EVENT GREENING FORUM

A greener, cleaner solution for academic conferences

EPosters (electronic posters) are gaining popularity at academic conferences for several reasons.

The ePosters are easy to navigate, with attendees being able to browse through the content at their own pace and search for content that is of interest them. Organisers can easily add or remove posters as needed, through a modern and engaging display.

To add to this, the ePoster screens are mobile, compact, and user-friendly. Rather than rent a huge space and 400 poster boards, only a few screens are required for more visibility.

Not to mention the environmental impact! Instead of printing posters and then transporting them (in unwieldy cardboard tubes) across the world, they simply submit their PDF or PowerPoint poster via an online portal.

The digital display improves the aesthetic appeal of the conference and greatly increases the efficiency and sustainability of the event.

To summarise:

• ePosters are neater and more efficient in terms of space.

• Delegates can interact with and search for the content they most want to see.

• ePosters can be displayed on any internet-connected screen, and can therefore also be embedded into the conference website or app.

• This means that ePosters can be viewed long after the conference closes.

• Editing ePosters can be done easily and even remotely.

• ePosters are much kinder to the environment.

FAQ

• What hardware do I need on-site?

Any screen that can run a browser and has an internet connection. This can be anything from a cell phone to a tablet to a screenand-laptop, to a touch-screen digital display unit. It depends on your event, your budget, and the space available. Complete flexibility.

• What does the ePoster system actually do?

Firstly, it allows authors to submit their work via an online portal, in either PDF or PPT format (portrait or landscape as you wish). Posters can then be displayed by category, searched by author, keyword, or title, emailed to oneself, and more. The system can be put into automatic rotation mode too.

• Can I still run ‘poster sessions’?

Yes, but the method depends on how many posters you have accepted. Authors can simply pull up their ePoster and invite some friends to listen, and this often draws in a small crowd. You can also select the best posters for a dedicated session or two. You will need to allocate time in the programme for this, as you’ve always done for paper posters.

• Where can I position these screens?

Anywhere you like! As long as you have a wifi connection, the system can operate. So, you might like to place a few screens in the exhibition hall, the foyer, and the lunch area.

• How good does the WiFi need to be?

The system downloads the ePosters when they are viewed for the first time. Thereafter they are loaded instantly from the cache. So, we advise that you download all posters before your event starts. Very little bandwidth is used when subsequently viewing posters, so even a weak WiFi connection will suffice.

• Is there a limit to how many eposters can be displayed?

Not at all. For more posters, plan to have more screens, so that everyone gets a chance to view them.