FAQs: 2021 Interactive Poster Presentations

View the full instructions for presenting interactive posters

Q: I have never done this type of poster presentation before.

The poster session set up is new this year. It is designed to ensure everyone has an audience, can present information about their poster in the main Zoom room, and have individual conversations with presenters during the breakout rooms.

Q: How do I make a poster in PowerPoint?

Check out our full instructions for some helpful tips. There is also a how-to video you can watch that goes into detail.

Q: Help! PowerPoint doesn't let me make a poster larger than 56 inches. What do I do?

Make sure your poster size is a 16:9 ratio. The actual inches are not as important since it will be viewed digitally. Remember to save your poster as a PDF file.

Q: As a poster presenter what should I prepare and when is it due?

Please prepare one slide with the title of your poster, the authors and affiliations, and up to three points summary your research. Send this slide to your facilitator by Oct. 11. You will also prepare your poster and optional handouts. These materials will be uploaded directly into Whova, the conference software, between Oct. 11 and Oct. 23.

Q: How do I upload my poster and materials to Whova?

You will receive an email with a unique link directly from Whova providing instructions starting Oct. 11, if you are registered. Upload final documents. You will not be able to modify or delete any uploaded files. If you haven’t received your unique link, check that you are registered for the conference. 

Q: What is expected of me as a facilitator of a poster session?

  1. Prepare your slide deck. Create the first slide with the following information: the session number and title, date, and time.
  2. If the presenter hasn’t sent you their slide, you may email them to request the slide.
  3. Create the rest of the slide deck by adding the slide one that each of the presenters sends you so that you have 1 complete slide deck. You may have up to 11 slides: your opening slide and one slide for each presenter.
  4. The facilitator will open the session by introducing the session. Be sure to share your screen.
  5. The facilitator will advance each slide. Presenters will introduce themselves and share their research. Each presenter has 3 minutes to present. The presider will help with the timing so that no one goes over the 3 minute limit.
  6. Arrive to the session 15 minutes prior to your session beginning.   
  7. After each presentation, you will announce that the audience may now visit any and all of the posters within this session. NCFR staff will help move the presenters to individual break out rooms. The audience can go to whichever room they want and go back and forth during the next minutes until the end of the session.

Q: Do I need to send my poster to the facilitator?

No. You only need to send your one slide to the facilitator. Please send it by Oct. 11. You will upload your poster and optional handouts directly to your session in Whova between Oct. 11 and Oct. 23.

Q: Can I use additional slides my break-out room during my poster presentation?

Sure. Keep in mind that the audience can read your poster beginning Oct. 25. They may come to your session with specific questions, as they do in-person. Attendees are also able to come and go between posters to visit many posters during the session.