Instructions for Main Scientific Organizers (MSOs)

Main Scientific Organizers are responsible, as outlined below, for the preparation and conduct of their Assembly events and for respecting all deadlines. A complete list of deadlines is available under "Deadlines & Milestones" , and we encourage MSOs to familiarize themselves with these dates as well as the detailed instructions below.

All MSO actions can be completed over the web or by e-mail, from anywhere in the world, twenty-four hours a day, but only at appropriate periods in the organizing process. MSOs will be sent reminders and notification of the opening of the web site for each major action. However, in case notification messages are lost, please inscribe now the following deadlines in your calendar or agenda. It is very important for publication schedules and the work of the scientific Program and Local Organizing Committees that relevant actions be completed on time.

• 6 May 2005: last day to return sponsorship suggestions to the COSPAR Secretariat
• 27 May 2005: last day to upload Assembly event descriptions (200 words maximum) for Call for Papers
• 24 February 2006: last day to return financial support applicant ranking
• 13 March 2006: last day to revise event overviews for review by Program Committee
• 14 April 2006: last day to finalize event for Program Book
  

Overview

A. General
B. COSIS Tools (overview of how to find and organize your Assembly event on the web)

Detailed Instructions

C. Preparation of the Call for Papers
D. Advertising the event program
E. Ranking of financial support applicants
F. Organizing the event program
G. Finalizing the event program
H. Daily program
I. After the COSPAR Assembly

A. General

For the organization of its Scientific Assemblies COSPAR has contracted with Copernicus Gesellschaft, a professional organization which will assist the Program Chair and the COSPAR Secretariat in contacts with MSOs, preparation of the Call for Papers, contacts with authors, preparation of the program book and abstract materials, etc.

MSOs will be assisted by the staff members of the Copernicus Gesellschaft and by the open, internet- based Copernicus administration, service and information system (COSIS). Organization of each Assembly event will take place primarily on-line using COSIS. Parts of this web-based system are open only to meeting organizers who must log in using a COSIS ID Number and a Password. Copernicus Gesellschaft will provide the ID-Nr. under which each MSO is registered and a provisional password which the MSO may change afterwards. The MSO has the sole responsibility for ensuring that his/her address and phone, fax and email numbers are correctly entered into the COSIS system. Modifications to contact and scientific event information can be made online at any time.

Please, remember the URL addresses of the Assembly Home Site and of COSIS and your COSIS login data:
COSPAR Scientific Assembly Home Site: http://meetings.copernicus.org/cospar2006
COSIS: www.cosis.net
My COSIS ID-Nr.: Password:
Copernicus: cospar@copernicus.org

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B. COSIS Tools (overview of how to find and organize your Assembly event on the web)

On the Assembly Home Site, http://meetings.copernicus.org/cospar2006 you will find the link "Details of the Scientific Program", which brings you to the overview of Scientific Commissions, Panel and Special Session events for the Assembly. Click the link of your choice to find the list of events for any given Commission or Panel.
Scroll down to your event to find its number and title as well as the names of its MSO and Deputy Organizers. The first string of links is for the public and the second one is exclusively reserved for the event organizers, program committee members and editors (COSIS login required). Below is an example of what you will see on the screen:

Example of an Event

NR A0.1	The title of the event
MSO	Aman, A.
DO(s)	Bman, B.
Public Links:	Information, Organizer, Schedule, Accepted Contributions, Oral Program, Poster Program, Messages to authors from the MSO
Organizers and PC:	Organizer Event Form, Contributions, Event Organization, Oral Draft Program and Poster Draft Program

The link "Organizer Event Form" allows uploading online any information or modifications regarding the title of the event, the event description, the scientific organizing committee, the list of solicited speakers and any message the MSO would like to pass on to the authors of his/her event; all this information will be included online in the link "Information" and “Messages to authors from the MSO” of the public string, respectively.

