Math Career Simulation Activity

 

Resource Book

for

Conference Organizers & Precedings Coordinators

 

Faculty will earn 50 scholarship points by organizing a conference.  Similar points will be earned by the precedings coordinator for each conference.  The full task description of the organizer and the precedings coordinator are described in the faculty handbook.

 

Conference Organizers

A conference organizer has 4 main tasks: (1) recruit a full slate of presenters, (2) type and print out a conference evaluation sheet (see below) to be given to Dr. Sinn at the beginning of class, (3) conduct the conference in a timely manner, and (4) to have the presentations be as powerful as possible.  The implication of task 4 is that organizers should solicit presentations from presenters that will earn the maximum quality points on the scoring rubric (see the faculty handbook for details).  For example, the presentations should not all be at Level 1.  The more higher level presentations, the better.  However, higher level presentations may require more time, so some less ambitious presentations are often appropriate.

 

A full slate of presenters for a minor conferences is 4 – 7.  A full slate of presenters for a major conference is 8 – 10.  Organizers should schedule at or near the maximum in case 1 or 2 speakers cancel at the last minute.  The length of the conference is the total number of presentations multiplied by 5 minutes.  A conference with 6 presentations, for example, would be allotted 30 minutes.  Conference organizers can schedule short talks (2 – 3 minutes) or long talks ( 8 – 10 minutes).  Expert organizers schedule presentations of different lengths skillfully so that the conference time is well utilized but does not run past the allotted time limit.  If a speaker does not complete his or her presentation before being asked to conclude by the organizer, only the speaker will presentation points.  The organizer’s job is ensure all speaker’s are given the agreed upon allotment of time and may have to curtail certain presentations.

 

The conference organizers will receive scholarship points in the service category according to the rubric shown at the bottom of this document.

 

Conference Precedings Coordinator

The precedings of a conference is a written record of the talks that were given.  The precedings coordinator is responsible for gathering abstracts and papers or outlines from presenters.  If the presentation was the on board, the presenter and precedings coordinator will work together to get the notes in some digital format, preferably a DOC, HTML or PDF file.  Once all the precedings documents have been procured and converted to digital format, the coordinator will email Dr. Sinn who will publish the precedings on the web page. 

 

The coordinator earns up to 50 points for his endeavors (multiplied by 2 for major conferences).  For each day that passes after the conference, four points are deducted.  For example, if the precedings are sent to Dr. Sinn on the third day after a minor conference, the precedings coordinator will earn 50 – ( 3 * 4 ) = 38 scholarship points.

 

 

Conference Organizer Service Points – 50 Points*

Task

Description

Points

Earned

Conference Runs Smoothly

Correct number of presentations.  Printed rubric sheet provided to Dr. Sinn at start of class

20 – 30

 

Timeliness

Organizer begins and ends conference on time and helps individual presenters conclude in a timely fashion

0 – 10

 

Ambition

Talks are from researchers completing the highest level research with the largest mathematical implications

5 – 10

 

*For major conferences, the points earned will multiplied by 2 for a maximum of 100.

Total Points