get set up. You will not be sent links to the Zoom by email; you will simply enter the session by clicking the “join” button from the program within the platform, and identify yourself to vFairs staff as a session chair or speaker. The vFairs staff person will assist you with testing audio, video, and screen share capabilities. If an issue arises during the session, and a vFairs support staff person is no longer in the room, please report it in the technical support chat room.


Workshops (WS), Tutorials (MT) and Panels (PD)

Workshop & Tutorial Organizers, Workshop & Tutorial Speakers, Panel Session Chairs & Panelists

Workshops, Tutorials, and Panels will be run using Zoom’s meeting format. Workshop organizers, workshop speakers, tutorial organizers, tutorial speakers, panel session chairs and panelists are required to enter their Zoom sessions 15 minutes in advance of the posted start time of the session to get set up. You will not be sent links to the Zoom by email; you will simply enter the session by clicking the “join” button from the program within the platform and identify yourself to vFairs staff as an organizer or speaker. The vFairs staff person will assist you with testing audio, video, and screen share capabilities. Workshop organizers, tutorial organizers, and panel session chairs are responsible for adhering to the posted schedule. It is imperative sessions conclude at the scheduled end time.

Determining a protocol for when and how questions are received and answered is the responsibility of the organizer and session chairs.

Training Sessions

SIAM ran two training sessions on Friday, April 23. The recordings have been posted below.
  1. Zoom webinar tutorial for chairs and speakers involved in invited plenary (IP) talks:
    Friday, April 23, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time

    Click here to view recording.

  2. Zoom meeting tutorial for chairs, organizers, speakers, and panelists involved in contributed (CP) sessions, tutorials (MT), panels (PD), and workshops (WS): Friday, April 23, 12 – 1 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time

    Click here to view recording.
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