Dear Colleague,

I hate this letter as much as you will certainly do. However, being responsible for the publication of the proceedings of the symposium, I have ‘to bite the bullet.’

As you know from our recent telephone conversations, we are almost ready to hand in the more than 100 manuscripts of the symposium talks to the publisher; and at this moment, there are only a few contributions outstanding. However, without these remaining manuscripts, my coeditors and I are unable to prepare the index for the approx. 900 pages of this volume.

Please, understand that several hundred people from more than 40 nations have already paid $85 for the proceedings, and that we don't need an avalanche of justifiably nasty letters from all over the world. Also, please recall that we have a signed agreement with the publisher which, when broken by us, gives him the liberty to postpone the publication until convenient for him; and if the volumes do not appear this year, they will be almost obsolete. Finally, I must mention that I promised the National Science Foundation the publication of the proceedings in 1990. This promise was certainly considered when they decided on the travel grant award, from which you will receive a total of $600. I do not wish to withhold travel funds from manuscript delinquents; however, as you know, I will have to justify the distribution of the funds in the final report, and I have a tendency to be brutally frank and outspoken.

Among the free lessons life has to offer, the mistakes of our fellow men are perhaps the best ones. The following tale may make the point. Let's pretend it is a figment of imagination.

A large society met happily, year after year, at their annual convention. There were many short talks each lasting twelve minutes, followed by three minutes of discussion. Every member was eligible to give a talk. While all seemed smooth sailing, some people began worrying about the quality of the presentations. They soon came up with a splendid idea that was immediately implemented: abstracts had to be submitted to committees which selected papers for platform presentation. Abstracts considered unworthy of the highest honors were just printed; no talk was allowed. The efficient secretary of the society mailed the decision on a postcard to all concerned. In this way, he saved the expenses for regular letters, and the members did not have to open envelopes.

As the mail arrived, there was happiness in some quarters. In others, weeping and gnashing of teeth; especially where technicians handed the mail to their masters with comments like ‘Your talk has been rejected.’ Devastated by the bad tidings as only sensitive scientists can be, some members went no more to the society's meetings; others, of a more flexible mind, went to pay homage to superior colleagues.

And what a surprise it was! One rejectee, a professor by rank, went to a session where he would have loved to give a talk. He entered the large room while it was dark; only the slide projections were visible.

The unprecedented speed of recent scientific progress makes personal interactions between colleagues more important than ever. This is reflected in the growing number of meetings, ranging from small, highly specialized research conferences to large conventions with many facets, including a job market. Unfortunately though, many meetings are marred by major flaws that could have been avoided by expert advice. Of these, the most common ones stem from an underestimation of the necessary time and resources. Serious problems are almost certain when societies persuade inexperienced colleagues to run major meetings. In some cases, the participants will never learn of these problems. In other cases, tactful participants will not tell the organizer about them. Thus, a tradition of mistakes is often perpetuated.

This book cannot guarantee successful meetings. However, it should help to reduce avoidable problems. The author has had many years to make mistakes, and he has availed himself of this opportunity, as will be obvious from personal experiences given throughout the text. He apologizes for this lack of modesty. On the other hand, he often refrained from rubbing salt into the wounds of colleagues, tempting though it was. May this kindness induce them to buy, and not just borrow, this useful publication.

If you wish to attract as many participants as possible, you need a meeting site that is appealing to accompanists. However, a large number of accompanists requires the design of a special program for them. This is not a job to be taken lightly. Accompanists come with certain expectations; if they are disappointed – and this can happen easily – their mood will affect their partners. And you don't want this to happen.

Today, accompanists will be of either sex, a fact that requires some consideration. For example, male accompanists will not be interested in a lengthy fashion show (for outer garments), or in places where women try on and out everything from rings to shoes, handbags, belts and muu-muu. On the other hand, a local baseball or soccer game may not attract too many female accompanists. Also, the organizer may have to bow to tradition; for example, when the annual convention of an older society has a ‘hospitality suite’ with complimentary beverages, cookies etc. If you deprive the regular accompanists of that cozy place for their small talk, you may as well be dead. So, bite the bullet and pay for the dark fluid that is often mislabelled ‘coffee’ as well as soft drinks.

Misconceptions can easily initiate a chain reaction of complaints. At a meeting in a major city, older accompanists were disappointed that the downtown(!) convention hotel was not close enough to the main shopping area. The distance was about seven blocks, and that was not considered ‘walking distance.’ From this experience, it appears important to point out the distance between meeting site and shopping areas in the early announcements.

