Frequently Asked Questions

After careful consideration, the ASA has determined the best and most responsible decision is to hold the 2021 Women in Statistics and Data Science as a virtual conference due to concerns about COVID-19.

With the move to a virtual conference, we have adjusted the program dates to October 6–8, 2021. Adjusted session dates and times can be found in the online program. All session times are indicated (provided) in the Eastern Time Zone.

If you have already made your travel arrangements for Pittsburgh, please contact your travel provider to investigate the cancellation options you have available at this time.

All paid registrants. You may register for the event through Friday, October 8.

Registration is open now and will remain so through Friday, October 8.

Registration for the short courses is open now.

Yes, there will be a virtual exhibit hall as part of the virtual conference. Take a look at the current list of exhibitors.

Details about accessing the virtual WSDS 2021 conference will be made available to all registrants as the conference approaches.

The virtual event will take place on a third-party platform known as Pathable.

Additional information about the attendee experience, including a user FAQ & Best Practices guide, is available. This informational video may also prove useful.

Additionally, information about the program participant experience (speakers, instructors, and chairs), including a speaker FAQ & Best Practices guide, is available.

We plan for there to be no downloads or installations required for attendees to access the program. Login will be required to access the virtual event platform, and speakers/presenters will need to download and log in separately to Zoom to present during their session. Most content will be available on demand after the symposium concludes.

We plan for Zoom webinars to be used by session speakers for their presentations. Short courses will use Zoom meetings. All sessions will be accessible via the virtual event platform, and instructions will be provided. For details about presenting via the virtual platform, please see the Pathable Speaker FAQ.

A Pathable instructional video for speakers is also available.

The virtual conference will include short courses, general sessions, concurrent invited and contributed sessions, and e-poster/speed sessions. There will also be a virtual exhibit hall and networking events.

WSDS short courses will be presented virtually on the afternoon of October 6. You are still able to register for these both online and via the PDF registration form.

E-poster/speed presentations will consist of two parts: a live 3–4-minute overview during the scheduled concurrent session and a pre-recorded 10–15-minute presentation for on-demand viewing.

Please log in 10 minutes before your session starts to ensure connectivity, adjust volume, ask questions, etc. This is important and will help you!

The sessions will run essentially as they would have at the face-to-face meeting. Please be prepared to share your presentation (PowerPoint, Keynote, PDF, etc.) with the audience. Never fear—should any problems arise, there will be technical support available for assistance.

View the Pathable Speaker FAQ & Best Practices guide. A Pathable speaker training video is also available.

With the move to a virtual conference, the format of e-poster/speed presentations will be a bit different. E-poster/speed sessions will be in two parts: a pre-recorded 15-minute presentation and a live, 3–4-minute overview during the scheduled session.

Your 15-minute pre-recorded presentations (.mp4) will be uploaded to the platform. Instructions for uploading recorded presentations are forthcoming.

There are no restrictions on the recording software. You may use tools such as PowerPoint or Google Slides with audio, Zoom, WebEx, Teams, Prezi, etc. Get tips for creating a conference recording.

Closed captioning is highly recommended for recordings. Depending on the recording software/video platform you use, instructions for how to enable this feature will vary.

During your session, we need you to fulfill the same role as you would have during the face-to-face conference. This consists of the following:

• Log in 10 minutes before your session starts to ensure connectivity, adjust volume, ask questions, turn on live transcription/captioning, etc. This is important and will help you! There will be a technical support person assigned to your session.
• Introduce each speaker with name, affiliation, and talk title.
• Keep the session running on time.
• Manage Q&A.

Please refer to the online program for speaker start times (generally 15 or 30 minutes each, depending on the number of speakers in a session).

View the Pathable Speaker FAQ & Best Practices guide. A Pathable speaker training video is also available.

All sponsors and exhibitors are being contacted individually to review options for the 2021 conference. We are working to create opportunities that will deliver value during the virtual event and possibly beyond. If you have not been contacted or if you have general questions regarding sponsorship or exhibiting, please email Amy Farris at amy@amstat.org for more information.

Thank you for your continued support of this important event!