FAQs & instructions

If you are sick, do not attend. Even if you feel able to attend, it is a potentially serious risk to others.

Supporting the accessibility of the conference:

• • Masks are strongly encouraged in order to limit exposure to airborne pathogens. There will be masks available.
  • Presenters are encouraged to use the microphones provided.
  • Everyone is encouraged to avoid scented products.
  • There will be a designated quiet room available. It will have regular classroom furnishings.

Accessing wifi at UBC:

• • Visitors to UBC have free-access to the ubcvisitor network; when you select the network and open a browser, you will be directed to a log-in page.
  • Visitors from participating educational institutions can also access the eduroam network; if you’ve never used the eduroam network, you can find out more from the central website.

Registration: 

• • Please complete the registration form and payment online.
  • The registration desk will be open for picking up your name badge and other materials from 2:30-4pm on Thursday 1 May and 7:45-8:30am on Friday 2 May in the lobby of Allard Hall.
  • If you are arriving at the conference later (including on Saturday or Sunday), you can still pick up your name badge and other materials from the registration desk in the lobby of Allard Hall.

Respectful conduct:

• • The BC Studies conference should be an environment that fosters the respectful exchange of ideas, free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying. All conference attendees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the principles of respect, civility, and inclusion.

Social media:

• • Use the hashtag #bcs2025 on social media to join the conversation online! When doing so, please be respectful, of course.
  • Do not take photographs or record presentations (in whole or in part) without express permission.
  • Remember that conference presentations are often works-in-progress and speakers may not yet want to share their findings beyond the immediate conference audience. Please respect those boundaries.

How long should my presentation be? If there are four speakers on your panel, your presentation should be 15 minutes or less. If there are three speakers on your panel, your presentation should be 20 minutes or less. If you are on a roundtable, you can discuss the specific format with the other speakers, including the time limits for each person’s contributions. All panels and roundtables should have approximately 20-25 minutes for audience questions and discussion following the presentations. Staying within the allotted time is critical for respecting all presenters and the audience. Session chairs will keep time and enforce limits.

Do I need to submit a written version of my presentation to the conference organizers before, during, or after the conference? No. You only need to present it during your scheduled session.

Can I project slides during my presentation? Yes, all conference rooms will have a computer and projector, and will be able to project Powerpoint slides via a USB flash drive. Alternatively, it is possible to connect a device (e.g. laptop computer) to the projector in each room using an HDMI cable. Members of each panel and roundtable should coordinate among themselves ahead of time to use either a single personal device or a single flash drive connected to the room computer in order to project all presenters’ slides for the session in question.  Switching devices between presentations will cause delays and increase the likelihood of technological issues. Please communicate with other members of your session ahead of time to make the necessary arrangements (i.e. sharing your slides ahead of time and/or bringing your slides on a flash drive and/or ensuring you have an HDMI or any other necessary adapters if applicable.)  If you require contact information for others in your session for this purpose, please be in touch with conference organizers at conference2025 at BCStudies dot com.

Does presenting at the conference guarantee publication? No, we are not publishing the conference proceedings. You are welcome to submit your own work to journals or other publication outlets on your own. (The BC Studies Conference is a separate entity from BC Studies: The British Columbian Quarterly journal. Although the journal is one of several sponsors for the conference, there is no formal connection between presenting at the conference and submitting work to the journal.)

Your primary responsibilities are to provide a brief introduction to the session speakers, keep time during the session, and facilitate the Q&A/discussion period. You are not expected to serve as a discussant or provide a comment on pre-circulated papers.

Before the session:

1. 1. 1. Collect very brief bios of each speaker (suggested 1-2 sentences). We strongly encourage you to confirm the correct pronunciation of speakers’ names prior to the session’s start.
      2. Confirm that presenters have organized all of their slides onto a single device (see instructions above.)
      3. Consider making time-keeping signs (e.g. 3 mins left, 1 min left, end) to help with signalling time during the session.
      4. Arrive in the room before the start time. Check in with the speakers about any last-minute questions. If you are chairing a roundtable, confirm the format and length of each contribution. If there are virtual presenter(s) in your session, confirm a plan for how you will signal time limits to them online. There will be conference workers available to assist with technological issues if needed.

During the session:

1. 1. 1. Begin the session on time.
      2. Introduce the session briefly, including the panel or roundtable title and yourself as chair.
      3. Introduce the speakers briefly and, if relevant, their presentation titles. You can choose whether to introduce all speakers at the beginning of the session, or to introduce each one prior to their specific presentation.
      4. Keep time with care. This is very important for respecting all presenters, the audience, and the flow of the conference. If a panel has four speakers, each presentation should be 15 minutes or less. If a panel has three speakers, each presentation should be 20 minutes or less. The specific format for roundtables should be confirmed ahead of time, with time limits enforced accordingly. All sessions should have approximately 20-25 minutes for audience questions and discussion after the presentations.
      5. Facilitate the Q&A. This includes asking the audience to indicate if they have questions and calling on them; encourage audience members to identify themselves when asking questions. Try to encourage a balance of questions so that all presenters are included and receive questions. Intervene if any issues with tone or collegiality arise.
      6. Thank the speakers and audience, and end the session on time. This is important so that the next session can begin on time!