Note It is assumed that: Dr Jones is the organizer of the meeting; Dr Fernandez is coeditor of the proceedings. Mrs Smith has been involved in the preparations of the meeting and is thoroughly familiar with details; she is now in charge of the registration desk and related organizational details. Drs Black (chairman), Brown, Green and White are members of the local committee. Dr Black and his local committee are cooperative, and they have recruited assistants (graduate students).

The arrival times of most participants at the airport are known and reflected in the schedule. Shuttle buses have been hired for the peak hours.

The following examples are modified excerpts from a staff schedule of an international symposium.

During the week before the symposium

1. (A) Check the bank accounts so that payments to hotels and other parties can be made (Drs Fernandez and Jones, Mrs Smith).

2. (B) Alert the hotels to have sufficient change for the symposium participants (Mrs Smith).

3. (C) Alert the hotel receptions to have information on car rentals, theaters, casinos and golf courses (Dr Black).

4. (D) Arrange with the congress hotel details of the welcome party (Drs Black and Jones, Mrs Smith).

5. (E) Arrange details of the delivery of projectors, flip-charts and other equipment with supplier (Drs Black and White).

6. (F) Provide for the poster areas: (1) push pins (9000); (2) heavy tape; (3) scissors; (4) individual numbers 1–1000 (on paper or cardboard 10 × 10 centimeters) for poster boards (Dr White and one assistant).

7. (G) Prepare 600 lists of participants (with addresses), to be included in the portfolios (Mrs Smith and two assistants).

The following listing contains points to consider when negotiating with an exposition service. In this example, it is assumed that the executive officer of a scientific society is conducting the negotiations, and that the society: (a) has unrestricted control over the exhibition area; (b) has prepared an information kit for exhibitors; (c) expects considerable interest by exhibitors (e.g., publishers, technological firms); and (d) has a list of its regular exhibitors available. Note that it would require considerable effort to organize major exhibitions if your meeting is not of the regular, annual type; and furthermore, that you would need expert advice on the organizational and financial aspects.

1. The Society will provide an exhibitor service kit, and the Service will provide the necessary forms for inclusion in the exhibitor service kit. These forms have to be approved by the Society. They will contain pertinent information on shipping requirements, instructions for installation and dismantling, and on other available services.

2. The Service will mail this information to prospective exhibitors upon receipt of a list from the Society, and thereafter whenever requested.

3. The Service and the Society will jointly develop rules and regulations for the exhibitions.

4. The Service will provide a draft of the floor plan, tailored to the Society's specific requirements. Upon approval by the Executive Officer of the Society, the Service will prepare a final plan, complete in every detail, and suitable for reproduction.

5. The Service will provide the labor and decorating equipment to lay out the floor.

6. The Service will install, maintain and dismantle the required number of exhibit booths. The precise dimensions of these booths must be approved by the Executive Secretary of the Society.

7. […]

Scheduling and options

Minimeetings

Next to the quality of the presentations, the social events will decide the success of a scientific meeting. If a meeting lasts only for one half or a full day, extended coffee and/or lunch breaks should provide an opportunity for informal mixing of the participants. This is particularly important in a city where people flee to their suburban homes at 5 pm. Nevertheless, you may find some time for post-symposium drinks. Under more relaxed conditions, you may be able to arrange a seated dinner, or a catered buffet for some of the local participants and out-of-town speakers who are staying overnight.

Meetings of longer duration

If a meeting with out-of-town participants extends into a second day, the evening of the first day should be reserved for a social event. In most cases, an all-evening party with a buffet and a selection of beverages will be perfect. If costs are a problem, tickets for food and/or drinks can be sold.

For meetings lasting three or more days, an informal reception or welcome party on the first evening and a major social event on a later evening are generally expected. There are two schools of thought concerning the timing of the major event. Some people prefer to have it on the last evening; others would like to have it earlier because they intend to leave during the afternoon or evening of the last day. For the benefit of the tired organizer and his staff, and of all participants who hate morning sessions after a long festivity, the major event would best be scheduled for the last day.

