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

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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
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The NPSSNuclear 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
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The NPSS Conferences
Attendance Frequency Conference Series
Name 500 Annual Intl. Conference on Plasma
Science 500 Annual Nuclear Space Radiation
Effects 1500 Annual Nuclear Science Symposium
Medical Imaging Conference 150 Bi-Annual R
eal-Time Computing Conference 200 Bi-Annual Sympo
sium 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

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NPSS Conference Management Structure
2008 ConferenceChairman
Technical Committees Manage a Conference Series
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NPSS Conference Management Structure
NPSS AdCom
NPSS AdCom Manages the Technical Committees
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What Are The Roles?
AdCom Financial PolicyIEEE Policies Technical Ge
neral 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
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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
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Conference Reports at AdCom Meetings

• 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

AdCom is Very Interested in its Conferences,But
Tries to Minimize Interference
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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

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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

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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(Excursio
  n, Banquets, Social Program, etc.)

Adapt Your Conference to the Local Area,Dont
Adapt the Local Area to Your Conference
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How NPSS Supports Its ConferencesThe 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

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How NPSS Supports Its ConferencesBo 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

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How NPSS Supports Its ConferencesWeb-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
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How NPSS Supports Its ConferencesProvide 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, FB, Review
  Charges)
• Manage Exhibits Registration
• Individual Conferences Dont Use Meeting Planners
  Because of Cost to the Conference
• ? Planners Provided Directly by NPSS

Presently a Concept
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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