poster faq
We're aware that online posters can be disappointing for poster presenters; it can feel isolating and it's hard to reach out to delegates when you can't see them in person.
We have *prioritised* the needs of poster presenters when selecting the platform for the Festival, and are excited to share with you how presenting a poster at BNA2021 will be exciting, satisfying, and truly valuable experience!
Unsure online posters work? Watch the short video below!
Poster demo
Content of your poster page
Key features and functionality
Poster FAQs
Poster demo
Click to view this demo giving a 'sneak peek' of what posters will look like at the Festival. (*PLEASE NOTE* that the demo you will see (recorded 12.01.21) is still at a relatively early stage! - not all features are yet in place.) In this recording you will discover:
- What features will be available on posters
- How you can have live video discussion during poster sessions
- Options for videos, slides and/or pdfs to display
- Tools to help you reach out to delegates
- and more..
Poster presentation format, features and content
See the image for an idea of what poster presentations will look like at BNA2021. Please note this is an early version; we are still developing the platform so not all features are in place!
Content of your poster presentation page
- Pre recorded video or header image
- Logo (eg your university, company or lab group)
- Poster title and presenter names
- Poster number
- Smart-tags to help people filter to relevant posters
- Live video discussion during dedicated session time
- 1:1 video meeting requests from festival goers
- Live chat / message board, which will send email notifications to your inbox
- Ability for Festival-goers to ‘bookmark’ posters
- Information including the abstract and author details
- Website link eg to your university, company or lab group
- Social media eg LinkedIn and Twitter
- Documents to download: a PDF of your poster, plus slides, images or another preferred format
Key Features and functionality
Live, face to face interaction with festival goers: There are a number of ways you will be able to interact face to face with festival goers including the live video discussion during your poster session, when many people can join together, and arranging 1:1 meetings with indivuals.
Message board: Festival-goers will be able to contact you at any time or leave feedback via the message board, which will also be sent as an email notification direct to your inbox.
Different formats to best present your poster: Upload a pre-recorded video to inform viewers about your research plans or research findings. Include pdf, slides, images or other documents for people to download
Visibility: Attendees can access posters easily from the homepage. They will be prompted to visit during the dedicated poster session times. There will be push notifications and announcements during main sessions to ensure a good flow of virtual booth traffic
Use of AI to create meaningful connections: Based on pre-selected criteria during the registration process, plus sessions they attend during the Festival, attendees will receive relevant networking recommendations based on their interests and areas of expertise. This includes recommendations of poster presenters with whom they might want to connect.
Smart-tags: When setting up your poster page you will have the opportunity to select certain tags that apply to your research topic. These tags will help match your poster page with relevant viewers, and help direct people to come and visit.
Take people beyond your poster: direct people to a website, social media or LinkedIn profile - especially useful if you're looking for a position.
Analytics: You will be able to see the number of views your poster page has had, what people have downloaded, if they have viewed your video and more. You will also receive a full list of page visitors following the event (of people who have given permission for their names to be shared with you).
Full control to create a bespoke poster: You will have your own administrative access to your poster page (your 'poster centre') where you can update your profile, upload documents, add links, manage your meeting requests, and gather all new contacts to export as an excel file.
Assistance: The poster centre allows you to update your poster page yourself however we are also on hand to assist with any queries. We will also be holding a masterclass to talk through everything in more detail
Poster presenter FAQ
Here are questions that were addressed during this poster demo webinar on 12th January.
Q: Will the poster sessions be up against any other sessions?
No, the hour-long poster sessions do not complete with other sessions. See the Festival timetable here.
Q: How long will the live poster sessions be?
Each live poster session is an hour. In addition to the hour dedicated solely to posters each day, there is a further 80 minutes 'free time' scheduled each day so that delegates can visit posters, exhibibtion, chat rooms etc. See the Festival timetable here. Moreover, delegates can talk live to poster presenters at any time, within the Festival platform, by arranging for a 1-to-1 video meeting with the poster presenter at a time to suit.
Q: How many posters do you estimate to be in each session?
Around 150, although this depends on the number of abstracts submitted and percentage accepted.
Q: Will all posters be available throughout the duration of the meeting?
Yes, posters will be available throughout the whole Festival. In addition, we will open up the Festival platform to delegates 1-2 weeks in advance of BNA2021 so that they can plan their time and 'bookmark' posters to visit, and the platform will remain online to delegates for a further four months afterwards.
