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Global Conference Portfolio Management (or How the NPSS Manages its Conference Portfolio)

Global Conference Portfolio Management (or How the NPSS Manages its Conference Portfolio). William W. Moses Past President, IEEE Nuclear & Plasma Sciences Society Senior Staff Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory July 25, 2008. The NPSS: Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society.

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Global Conference Portfolio Management (or How the NPSS Manages its Conference Portfolio)

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  1. Global Conference Portfolio Management(or How the NPSS Manages its Conference Portfolio) William W. Moses Past President, IEEE Nuclear & Plasma Sciences SocietySenior Staff Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory July 25, 2008

  2. The NPSS:Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society • 3,000 Members • No Paid Staff • 4 Refereed Journals (2 co-sponsored within IEEE) • 8 International Conference Series • Over the Last Decade: • Average 5 Conferences per Year • Average $2.0M / Year Gross Conference Income • Average 19% Return • 1 Conference Lost Money (SARS in 2001  –$1.5k) A Small Society with Lots of Conference Activity…

  3. The NPSS Conferences: Attendance Frequency Conference Series Name500 Annual Intl. Conference on Plasma Science 500 Annual Nuclear & Space Radiation Effects 1500 Annual Nuclear Science Symposium & Medical Imaging Conference 150 Bi-Annual Real-Time Computing Conference 200 Bi-Annual Symposium on Fusion Energy 500 Bi-Annual Pulsed Power Conference 1100 Bi-Annual Particle Accelerator Conference (co-sponsored w/ American Physical Society) 100 Bi-Annual MegaGauss (one-time sponsorship) 200 Bi-Annual SCINT (one-time sponsorship) • Conferences from 100 to 2,500 Attendees • Very Different “Personality” for Each Conference

  4. Technical Committee 2007 ConferenceChairman 2009 ConferenceChairman NPSS Conference Management Structure 2008 ConferenceChairman Technical Committees Manage a Conference Series

  5. Technical Committee 1 Technical Committee 3 Technical Committee 2 2007 2007 2007 2008 2008 2008 2009 2009 2009 NPSS Conference Management Structure NPSS AdCom NPSS AdCom Manages the Technical Committees

  6. What Are The Roles? AdCom Financial PolicyIEEE Policies Technical General Chairman Selection Committee Site Selection AdCom  General Chair Communication General Everything Else Chairman (Conference Committee, Technical Content, Program, Budget Creation, Food & Beverage, Logistics, Publicity, Publication, Hotel Contract…) General Chairman Given Lots of Freedom

  7. AdCom Financial Policy  Budget Approval • Good Budget  Financial Success • Detailed Budget Required Before Loan Granted(12 Months Out) • Budget Approved By: • Conference Treasurer & General Chairman • Technical Committee Chairman • AdCom Conference Treasurer, Treasurer, Finance Committee Chairman, and President • General Chairman is Free to Innovate on Virtually All Aspects of the Conference Looking for a Realistic Budget

  8. ~50% of AdCom Discussion is About Conferences • Changes in IEEE & NPSS Policy Discussed • Status of All Open Conferences Reported atEach AdCom Meeting • Problems and Innovations Aired • Shared Experience Very Useful • Main Information Conduit Between IEEE/NPSS and General Chairmen is Through the Technical Committee Chairmen (Who are Voting Members of AdCom) • Future General Chairs Invited to AdCom Meetings, Expected to Attend At Least One AdCom Meeting Conference Reports at AdCom Meetings AdCom is Very Interested in its Conferences,But Tries to Minimize Interference

  9. How Do We Start New Conferences? • Spin-Off From Existing Conferences • Special Evening Session • Special Sessions During Conference • Workshop Before or After Conference • Stand Alone Conference • Assimilation of Existing Independent Conferences • IEEE Has Many Advantages for Conferences • Fiscal (Tax Exempt Corporate Shell, Loan, Insurance…) • Publications (Peer-Reviewed, Distribution Channel) • Status (Awards, Fellow) • Usually Starts With “One Time” Sponsorship • Virtually Always “Ground Up” • Considering a “Top Down” Conference Start Now

  10. Globalization • Within NPSS, Individual Conferences in a Conference Series are Often Held Both Inside and Outside the U.S. • “Traditionally U.S.” Conferences Always Get Attendance Increase When They “Go Abroad” for One Year. • Attendance Increase Maintained when the Conference Returns to the U.S. the Following Year. • Leadership Pool Increased and Strengthened. • Considerable Initial Risk & Steep Learning Curve • Tremendous Benefits

  11. Lessons Learned on Globalization • “Local” Organizers (General Chair, Treasurer, etc.) Absolutely Essential • “Local” Institution (University, National Laboratory, etc.) Absolutely Essential • Finances are Very Different(VAT, Meeting Space Cost, Currency Conversion, etc.) • Attendee Expectations are Very Different(Excursion, Banquets, Social Program, etc.) Adapt Your Conference to the Local Area,Don’t Adapt the Local Area to Your Conference

  12. How NPSS Supports Its Conferences:“The Network Shop” Equipment Pool • 11 LCD Projectors • 10 “Projection” Laptop Computers w/ Software • 20 Wireless Microphones w/ Receivers • 11 Sound Mixers • 2 Badge Printers • 50 “Email Room” Laptop Computers w/ Software • Miscellaneous Computer Equipment • Printers, Wireless Hubs, Wired Switches, etc. • Heavy-Duty Shipping Containers • Staff! • In Operation Since 2004 • Can Only Support U.S. Conferences…

  13. How NPSS Supports Its Conferences:“Bo Yu” Conference Software • Technical Program • Web-Based Abstract Submission & Review • Technical Program Assembly • Presenter Confirmation (Reduces No-Shows) • Program Schedule Generation (click of a button) • Abstract Book Generation (click of a button) • Conference Record Manuscript Submission • Registration • Payment (Including Credit Card Processing) • Workshops, Tutorials, Excursions, Banquets, Companion Program, etc. • In Operation Since 1998 • Still Evolving: Improving Documentation &Ability for “Anybody” to Use / Customize It

  14. How NPSS Supports Its Conferences:Web-Based Financial Database Software • Budget Creation • Based on IEEE Budget Forms • Compare to Previous Years (Budget & Actual) • Archive Snapshots • Electronically Submit Budget for Approval • Form Generation • All IEEE Forms (Creation, Accrual, & Close-Out) • Chart of Accounts for Quicken / QuickBooks • Import Data From Quicken / QuickBooks In Beta Test…

  15. How NPSS Supports Its Conferences:Provide a Professional Meeting Planner? • Only One NPSS Conference Presently Uses a Professional Meeting Planner • Reduce Load on Volunteers, Especially Chairman • Anticipated Meeting Planner Duties: • Site Selection • Hotel Interface (Room Pickup, F&B, Review Charges) • Manage Exhibits & Registration • Individual Conferences Don’t Use Meeting Planners Because of Cost to the Conference •  Planners Provided Directly by NPSS Presently a Concept…

  16. Final Thoughts… • What Makes the NPSS Conferences Successful? • Our Volunteers: Dedicated, Energetic, High Quality • Our Structure: Maximal Support, Minimal Interference • What Makes a Good Conference Chair? • Experience in Other Conference Roles • Willingness to Innovate • What Makes a Good AdCom Member? • The Ability to See Beyond “Their” Conference • Trust in “The Other” Conferences / TCs

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