GUIDELINES FOR CHAIRS AND VICE-CHAIRS OF PARALLEL SESSIONS

Before the session: at any time

• Check with speakers that they are present!
• Presenters should download their presentations the day before into the common data base at the conference secretariat into the folder of the marked session and day
• The chair and the vice-chair (as rapporteur) should meet in order to harmonize their role during the session and to decide on the output of the session.

The day of the session

• Check sometime before that room is set out properly.
• Around fifteen minutes before the meeting is due to begin check the projection facilities are set up and working.
• Familiarise yourself with the controls so that you can help out presenter if they get confused with it through nervousness.
• Check room lighting and how to change it.
• Check that the speaker has loaded the talk and does know how to use the controls.
• Remind the speaker that they should talk maximum of 10 minutes. Tell them how you will signal to them at 3 mins to the end that they need to begin to wind up and tell them that at 9 mins you will actually stand up to indicate that they should find a way of moving straight to their acknowledgement slide.

The presenters should be in the meeting room at least 15 minutes before the start to ensure its proper presentation on the screen.

Start of the session

• Ensure the session starts on time.
• Start by asking people to turn off their mobile phones and any other general announcement.
• At the start of each session the chair briefly presents the theme of the session, the duration of each presentation and the time allocated for
  discussion/questions/responses. Then before each presentation, the chair introduces the speaker, her/his institution affiliation and the title of the presentation.
• Stay aware for problems e.g. the speaker having problems with AV, the lighting not being right, the speaker not speaking loudly enough (signal to them and if necessary actually interrupt and ask them to raise their voice).
• Think of and write down at least one sensible question in case you have to start the questioning.
• Don’t allow speakers to take more time, if they show no sign of wrapping up be prepared to step in and say “I am going to have to ask you to wind up now so that people have chance to ask a few questions).

Questions
After each presentation or group of presentations, the chair or the vice chair opens the floor for discussion. The chairs should remind the audience to let the questions be brief and clear and the speaker’s response should be as concise as possible. If there is a need for more
exchange, the chair should recommend to both discussants to meet after the session.

• Take control of the question session ie you identify the questioners, not the speaker
  
• Make it obvious that you are continually scanning the audience and if people have hand up (and especially if they are looking anxious, twitching and on the edge of their seat) indicate by nodding that you have seen them.
• When there are lots of questions say that you will take questions from w, x, y and then z…so as to indicate that you are on top of it and have seen who is lined up.
• If there are no questions to start with have one prepared, preferably one that needs a reasonably considered answer, not just a “yes” or “no”.
• Let the session flow smoothly but if necessary be prepared to step in, for instance if an question or answer is taking too long, or if someone’s getting unduly heated, by saying something like “ well I think we can probably continue to discuss that one later”.
• Keep an eye on the time. When time is up wrap it up by thanking the speaker again.

The vice chair should write out or summarise the questions and responses in order to document the session for the conference report.

End of the session
The chair gives a brief and clear summary of the main points of discussion and thanks the audience for the participation.

The minutes of the session should be given to the conference organizers at the close of that session or at the most on the same day indicating the theme, the session number, chair/vice chair.

GUIDELINES FOR CHAIRS OF CONTROVERSY SESSIONS

Before the session: at any time

• Check with presenters that they are present!
• Presenters should download their presentations the day before their session into the common data base at the conference secretariat, into the folder of the marked session and day
• The chair should meet with the two presenters in order to ensure good coordination of the session; they are all advised to familiarize themselves with the amphitheatre venue as early as possible

The day of the session

• Check in advance that the amphitheatre is set out properly and that the projection facilities are set up and working
• Familiarise yourself with any audiovisual controls so that you can help out presenters if necessary
• Check room lighting and how to change it if necessary
• Check that both presenters have loaded their talks and that they are familiar with any audiovisual equipment controls that they may need to use
• Remind the presenters that they should talk for a maximum of 20 minutes. Tell them how you will signal to them at 5 mins before the end that they need to begin to wind up

The presenters should be in the amphitheatre with the chair at least 15 minutes before the start to ensure all is in order for their presentations.

Start of the session

• Ensure the session starts on time
• Start by asking people to turn off their mobile phones
• The chairs can briefly (!) present the theme of the Controversy session and introduce the presenters
• The second presentation will follow on immediately from the first i.e. there will be no discussion in between
• Don’t allow presenters to exaggerate with their time, if they show no sign of wrapping up they should be aware that the chair will react forcefully!

Questions/discussion
After the second presentation, the chair opens the floor for discussion. Hopefully the audience will be sufficiently motivated both by the topics and the presentations for there to be no need for chairs/presenters to initiate discussions. However the chairs can, at their own discretion, choose to open the debate with questions of their own, as they will doubtless have their own views to express. Ultimately the chairs can decide, in consultation with presenters, how to conduct their session.

Controversies

Monday 02/11 Title: 'Presumptivie treatment for malaria: time for a change?'

Chair:	Bernhards Ogutu
Speakers:	Ambrose Talisuna Mike English

      
 

Tuesday 03-11 title: ‘Attenuated parasite vaccines: when and how?’

Chair:	Patrick Duffy
Speakers:	Stephen Hoffman Egeruan Babatunde Imoukhouede

 

Wednesday 04-11 title: ‘Malaria eradication/elimination’

Chair:	Chris Plowe
Speakers:	Marcel Tanner TBA

 

Thursday 05-11 title: ‘Whither African malaria research in the 21st century?’

Chair:	Wen Kilama
Speakers:	Rose Leke Louis Miller