Programme Committee Guidelines

From Skeleton Programme to Session Programme

The abstract submission as well as the following session organization is based on the so-called Session Programme, consisting of several topical programme groups and their respective sessions. The generation of this Session Programme is split into four steps (please check the Deadlines & Milestones):

• During the Call-for Skeleton Programme, the Programme Committee (PC) members, responsible for their respective programme groups, are asked to implement sessions, which are either a re-use of the former conference, new sessions, or only draft sessions for the next step;
• During the following open Call-for-Session Proposals the public is invited to take part in the set up of the later Session Programme by suggesting new sessions, or comment on the Skeleton Sessions by suggesting titles, session organizers, etc.;
• During the following Session Programme Finalization the PC members are then asked to complete their Session Programme by modifying Skeleton Sessions, including public suggestions (if applicable), or defining even new sessions;
• Furthermore, PC members have two possibilities of cooperation. They may co-list their sessions in, or even co-organize them with other programme groups. This can already be initiated, accepted and rejected during the first and third step. In addition, the fourth tool Implementation of Cooperation guarantees that all PC members have the chance to react on proposals, even if such a suggestion arrives after the finalization of the Session Programme.

 

The Call-for-Skeleton Programme Tool

The Call-for-Skeleton Programme tool is available via the PC Overview and the corresponding links will be provided by email. You can then fill your Skeleton Programme by three different options:

• Re-using sessions from the former conference;
• Defining new sessions;
• Defining sub-programme groups.

For a re-use of one or more sessions, you can select which entries (title, session organizers, session details) should be included in the new programme. All entries can be modified later! Re-used sessions are then marked as already selected and cannot be picked up again. This is also valid for co-organized sessions. There, the former cooperation partner (programme group) cannot pick this session up and will see that you have already used it in order to avoid double usage.

For a new session, you can enter a title (mandatory), session organizers, and session details. The session organizers will be entered by first name, last name and email and searched in the Copernicus Office user database to connect them with an appropriate user ID (invisible for you). The same is valid for the modification of re-used sessions. Session numbers are not mandatory at this early stage.

If you wish to co-list one of your sessions in another programme group, you initiate a proposal. The recipient will then be informed by email and can accept or reject your cooperation. You will see a notice in your session listing (pending, accepted, rejected).

The same is valid for the co-organization. There, you initiate the co-organization which will be accepted or rejected. In case of acceptance, this session can now be organized by all cooperation partners with regard to the following programme tools (see below). In terms of abstract statistics, this session stays connected to your programme group. Furthermore, all co-organized sessions are also advertised in a list of interdisciplinary events.

All entries in your Skeleton Programme, i.e. own, co-listed as well as co-organized sessions, can be moved to any position in your programme, including the positioning into sub-programme groups.

Session Programme Finalization

After the open Call-for-Session Proposals, PC members are asked to finalize their Session Programme by using a tool similar to the Call-for-Skeleton Programme. In addition to the modification of Skeleton Sessions or implementation of new sessions, the suggested entries from the public can be used, if applicable. After the finalization of this tool, further changes can only be implemented by Copernicus Meetings.

Implementation of Cooperation

Suggested cooperation between programme groups (co-listing and co-organization) can already be implemented during the Call-for-Skeleton Programme or the Session Programme Finalization. In addition, the tool Implementation of Cooperation allows to accept/reject late proposals. Now, PC members cannot implement new sessions anymore but decide about the cooperation as well as re-ordering the Session Programme.

PCI – Abstract Implementation & Session Tagging

After the deadlines for the session organizers to finalize their tools Abstract Implementation (SOI) as well as Session Tagging (SOII) expired, you are asked to finalize these tools for those sessions of your programme group, which are still open. Detailed instructions are provided within the applications. The authors will be informed about the acceptance of their contribution by the Letter of Acceptance.

In the tool PCI you are also asked to review the abstracts rejected by a session organizer for possible acceptance in one of your sessions. Furthermore, you are able to check those contributions where an analysis found major similarity to other submissions. These potential double-submissions should be withdrawn in order to avoid no-shows.

PCII – Scheduling

Within the tool PCII you are asked to schedule the sessions of your programme group by assigning your allocated rooms and time blocks, and determining the maximum number of oral units per session. By using the resulting input of this PCII tool, the session organizers will then implement the actual selection of the contributions into oral or poster presentations.

PCIII – Presentation Selection

After the deadlines for the session organizers to implement the actual selection of the contributions into oral or poster presentations expired, you are asked to finalize this tool for those of your sessions, which are still open. In addition, you are asked to define the sequence as well as the length of the different presentations. After all programme groups are finally scheduled, the authors will be informed about the details of their presentation by the Letter of Schedule.