We are delighted to invite members of the community to volunteer as Session Chairs for RSECon26. Session Chairs play a key role in ensuring the conference runs smoothly and that all speakers and attendees have a positive and engaging experience.
As a Session Chair, you will be responsible for moderating either a single session (approximately 1-1.5 hours) or a double session with a scheduled break. This includes introducing speakers, keeping sessions on time, and helping to facilitate questions and discussion. By supporting the flow of each session, you help ensure that both in-person and remote participants can fully engage with the programme.
If you have the capacity to chair a session at RSECon26, we warmly encourage you to volunteer. Ideally, Session Chairs will have attended one or more conferences previously (not necessarily RSECon), but prior experience chairing sessions is not required. Full guidance and support will be provided ahead of the conference.
Depending on the number of volunteers, it may not be possible to assign everyone to a session or to their preferred session. We are nevertheless extremely grateful to everyone who offers their time to support the conference.
How to Apply
If you are interested in becoming a session chair, please apply via the form below.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a Session Chair are limited to the duration of their session. You will be asked to:
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Briefly introduce each speaker (or group of speakers) and their presentation.
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Ensure the session starts and finishes on time, and give speakers time warnings where appropriate.
- Facilitate audience questions, including reading questions from Slido where needed (with moderation support from volunteers in the room).
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Help ensure that discussion remains respectful, professional, and time-limited.
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Thank the speakers at the end of their presentations.
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Coordinate with technical staff and session volunteers to support smooth transitions between talks.
- Attend online training one month before the conference
If you have any questions about volunteering as a Session Chair, please contact the programme team at [email protected].
Thank you for considering supporting RSECon26 — we greatly appreciate your contribution to the conference.