Any additions and/or modifications regarding the Organizers of your event should be reported directly to the Copernicus Gesellschaft, cospar@copernicus.org, since only the COSIS Administrator can make appropriate changes. The information is included in the link "Organizer" of the public string. The actual addresses of the Organizers, however, are uploaded directly from their own private COSIS home sites. Therefore, the Organizers have the sole responsibility for ensuring that their addresses are correct.

Under the link "Contributions" all contributions submitted to your event will be listed in the order of receipt by author(s), with title and abstract number. If you click the abstract number you will find the corresponding abstract as a PDF file. Once a paper has been accepted by you and the Program Committee it will be uploaded and accessible for the public under "Accepted Contributions".

The tool "Event Organization" will enable you to organize your event according to the contributions received and to provide important input regarding your event for the Program Committee. Once the Program Committee has finalized the overall schedule of the Assembly, you will need to finalize the oral and poster sessions of your event.

Finally, after you have finalized your event COSIS will automatically compile the "Oral Draft Program" and the "Poster Draft Program" for final inspection by you and your Deputy Organizers as well as by the respective Program Committee Members. The program will then be uploaded for the public under "Oral Program" and "Poster Program", respectively.

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C. Preparation of the Call for Papers

(Please complete your online "Organizer Event Form" by 27 May 2005 and update it regularly until the start of the Assembly).

• Note the title and the number of your event (this information is included in the COSPAR President's letter to you of early April and is posted on the web) and upload the description of your event (200 words maximum). The Program Committee has carefully examined all proposed topics in order to set up a well-balanced program. You should not change the topic or title of your event. Any changes may be made only with the agreement of your Commission/Panel Chair.
• Note the name of the Deputy Organizer for your event. Many Deputy Organizers are already confirmed, but please double-check their willingness to serve in the capacity indicated. If a Deputy Organizer has not already been selected and/or confirmed please do so immediately. Note that there should be only one MSO and one DO for each event. In cases where more than one Commission or Panel is organizing, a DO from each body is permissible. Complete contact information for Deputy Organizers must be supplied to Copernicus Gesellschaft and the COSPAR Secretariat. DOs whose addresses are not on file will not receive important materials including the Call for Papers.
• Finalize the composition of your Scientific Organizing Committee. Ensure that all members are willing to serve and identify which ones represent the interests of particular Commissions in the case of co-sponsorship or when potential overlap between events has been identified. Organizing Committee members should represent as wide a range of nationalities as possible. Complete contact information for Organizing Committee members must be supplied to Copernicus Gesellschaft and the COSPAR Secretariat. Organizing Committee members whose addresses are not on file will not receive the Call for Papers.
• Solicit targeted speakers. In the case of refusals seek substitutes immediately. Speakers may be approached later, but in this case their participation in your event will not be mentioned in the Call for Papers. Upload information on solicited speakers in the appropriate box of the "Organizer Event Form"

Note that:

• COSPAR does not use the word "invited" for papers presented at the individual sessions of each Assembly. This is to avoid any misunderstanding between the MSO, speaker, COSPAR Secretariat, and Assembly registration services. In some organizations an invitation to present a paper implies funding may be available. THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR THE COSPAR ASSEMBLY. Being solicited to speak implies NO registration waiver nor financial support. Solicited speakers must follow the same procedure for applying for financial assistance, should they need it, as all other Assembly participants.
• Do not miss deadlines because of late responses from persons approached to be on your Scientific Organizing Committee or to give solicited talks. Lists can be updated regularly on the web.
• If you inform authors of papers, solicited or contributed, of possible preliminary scheduling for your event, make clear that dates and times may shift over the six scientific session days of the Assembly once the program is adjusted to accommodate the number of abstracts received by each MSO.
• You must provide the exact name and address of each solicited speaker to ensure she or he receives a Call for Papers. Keep Copernicus Gesellschaft and the COSPAR Secretariat informed of all changes concerning solicited speakers. Because the Call-for-Papers will include Assembly registration forms and information, speakers whose addresses are not provided or complete will not be sent registration materials, although these materials will be posted on the web.
• All solicited speakers are expected to publish their paper in Advances in Space Research. Some session organizers may wish to solicit review papers to complete or complement a program.
• Contributed papers (oral or poster) are typically those for which abstracts are submitted in response to the Call for Papers. MSOs should also encourage the presentation and subsequent publication of contributed papers, including those presented as posters.
• All papers submitted for publication will be reviewed by referees selected by the event editor(s).
• The deadline for MSOs to return rankings of financial assistance requests (see section E of these instructions) is 24 February 2006. Remember to approach solicited speakers who may wish to request financial support early enough so that you can meet this deadline. Refer solicited speakers to the Assembly web page or provide them with the financial support application which will be included in the Call-for-Papers if you think they may not have received one.

