Info page

Acceptance letters
Formal acceptance letters (signed pdfs on headed paper) can be downloaded from the login environment (the login link is the head icon on the upper navigation bar). Log in, proceed past your contact details with the "Proceed" button (located under the contact fields) and then scroll through to your panel/paper. There will be an encircled A at the end of the panel/paper title line. Click on this, download the pdf and print your letter. Please note that we do not send such letters by post.

Panel formats

1. Panels: panels as per usual, structured in the traditional manner of containing five papers per session.
2. Roundtables: a group of scholars (no more than 5) discussing particular themes/issues in front of (and subsequently with) an audience. While a roundtable can include short (5-10 min) provocations/presentations, the main idea is to create a lively debate, not to focus on any one presenter.
3. Combined: panels that have paper presentations for one session and then a roundtable in the other.

Length of panels, labs, roundtables, combined formats
All format panels will be limited to a maximum of TWO consecutive 105-minute sessions, each of which can hold a maximum of 5 papers/presentations (20 minutes). Consequently convenors may accept a maximum of ten papers/presentations in their panels, five to roundtables. However accepting four papers per session will be acceptable (25 mins each in this case).

Convenor responsibilities
It is the convenors’ responsibility to ensure that all panel participants are well briefed and that the panel continues to meet AAS2021 requirements. To that end, convenors should not only communicate their decisions over proposals as detailed below, but also later in the process email the panelists to: inform them of the speaking order (albeit this is displayed on the public panel page), inform them as to how much time they have been allocated, remind them to register (the registration status can be seen in the login environment), inform them of any late changes or additional chairs/discussants, and give any other information related to the panel. If panelists withdraw, convenors should mark these withdrawals in the login environment.

Editing panel info
Panel proposers can use the login link in the menu to edit their proposals. Later, when panels have been accepted/rejected, convenors are requested to administer their panels via this login environment “Cocoa”. Convenors should login to:

• state any specific timing requests to do with their panel
• to add the names of chairs/discussants
• manage the paper proposals

Co-convenors cannot be added/removed nor can panels be withdrawn through this environment – please email admin(at)aasconf.org to do this.

When papers are proposed via the website, they will be proposed to specific panels. Convenors will receive a summary email of the proposal. Convenors are welcome to acknowledge proposals by email, and even ask contributors to edit their abstracts by logging in themselves. When the call for papers is over, convenors must indicate their decisions over whether to accept/reject proposals through the login environment. If an author later emails to withdraw their paper, the paper should be marked as ‘Withdrawn’ in the login environment. The papers can be placed in order via the login environment.

Timing of presentations
How you allocate the time of your sessions is largely your decision. With a 105 minute session, convenors can allot each presenter a maximum of 25 minutes (for presentation and questions/discussion). The key is to respect the fact that many presenters have travelled a long way in order to be able to contribute and clearly need time to set out their argument. The division of a panel into sessions will be indicated in the programme, and the papers ordered within these sessions. While convenors may wish to amalgamate discussion time, where possible they should try to stick to the published distribution.

Pre-circulation of papers
The conference does not require pre-circulation of papers – however many convenors are keen to pre-circulate completed papers. To facilitate this and save on loads of email traffic, authors can upload PDFs of their papers within Cocoa, which will then show as a downloadable file beneath their abstract on the public panel page on this site. It is your choice whether you instruct your presenters to make use of this.

Communication between authors/convenors
Convenor/author email addresses are not shown on the panel pages for anti-spam reasons. However there is an in-built secure email messaging system. If you cannot work that, please email admin(at)aasconf.org to obtain relevant email addresses.

Any queries with the above please email admin(at)aasconf.org