Logic suggests that in the daily program demanding presentations (especially major lectures) should precede entertaining and interactive events. This translates to the following order: Plenary Lectures, State-of-the-Art Lectures, Short Communications, Colloquia and Workshops, Poster Sessions, Forums, Business Meetings. However, in practice modifications are usually necessary. During the first day of the meeting, a welcome speech or Welcome Ceremony will precede the daily program. On other days, special interest breakfasts may precede the sessions. Special interest luncheons may be held during one or more noon breaks. In the afternoons, Colloquia may be scheduled so that data shown in preceding Poster Sessions can be discussed. A Closing Lecture will obviously be the last scientific event of the meeting; however, it is debatable if it should be given before or after the Business Session, if the latter is held during the last day of the meeting (see Section 3.2).

There are some frequently ignored rules:

The first one states: ‘The more time for interactive events, the better.’ Even at the smallest conference, there should be a time slot for informal discussions between participants. An afternoon consisting of four one-hour lectures followed by the immediate departure of the speakers is very unsatisfactory.

The second rule is equally important: ‘Don't overload your program.’ Unless local (geographic, climatic or transportation) conditions make a different schedule advisable, do not start the sessions before 9 am. At meetings of longer duration, have lunch and evening breaks lasting at least 90 minutes. This is particularly important at international meetings with participants from different time zones.

A third rule also expresses common sense: ‘During parallel sessions, avoid overlap of topics as much as possible.’

Example of a checklist for the first day of a major meeting with parallel sessions.

Monday, May 15, 1989

1. (A) Morning

1. (1) Four slide projectors for use, two spares; four extension cords; two spare bulbs.

2. (2) Four supports for projectors.

3. (3) Four wireless pointers, two spares.

4. (4) Four screens of adequate size (check rooms).

5. (5) Four wireless microphones, two spares.

6. (6) Four podiums with lights (plus spare bulbs).

7. (7) Reserved seats (front row) for speakers and special guests of the opening ceremony.

1. (B) Afternoon

1. (1) Five slide projectors for use, one spare; five extension cords; two spare bulbs.

2. (2) Five supports for projectors.

3. (3) Five pointers for use, one spare.

4. (4) Five screens (check fifth screen for adequate size).

5. (5) Two overhead projectors (for Colloquia).

6. (6) One hundred poster boards with running numbers in upper right corner.

7. (7) 9000 push pins for posters.

8. (8) Five wireless microphones, one spare.

9. (9) Five podiums with lights (plus spare bulbs).

1. (C) Evening

2. Four flip-charts and markers.

1. The colloquium will begin with an introduction of the panelists by the moderator, followed by a sequence of brief presentations by the moderator and the panelists. Thereafter, the panelists will have the privilege of asking each other questions before the general audience is invited to join in.

2. The total time allowed for the colloquium is 100 minutes (17 : 00–18 : 40); of which, each panelist will be entitled to 10 minutes of presentation, if he wishes to make one. However, if a panelist prefers to make no formal presentation, he/she will be given an equivalent amount of time for questions to the other panelists immediately following the formal presentations.

3. The presentations are not supposed to be lengthy ego trips (though slides and/or an overhead projector may be used, if necessary); rather, they should be a means to make an important point for discussion. Mutual challenges in a congenial atmosphere are encouraged. At the end of the Colloquium, the moderator will summarize the results, i.e., agreements, disagreements, and open or new questions.

Satellite symposia can save travel funds for both the main and satellite meetings. On the other hand, they may create problems for the organizer of the main meeting. To avoid this, satellite symposia lasting longer than one day should only be permitted under the following conditions:

1. They are held after the main meeting.

2. They do not compete for funds with the main meeting.

3. Their presentations are coordinated with those of the main meeting.

4. Their budgets are kept separate.

5. Travel support for participants of both meetings is coordinated.

The first condition is based on the experience that: (a) most people feel tired after several days of scientific discussions; and (b) a specialized meeting still attracts a good audience when the general interest is waning. If a general meeting follows a specialized symposium, the chances are that tired participants will either leave early, or spend more time in the hallways than in lecture rooms. And you, the organizer, will cringe at these ‘lobby lizards’ when the audience in some sessions drops to an embarrassing low.

On the other hand, a conference dealing with a topic directly relating to one's research has an enlivening effect, provided there is a chance for discussion, and not just another barrage of talks. Thus, a well-conceived satellite symposium should not suffer from a preceding main event. A good satellite symposium will provide opportunities for personal interaction, such as Workshops, Round Table Discussions with participation of the audience, and Poster Sessions.

The second condition is self-evident, but all too often ignored. An extreme case should make the point.

Dear Colleagues,

Enclosed with this note you will find the preliminary list of prospective participants in your workshop.