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D. Advertising the Meeting Program

(August 2005 – January 2006)

It is the responsibility of each MSO to advertise his/her own event throughout the scientific community interested in the topics covered and to inform colleagues about deadlines, abstract format and submission information, and the possibility of early registration and reservation of accommodation. COSPAR shall also advertise the Assembly by poster, WWW, Call for Papers mailing, in select publications, etc.

E. Ranking of Financial Support Applicants

(Please return the Financial Support Applicant Ranking Form to the COSPAR Secretariat by 24 February 2006)

The application form for financial support will be posted on the web. Applicants must return financial support requests to the Main Scientific Organizers, with a copy to the COSPAR Secretariat, by 17 February 2006.

MSOs will then use the Financial Support Applicant Ranking Form, which will be distributed by the Secretariat in due time, to rank requests for assistance. Rank using two criteria only: the scientific importance of the contribution to the event and age (applicants under 35 should be accorded high priority). Because limited funds are available, there is no need to rank more than 10 requests. Rank the first priority candidate 1 and the last priority candidate 10. Use no other ranking system. Every applicant will be notified of the results of his/her request. The Secretariat may need to request from you the address of an applicant if this information is not on file. Remember to inform the Secretariat of any changes in your financial support ranking, no matter when they occur, even through the Assembly, (funds for your event may become available after the initial selection of grant recipients, and we will use the most recent ranking to determine the waiting list).

Important

The selection of supported participants will be organized by the COSPAR Secretariat and overseen by the Committee's President. Your ranking will be considered and other COSPAR priorities factored in, e.g., providing 50% of available support to scientists under the age of 35, and assisting scientists from COSPAR members states and developing countries. Also considered will be the fact that certain applicants may obtain national grants if offered a small amount of seed money.

It is expected that support will be available to assist slightly more than one person per event, i.e., about 100 participants in total for the Assembly. Only partial support (Euro 1200,- maximum) will be provided. Applicants will have to secure most of the required financial support from national sources. To the extent possible, funds will be distributed proportionally according to the length of each event.

The above restrictions/priorities will mean that few, perhaps even no applicants from certain events are supported. Furthermore, supported participants in some events may not be those most highly ranked on scientific grounds by any given MSO, particularly if the applicant was accorded high priority by another MSO.

The chances for obtaining support in cases where the above deadlines/procedures are not respected is extremely low. All participants, including solicited speakers and MSOs, requesting support must follow the described procedure. Each MSO should consider this requirement when organizing his/her event.

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F. Organizing the Event Program

(please finalize through the web the tasks summarized under "Event Organization" by 13 March 2006).

Should an MSO not return his/her revised Event Overview by 13 March 2006, his/her event will be organized and scheduled by the COSPAR Program Committee.

The abstract deadline is 17 February 2006. Copernicus will post on the web the abstracts received for each event by order of receipt under "Contributions." Each MSO is asked to organize his/her event program based on the abstracts and information received from authors. Note that the event duration indicated on the web is the maximum time allocated for your meeting and must not be exceeded. Organizing an Assembly event involves:  

1. adding contributions received by the MSO but not by Copernicus Gesellschaft; corresponding abstracts should be uploaded directly online by the MSO or e-mailed immediately to Copernicus Gesellschaft for inclusion with other abstracts on the Web.
   
