Firstly, thank you for hosting a data blitz!!
If you haven't already, make sure to send an email around with all the slides put together in one powerpoint presentation. You can follow use this day before template.
Here are some top tips for hosting the data blitz:
The presenters should be making their way down to stand near the lecturn. While they're getting ready let the audience know what's going to happen.
Keep the title slide on for this part.
You can say something like:
Hi everyone. I'm delighted to host the early career researchers data blitz. This is a great opportunity for PhD students and postdocs to show off the work they've been doing. These 12 projects were ranked highest by the programme committee from the 65 posters that you will be able to visit over the lunch break.
I hope that these 12 early career researchers will whet your appetite to learn more about their project with their TWO MINUTE presentation. I have a buzzer and I'll be using it! They've all been briefed that if they go over time I'll be shooing them off the stage!
So, you don't need to hear any more from me. Let's get started.
Then click on to the first title slide.
As each researcher steps up to the lecturn, read out their name, and if you can remember to do so say which department they're from.
As I use my phone as the timer I can also check the speaker list so I'm prepped for the next person's introduction. You could take a picture of the list as that might make it easier to find between introductions (rather than searching your email each time).
You don't need to say any more than that. No need to read out the title unless you want to.
Once you've introduced the speaker, start your timer!!
I use my iPhone as the timer. I pick an agressive sounding alarm - my favourite is the classic "old car horn" one.
Start the timer after you've introduced the speaker (which should be right when they start speaking).
As the 2 minutes runs out I hold the speaker of my iphone right against the lapel mike and let the alarm go off into the microphone. It works pretty well!
My experience has been that most speakers have practised well and they finish early. Don't forget to stop the alarm before it goes off if they've done a good job!
If the alarm goes off, they're done. There's ABSOLUTELY NO OPTION to carry on speaking. You can shoo them off the stage in whatever way you want and you can say that everyone is welcome to ask questions at their poster (so you don't come across as too mean!)
Then, introduce the next person and you're ready to go again!
Usually the speaker advances to the next title slide as they finish, which means you're all set. If they don't then the next speaker will usually click ahead to their title slide. If you have a clicker then you can click ahead if you need to (quite rare) and if really no one is moving it forwards then you can just ask the next speaker to click to go ahead.
After the last speaker, just click ahead to the final slide and make sure to encourage everyone to go to visit all the posters.
Something like:
Thank you so much to all of our fantastic data blitz presenters! I hope you [the audience] all enjoy your lunch, and I'd like to really encourage you to visit ALL of the posters that will be on display. These 12 presentations were just a sample of the fantastic work happening in the Cambridge Neuroscience community at the moment and I'm very confident you'll love talking with the students and postdocs at their posters over lunch.
Thank you all for your attention, and lets give our data blitzers another hand.
[Lead round of applause]
It should be fun. The timing is sometimes a little difficult, I've definitley forgotten to start my timer a few times, but I usually just start it when I can and take a guess at how much time has passed.
It's pretty fun having the buzzer go off. Make sure to have it really close to the microphone because otherwise it's much quieter than you think it is.
GOOD LUCK!