21st Biennial Conference on
Chemical Education
University Of North Texas, Denton, TX
1-5 August 2010
"A New Decade For Opportunity"
Abstract submission is from November 21, 2009
to February 12, 2010.
Duties and Responsibilities of an Organizer of a Symposium
As the organizer of a symposium, you are responsible for contacting at least 4-6 individuals who are planning to attend the 21st BCCE. If you are running a "by invitation only" symposium, you need to contact as many individuals as needed in order to have enough speakers for your symposium. After the "Call for Papers" is published and mailed to members of the Division of Chemical Education and the participants begin to register and submit abstracts on-line, you will have access (electronically) to the abstracts submitted to your symposium. You will need to send reminders to all of the speakers who agreed to present to be certain their abstracts are submitted by the deadline. You can identify individuals who have expertise in the area of your symposium topic through a number of venues:
- 1. Review who has published papers on your topic in the Journal of Chemical Education, Journal of College Science Teaching, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, etc
- 2. Review the abstracts of individuals who have presented papers on your topic at regional or national meetings of the American Chemical Society. Attend a regional or national ACS meeting and see who is presenting papers on your topic.
- 3. Ask someone in the ACS Division of Chemical Education for recommendations as to who is doing high quality work in the area of your symposium.
As the organizer of a symposium, you need to inform your speakers that the 21st BCCE committee will NOT pay their registration fee, travel, lodging, etc. Symposium organizers, presiders, and speakers do not receive any discounts at any BCCE. In return for your efforts, you will have our sincere appreciation and your personal satisfaction for advancing the state-of-the art of chemical education.
You must also inform the potential presenters of the restrictions on the number of papers they can personally present at a BCCE. The rules are posted on the 21st BCCE web site. Essentially, an individual may personally present a maximum total of two papers and or poster (Rule of Two). An individual can present 2 papers, or 2 posters, or one paper and one poster not exceeding the number three. However, an individual may be listed as the co-author on an un-limited number of papers or posters.
After the abstract deadline, you will know who has submitted abstracts to your symposium, and you need to decide on the order of the presentations. You should review each presenter's request for equipment and materials and check with the program committee to see if we are capable of meeting these requests. You serve as a middle person and negotiator. Next, you need to check your line-up with the 21st BCCE program co-chairs and receive permission to officially inform the presenters that their abstracts have been accepted. You will be informed of the day and time of the presentation sometime in April, 2010. As the 21st BCCE approaches, you should encourage your presenters to register for the meeting and for housing before the deadlines. Last, about a week before the 21st BCCE, e-mail your presenters and say you look forward to meeting them at the BCCE in Denton, Texas. For being the organizer of a symposium, your name will be published in the 21st BCCE program book as a small token of recognition for our appreciation to your work and dedication.
NOTE: The program co-chairs will keep you informed on a regular basis and the electronic system will help you to keep on track. Rest assured, it will be fairly easy to comply with these details.
Click to downlaod a PDF of Duties and Responsibilities of an Organizer of a Symposium
Symposia questions? Contact
Join the 21st BCCE listserv to obtain information and deadlines relating to the conference.
The 21st BCCE is sponsored by the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society.
Symposia questions? Contact