   
2. dividing the contributions into the following categories (suggested durations are indicated, 30 minutes is the maximum duration for any presentation):
   
   
   • accepted for solicited oral presentation (OS2) - 30 minutes
   • accepted for solicited oral presentation (OS1) - 20 minutes
   • accepted for contributed oral presentation (O2) - 25 minutes
   • accepted for contributed oral presentation (O1) - 15 minutes
   • accepted for contributed oral presentation (O) - 10 minutes
   • accepted for poster presentation (P)
   • accepted for oral and poster presentations/usually reserved for special cases (OP)
   • accepted for poster presentation with an oral summary of about 1,2 or 3 minutes to be made during the main session (PO)
   • rejected (R)
   • recommended for transfer to another meeting/symposium or to the "parking event" (No Event); corresponding abstracts should be transferred as quickly as possible to the appropriate events
   • acceptance of a transferred contribution or event, incl. contributions of the No Event

   Be sure to check the "No Event" abstracts from time to time in order to determine if any should be included in your program.

3. numbering of all contributions, oral and poster separately, in the preliminary order of their presentation. MSOs will be able to make necessary changes later in light of financial support accorded and other factors imposed by the Program Committee.
   

   Note that:

   • The Program Committee encourages the utilization of posters as an integral part of each event.
   • Attractive and accessible poster area will be made available for each event.
   • MSOs may want to make time available in their oral sessions for short poster summaries, e.g., one minute, one viewgraph. Each MSO is free to decide whether to adopt this suggestion.
   • The final program will include blocks of time that may also be advertised as "poster sessions."
   • If logistics permit, a single contiguous area may also be made available for all posters in order to facilitate ease in sampling presentations on a wide variety of topics.
     
     
4. forwarding any special requests to the Program Committee.

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G. Finalizing the Meeting Program

(please finalize Event Organization, Oral Draft Program and Poster Draft Program by 14 April 2006)

Each MSO is requested to finalize his/her event program in order to permit Copernicus Gesellschaft to compile the overall Assembly program according to the time allotted by the COSPAR Program Committee. Finalizing the program involves:

1. re-organizing oral vs. poster papers, if necessary, in view of the schedule defined by the Program Committee
2. identifying a Chair for each session, oral and poster, of the event (the primary task of the Chair is to make sure at the Assembly that authors respect the assigned presentation duration),
3. re-organizing the allocation of solicited papers, taking into account coffee and lunch breaks,
4. introducing session titles if desired, and
5. forwarding to Copernicus any new or modified information concerning the event, if the information cannot be uploaded online via the "Organizer Event Form."
   All authors will receive notification of paper acceptance, official paper number, and time and date of presentation through Copernicus. Event programs will be uploaded on the WWW ("Oral Program," "Poster Program") and they will be included in the Program Book which will then be distributed to all registered participants at the COSPAR Scientific Assembly.
   
   

(please forward any changes to Copernicus Gesellschaft by 30 June 2006)

Changes in the event program which occur after the deadline for printing of the Program Book may still be included in the daily programs distributed at the conference site. Modifications to event programs which occur after 30 June 2006 and during the Assembly must be authorized by the Program Committee Chair or relevant Program Committee member. Please make your request for changes directly to the Program Committee Chair at the Assembly or the on-site Secretariat, and mark authorized modifications directly on the programs posted on session doors so that an accurate record of the event is available. MSOs/Chairs are asked to return these corrected programs to the COSPAR Secretariat after each session. MSOs/Chairs will be considered responsible for any problems, e.g., angry participants, caused by unauthorized scheduling changes.

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I. After the COSPAR Assembly

(please send an event summary to the COSPAR Information Bulletin General Editor by 8 September 2006)

MSOs should produce a short summary (about 2 pages) of their event’s highlights and send it, with a copy to the COSPAR Secretariat, to the General Editor of the COSPAR Information Bulletin. These short summaries of Assembly events are a very good way of informing Associates who were unable to be present about activities in your field.
MSOs should also be prepared after the Assembly to advise and assist Scientific Editors if necessary.

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