Welcome Speakers!
We are thrilled to have you join us. To ensure a seamless and inclusive experience for all our attendees, we’ve provided the tools and guidance below to help you prepare your presentation.
Branded Presentation Template
To maintain a cohesive look and ensure your content is accessible to everyone, please use our official conference slide deck.
Download your copy of the Accessible PowerPoint Slide Deck Master
Access your copy of the Accessible Canva Slide Deck Master
Why use this template?
This deck is pre-configured with accessible color contrast, built-in layouts, and a logical reading order, saving you time and ensuring your presentation meets UC ANR and WCAG accessibility standards.
Take the Microlearning: Presenting for Everyone
Help us make this virtual conference inclusive for everyone. We ask all speakers to complete this 15 minute microlearning: Accessible Virtual Presentations: A Practical Guide for Presenters.
What you will learn:
- Simple, practical actions to take before, during, and after your session
- Easy ways to ensure every participant can engage with your expertise
- Bonus: A handy checklist to use during your live presentation
Presentation Style
To ensure your session is engaging and relatable, we encourage you to move beyond the technical details and tell a story. We want the audience to feel the impact of your work. Here are a few tips to help you pivot:
- Focus on the "Who," not just the "What": Instead of focusing solely on methodology, highlight the community members or environments impacted by your project.
- Show, Don't Just Tell: Use high-quality visuals—photos, short videos, or simple infographics—rather than dense bullet points.
- Humanize the Data: Share a brief testimonial or a success story from a participant. A single quote from a community member often carries more weight than a complex data table.
- Celebrate the Win: Use your closing to celebrate the overall success and the long-term value your project brings to the community.
Using Zoom Events
Our virtual conference runs on the Zoom Events platform. Because this platform has unique features for speakers, please prepare using these three steps:
- Update Your Software: Download and install the latest version of the Zoom Workplace desktop app before your presentation. Using the current version ensures you have access to the latest presenter features, screen sharing controls, and security updates.
- If Zoom is already installed, open the app, select your profile picture, and choose Check for Updates.
- Accessing Your Session as the Speaker: You will receive an email containing a unique speaker link to join your specific session. You can also log in to the main Zoom Events Lobby using the email address you registered with to find your session.
- Crucial Sign In Requirement You must log in to the Zoom desktop application using the exact email address where you received your speaker invitation. If you log in with a different account, the system will not recognize you as a speaker, and you will not be able to share your screen or enter the practice area.
- The Green Room: When you join your session early, you will enter a private practice area with the session host. Attendees will not be able to see or hear you until the host officially starts the live broadcast.
- Pacing Your Session: Zoom Events sessions are strictly scheduled. Please pace your presentation to allow a few minutes for questions at the end. Once the host ends the session, the live broadcast stops immediately for all attendees, and you will return to the backstage area with the host to wrap up.
Technical and Setup Requirements
To ensure a high-quality broadcast experience on Zoom Events, please make sure you have the following:
- Hardware: A laptop or desktop equipped with a webcam and microphone.
- Power: Keep your device plugged into a power source throughout the broadcast.
- Browser: A recent version of Chrome or Firefox.
- Internet: A strong, stable internet connection. If possible, connect directly to your router with an ethernet cable. Please have a mobile hotspot ready as a backup.
- Audio: We strongly recommend wearing earbuds or headphones to prevent audio echoes.
- Lighting: Position your light source in front of you. Avoid having a bright window behind you.
- Environment: Present from a quiet, distraction free location.
- System Settings: Disable notifications and close unnecessary apps to avoid interruptions during your screen share.
Schedule Your Tech Rehearsal
We want you to feel completely confident before you go live. We ask all speakers to schedule a brief 15-minute "tech run" to ensure your connection, audio, and screen sharing are working perfectly within the Zoom Events platform. You will need to be using the equipment that you will be using to present, we are testing your conference day tech set-up.
During this tech run, we will:
- Verify your microphone and camera quality.
- Test your screen sharing and slide transitions.
- Confirm your connection stability from your actual presenting location.
Email MGevents@ucanr.edu to request your tech run if they haven't reached out to you already.
Questions?
Contact: MGEvents@ucanr.edu