|
The 2009 Ruhlman Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, from
9:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Presentations will be held in Pendleton Hall, Jewett Art Center, Collins Cinema, Science Center, Clapp Library, and Schneider Theatre: Black Box. The conference
schedule includes five 70-minute blocks, separated by 20 minute breaks
and a
longer break from
12:10
-
1:30.
Please check to see when you are scheduled to present by viewing the
Detailed Schedule
of Events
link in this website.
Approximately one week before the conference, copies of the conference program (the schedule and abstracts for all presentations) will be delivered to the campus center and will be available near the mailboxes.
General information: It is imperative that all conference
sessions begin and end on time. Students participating in the second and
all subsequent time periods will have only a few minutes to prepare for
their sessions; the time pressures will be even greater for those students
using technology in their presentations. To facilitate a smooth transition
between sessions, we ask you to do the following:
- Contact all of the other presenters in your session and meet to choose
a presider from among the participants in the session. The presider’s
responsibilities are to introduce each of the speakers, to make sure
speakers do not use more than their allotted time, and to solicit questions
from the audience. When it is the presider’s turn to speak, make
sure that another participant is prepared to introduce her, to let her
know if her time has run out, and to solicit questions. It is perfectly
okay to ask each presenter – in advance of the conference –
to give the presider a question or two that might prompt discussion.
That way, if no one in the audience seems to want to ask the first question,
the presider can get the discussion going. When you meet collectively,
you should also discuss various elements of the session, such as the
theme of your papers and how they may relate to one another as well
as the proper pronunciation of names.
- Begin on time, and do not exceed the 70 minutes allowed for your
session. The presider plays a very important role in keeping everyone
on schedule.
- Make sure that your presentation is an appropriate length. If you
are in a panel or paper session of four students, you should not speak
for longer than 15 minutes; participants in panels or paper sessions
of two or three can give 20-minute presentations. There is much to hear,
to see, and to experience at the conference, so do not be surprised
-- or offended -- if someone leaves your session early (to visit another)
or arrives late (because they have been in another session). Because
visitors may be moving from session to session in order to catch particular
talks, it is very important for speakers to present their talks in the
order given in the program and to use only 15 or 20 minutes for their
presentations.
- Leave the room at the appropriate time. We hope that all sessions
will include a discussion period during which students will answer questions
from the audience, but if these discussions are still going on when
the session is to end, please move them into the hallway. Panelists
in the next session will be anxious to get set up.
Conferences -- at least good ones -- are hectic, noisy, stimulating,
interesting, and enjoyable events that run more or less on schedule.
We
believe that the 2009 Ruhlman Conference will be no different. Having
worked closely with your materials over the past month, I regret that
the best anyone can do is to sample a few of the many engaging presentations
in this conference
Public Speaking Workshop: A special workshop
for Ruhlman presenters is scheduled.
When: Sunday, April 26 at 7:00 pm
Where: PLTC Large Conference Room Public Speaking Tutors from
the Pforzheimer Learning and Teaching Center are available by appointment for consultation
for students giving talks at the Ruhlman Conference. The tutors can help
you focus on ways to organize your presentation, strategies for clear
and effective speaking, strategies for reducing anxiety about public
speaking, and additional resources for practicing your presentation. You can schedule an individual appointment by going to the Pforzheimer web page at http://www.wellesley.edu/PLTC/.
We strongly encourage you to work closely with your advisors in preparing
your talks. It is a good idea to do several practice runs of your talk
prior to the conference. At least one practice session should be conducted
in the presence of your advisor, so that s/he can provide you with useful
feedback.
For additional assistance with preparing your presentation, please consult
the following pages in this website:
For tips on making good visual presentations, see Tips
for Visual Presentations.
For tips on making good oral presentations, see Tips
for Oral Presentations.
For tips on making good poster displays, see Tips
on Poster Design.
Poster Presentations: Poster sessions will be held
in the Science Center. Each presenter will have a 4’ x 4’ space
in which to display her work. Poster materials must be mounted between
1 PM and midnight
on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.
Posters from students whose faculty advisors work in the Science Center
should
remain
in place
until
notified
by the
Science Center Office. Other students should take down their posters
at the end of the conference day. Each student is responsible for removing her own
poster. As always, it is important to consult with your advisor about
the design and presentation of your poster.
If you have additional questions about the conference, please contact
us at ruhlman@wellesley.edu.
We look forward to seeing you and your friends on April 29, 2009.
|