Undoubtedly further changes and additions will be requested; in particular, I foresee that some of you may wish to add participants to the list for your Workshop. You are welcome to do so, provided: (a) this person has agreed to participate; and (b) the person has registered, or will pay the fee for delayed registration upon arrival at the meeting. However, after February 15, it will be too late to add names to the printed program since the latter will then go press.

If questions concerning fees should arise, please make it clear to prospective late registrants that there will be no discount bargaining; in fairness to other participants, we must insist on the full payment for delayed registration.

I would like to emphasize that it is not necessary (and for time's sake not even desirable) that the participants introduce themselves with more than a few remarks on their research interests. After all, they should have submitted their ‘statement of research interest’ to you, and everybody should have had time to read the ‘statements’ of the other participants.

When you contact the participants of your Workshop, please include the sample of a ‘statement’ in your mailing.

Mini-Machiavellian management

Making and breaking of committees

According to an old adage, the camel is a horse designed by a committee. It may be difficult to express better the feelings of many people who have had to deal with committees.

Before you consider working with committees recall that, in general, they serve one of four functions: (1) to come up with something useful; (2) never to produce anything of consequence; (3) to fulfill a requirement without making waves; (4) to hide foregone conclusions behind a collection of yes-men.

The first type of committee is often set up, and may even deliver something meaningful. It requires qualified and cooperative members, and it functions best when chaired by an enlightened dictator.

The second type is useful when a problem requires benign neglect. The more members it has, the less likely it is to come up with something serious. Committees of the third type often exist in the form of editorial boards for the conference, or they advise on tantalizing matters such as ceremonies and protocol.

The last type of committee may better be termed ‘pseudocommittees.’ Usually, they are ad hoc collections of friends, or people who depend on the grace of the chair.

Someone experienced in dealing with committees will probably subscribe to the following rules:

1. Never set up a committee unless and before it is necessary.

2. Select committee members very carefully choosing persons who genuinely will participate and are qualified to do so.

3. If a committee is meant to function, keep it as small as possible, but as large as necessary.

4. If a committee does not function, dissolve it.

General considerations

In the selection of a meeting place, the odds for a mishap are probably greater than in Russian roulette, and they grow with the naiveté and/or laziness of the organizers). To avoid major mistakes, it pays to make thorough inquiries about potential meeting sites. The more information you can get, the better. Ask both organizers and participants of recent meetings. Why also ask participants? Because organizers often remain unaware of serious flaws; and, on the other hand, they may be reluctant to admit major mistakes. Of course, the best recommendation for a meeting place is when it is used year after year by the same scientific societies.

Never trust a hotel or meeting facility without a written contract. If they refuse to sign one that is to your satisfaction, thank them for the warning and go elsewhere. Scientists typically totally underestimate the tricks of the convention trade. The example of a contract in Appendix I gives you some idea of what a skillful negotiator can obtain for a major meeting.

Whenever possible, prepare a list of questions and contact by phone the organizer of a previous conference at your envisioned meeting site. Perhaps, you can persuade him to send you copies of his contract(s). If his meeting included exhibitions, also ask about contracts with the decorator and exhibition service (see Section 3.4). Ask the managements of the hotel and meeting site for copies of contracts with previous organizations. Their reactions may be revealing.

Why is a written, legally binding contract so important? The following experience will answer that question.

When I organized a major international meeting, I made oral arrangements with the manager of the congress hotel.

During the first few hours after each impact, numerous phenomena were observed with telescopes on Earth, in orbit, and in space. The primary events in that time were: impacts themselves, rise and fall of large plumes of ejected material, and atmospheric waves; also of interest were the characteristic morphologies of fresh sites. Based on timing from Galileo instruments and ground-based observations, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) recorded actual impact phenomena for fragments G and W, with the A and E impacts occurring just prior to the HST observation window. For these four events, plumes were directly imaged; plume development and collapse correlated with strong infrared emission near the jovian limb, supporting the interpretation that the IR brightness was created by the fall-back of plume material from high altitude (see chapter by Nicholson). For medium-to-large fresh impact sites imaged by HST within a few hours of impact, expanding rings were detected, caused by horizontal propagation of atmospheric waves (see chapters by Ingersoll and Zahnle). Initial site morphology at visible wavelengths was similar for all medium-to-large impacts: a dark streak surrounded by dark material, dominated by a large crescent-shaped ejecta to the southeast. Smaller impact sites typically only showed a dark patch (no ejecta) which dissipated quickly. This chapter summarizes the most recent measurements and interpretations of plumes and fresh impact sites as observed by HST.