Conference on Mathematics and Biology - SMB 2002 - Tips for computer presentations and posters

If you intend to deliver your talk using a computer presentation, we will provide computers and projectors in each room at the 2002 meetings. However, please follow these guidelines and consider making use of the tips provided. You will be allowed to use your own computer, but to minimize delays due to possible technical difficulties, please plan to have your machine all ready to plug into the VGA cord from the projector at the time your talk is scheduled. Overhead projectors will be available in all rooms as well.

IMPORTANT UPDATE!! We will have only Windows OS machines available in the sessions, therefore bring your presentations in Microsoft format if you are not planning to use your own machine. Each of our computers will have a CD-rom drive, a Zip Drive (capable of reading Zip-100 discs), a floppy drive, and will have Powerpoint and Acrobat Reader installed.

Guidelines if you wish to use our conference computers to give your talk

	Prepare your talk using Microsoft Power Point 97 or 2000 (98 or 2000 if you are using a Mac).
	Save your presentation as "pack and go" (see below), unless you have a Mac. In that case, save it using the default format and remember to change the file name so that it has the extension ".ppt" (where is your last name).
	Save the presentation on a ZIP-100 disk, a CD-rom, or a standard floppy disc if it fits on that.
	Check your disk for computer viruses.
	If you prefer to use a non-Powerpoint presentation format, we will have Acrobat Reader installed on the computers to display PDF file format.

Tips

Do not use fancy backgrounds, they make it difficult to read your text (uniform background colors are best).

Do not alternate between portrait and landscape slides. Use landscapes throughout instead.

Use a combination of colors for text and background that makes contrasts easy (i.e., use dark vs. light colors or vice versa; few people will be able to see red on black or green on yellow).

Be mindful of the fact that a sizable percentage of the male audience will be partially color blind (it's a genetic fact). Therefore, avoid use of light green or dark red.

Do not use too many high-resolution images in your presentation, it will slow it down. If you need many images, use graphic software such as Photoshop or Paintshop Pro to reduce the number of colors from millions to 256. The images will look almost the same, but they will take much less memory.

Once your presentation is ready, save it as "pack and go." (This is only for PCs) This will allow you to load it and run it on most other computers with no problem. To do this, in MS Power Point go under the "File" menu and click "Pack and Go." Power Point will start its Pack and Go Wizard. Follow the easy steps:

	Choose the presentation to pack (usually the active presentation).
	Choose the drive to copy it to (usually the E:\ drive, or whatever letter identifies your zip drive. You can also save it on your hard drive and later copy it to a zip disk). As a file name, use your last name to facilitate our job.
	Make sure you click the option to embed true fonts, otherwise your presentation might not look like you designed it. (Again, this is for PCs only)
	Check the option that allows you to save the Power Point viewer. While we will have the viewing software available on each machine, you never know... (Again, for PCs only)
	Click "finish" on the wizard window to pack and save your presentation.

Poster presenters: We expect to have posters on display during the entire event, though this may be altered if we have a large number of submissions. Please post your poster at your allotted number at the poster set up time (4:30-5:00 on Saturday July 13) Poster set up may begin earlier that day. Authors are required to stand by their posters during the poster session from 5PM to 7PM. Authors of odd-numbered posters should stand by their posters from 5-6PM and authors of even-numbered posters from 6-7PM. Posters must be taken down by 1pm on Tuesday afternoon.

Maximum area available for the poster is 1m (high) x 1.2m (wide) (3 ft. high x 4 ft. wide). Posters must be easily mounted and arranged in the space provided. Tacks for mounting will be furnished. The presenter must furnish any other mounting materials. Posters that require any electrical equipment or special audiovisuals must have prior written approval from the organizing committee.

Conference on Mathematics and Biology - SMB 2002 - Tips for computer presentations and posters

Guidelines if you wish to use our conference computers to give your talk

Prepare your talk using Microsoft Power Point 97 or 2000 (98 or 2000 if you are using a Mac).

Save your presentation as "pack and go" (see below), unless you have a Mac. In that case, save it using the default format and remember to change the file name so that it has the extension "*.ppt" (where * is your last name).

Save the presentation on a ZIP-100 disk, a CD-rom, or a standard floppy disc if it fits on that.

Check your disk for computer viruses.

If you prefer to use a non-Powerpoint presentation format, we will have Acrobat Reader installed on the computers to display PDF file format.

Tips

Do not use fancy backgrounds, they make it difficult to read your text (uniform background colors are best).

Do not alternate between portrait and landscape slides. Use landscapes throughout instead.

Use a combination of colors for text and background that makes contrasts easy (i.e., use dark vs. light colors or vice versa; few people will be able to see red on black or green on yellow).

Be mindful of the fact that a sizable percentage of the male audience will be partially color blind (it's a genetic fact). Therefore, avoid use of light green or dark red.

Do not use too many high-resolution images in your presentation, it will slow it down. If you need many images, use graphic software such as Photoshop or Paintshop Pro to reduce the number of colors from millions to 256. The images will look almost the same, but they will take much less memory.

Choose the presentation to pack (usually the active presentation).

Choose the drive to copy it to (usually the E:\ drive, or whatever letter identifies your zip drive. You can also save it on your hard drive and later copy it to a zip disk). As a file name, use your last name to facilitate our job.

Make sure you click the option to embed true fonts, otherwise your presentation might not look like you designed it. (Again, this is for PCs only)

Check the option that allows you to save the Power Point viewer. While we will have the viewing software available on each machine, you never know... (Again, for PCs only)

Click "finish" on the wizard window to pack and save your presentation.

Save your presentation as "pack and go" (see below), unless you have a Mac. In that case, save it using the default format and remember to change the file name so that it has the extension ".ppt" (where is your last name).