Roundtable Tips
When you submit a roundtable topic, you will automatically be considered the roundtable leader, so you cannot submit more than one roundtable discussion topic. Enter your name and contact information as the organizer and author.
To aid productive discussion, roundtables will take place in several rooms, organized by general theme/topic, on Thursday, September 26 and Friday, September 27. Each table will accommodate 8–10 participants. Please limit the number of speakers for each table to two.
The following are guidelines for roundtable leaders that will help ensure a successful session.
Prior to the Roundtable:
- Develop 3–4 key questions to prepare for a lively and focused discussion.
- Print handouts of the questions for the attendants.
During the Roundtable:
- Arrive at the table five minutes prior to the starting time.
- Distribute questions and handouts.
- Encourage participants to introduce themselves at the beginning: background and motivation for participating in the discussion. (Tip: Ask if anyone has specific questions to be asked at the beginning, so they can be included with the pre-planned questions.)
- Encourage active participation from everyone.
- Allow reasonable time for each planned question.
At the Conclusion of the Roundtable:
- Briefly summarize the discussion and thank all participants.
