Moderating a session

Thank you for taking on the role of moderator — it’s an important part of keeping the programme running smoothly. Here are some tips we hope you find useful. The main aim is to keep the session to time, while making sure the speaker feels supported and the audience has a chance to engage.

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Timing: Each slot is 30 minutes — 20 minutes for the paper, followed by 10 minutes for questions. Staying on schedule is crucial to the flow of the event.
Preparation: We recommend moderators arrive 15 minutes before the session to meet the speakers, check the schedule, and ensure everything is set.
Introduction: Begin with a short welcome and introduce the speaker by name, affiliation, and paper title.
Keeping time: Please keep a close eye on the clock. Give a clear signal at 5 minutes and again at 2 minutes remaining. Step in firmly but kindly if needed so the presentation ends on time.
Questions: Open the floor after the paper. If there’s a pause, ask a question yourself to get the discussion moving. Aim to keep the Q&A balanced so several people have the chance to participate.
Announcing breaks: At the end, thank the speaker and let everyone know what’s next — another paper, a break, lunch, or the close of the day.

Technical support

There will be a dedicated technical assistant in each session, as well as a backup laptop for presenters who cannot use their own presentation equipment. Presenters will have been advised to bring their presentations on a memory stick as backup, and to load these onto the laptop during the break before the session.

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