Q: Will it be possible to prerecord your poster presentation, or does it have to be in realtime within your poster session?
The short video on your poster presentation must be pre-recorded. (see video demo here) It isn't possible for this to be live: the way to speak live with people is via the video discussion.
Q: How long should the recorded video be?
Short! We recommend 1-2 minutes.
Q: Are the live video discussions optional or required?
They are required: the expectation is that you *must* be available for live video discussion during the hour-long poster session to which you are allocated, so that any Festival-goer knows they will be able to talk to you during this time. This is stipulated in the poster abstract submission guidelines.
If it is impossible for you to present your poster during this hour, for example you are in a timezone where this is during the night, or you have caring responsibities, then you must inform the BNA as soon as possible so we can make alternative arrangements.
Outside your allocated poster session, there is the option to arrange video discussion as you wish.
Q: Will it be possible, ahead of the actual event, to "practise" the navigation on Festival platform (e.g. edit/modify the presentation, or preview it as any other attendee?
Yes: poster presenters will be given ample time to prepare their poster presentation on the Festival online platorm. We will also provide guidance on how to prepare your poster, tips for making the best presentation and how to increase visitors, and at least one 'masterclass' for poster presenters to get information and ask any questions they have.
Q: Should we have a short presentation in slides, as well as a PDF version of a poster?
You can have both. You should include documents on your poster presentation for people to download. One of these should be a pdf for people to easily download and read, with the customary layout and content of a printed hard-copy poster. However, given many people will be viewing your poster on a computer screen, it may well be helpful to provide them with a short set of slides too (e.g. 4-5 slides). You can also include figures etc as separate images.
Q: What size do posters need to be?
Dimensions should be widescreen (6:9) for slides and videos, and A4 (portrait or landscape) for pdf/documents. The resolution/definition should be high enough for people to easily read the content and see graphs etc.
Q: What are the poster topics?
You have to choose one of 13 topics when you submit your poster abstract for review (listed here). If your poster could go in to more than one topic, then choose the one that fits best. The topics will be used to help Festival-goers to find posters in which they are interested.
Q: Do we need to have prepared a video for our page by 15th January (submission deadline)?
No. You only need to submit your abstract by the 15.01.2021 - see submssion guidelines here. The video is for your poster presentation, which doesn't need to be ready until nearer the time.
Q: Will the abstracts submitted be displayed?
Yes, your poster abstract will be displayed in text on your poster page.
Q: Will the live discussions be recorded?
No, we will not record the live poster discusssions. However, if you want to record these discussions, it may be possible to arrange this; please enquire if this is the case.
Q: Is there a limit on the number of people who can join the live video discussion?
No (effectively!). We have tried to recreate the opportunity for group discussion round a poster by making sure the live discussion options will allow more than one person to join the presenter via video conference. The maximum for this is likely to be ~100 people, which we don't think will be exceeded!
Will presenters know/see when somebody views a poster without the viewer leaving a comment in the chat?
Yes. You will have your own 'administrative access' to your poster page, where you will find stats on numbe of visitors and how they've interacted with your poster. Although you will not be able to see the names of individuals yourself, we (as organisers) are able to provide this information for you at the end of the event - so long as the individuals have given permission for their names to be shared - so you can reach out to them afterwards.
Q: Are preregistration posters eligible for poster prizes?
Yes. There will be separate categories for 'traditional' and 'preregistration' poster prizes, since they are too dissimilar to compare directly.
Q: Am I right in saying our abstract is due on the 15th, but our poster is not?
Correct
Q: If we have submitted a poster, when are we likely to hear whether it has been accepted for presentation?
We endeavour to inform everyone about the status of their poster abstract submission by the end of February 2021.
Q: Is it possible for one attendee to submit more than 1 abstract? (for example those of us between two roles)
Yes, you can submit as many abstracts as you wish. Just select the number you wish to submit when you register.
Q: Is the abstract submission deadline 5pm January 15th? Or end of day?
It is 23:59 GMT on January 15th (midnight). Don't miss it, submit now!
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The Festival of Neuroscience is run by BNA Events Ltd (Company number 07784689), a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Neuroscience Association (Company Number: 04307833, Registered Charity No: 1103852).