Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The annual meeting is typically held in-person each September, beginning on the Sunday after Labor Day. Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, SCEC2020 was held as a four-day online meeting, September 14-17, 2020. All presenters and attendees participated remotely.

Who attended the SCEC Annual Meeting?

• SCEC project teams presented results of research funded through the SCEC Collaboration Plan and other Center projects. Investigators presented results at the annual meeting poster sessions, workshops and/or working group meetings.
• SCEC leadership, advisory groups, and full-time staff from SCEC headquarters
• Agency sponsors and partners who provide funding support for Center activities and initiatives
• Researchers working on topics relevant to SCEC priorities and initiatives that are interested in engaging with the SCEC collaboration
• Potential academic, government, and industry partners connected with computational science, earthquake engineering research, risk communication and other practical applications of SCEC research
• Early career scientists, graduate students, and undergraduate interns typically make up more than 40% of participants.

Registering for the SCEC Annual Meeting

How do I register for the SCEC annual meeting?

• Register for the meeting by August 15, 2020 (5:00pm Pacific Time Zone). A SCEC account is required for meeting registration.
• Submit an abstract for the poster sessions by August 15, 2020 (5:00pm Pacific Time Zone). Submitted abstracts are reviewed and, within 1 week, accepted abstracts will be posted online.

What is the cost of attending the SCEC annual meeting?

• For the 2020 SCEC annual meeting, there is no fee to register for the online meeting sessions.

What if I have missed the registration and abstract deadline?

• We cannot offer late registration (or late abstract submission) for SCEC2020. The number of "seats" in the meeting and "boards" in the poster gallery have been purchased and are locked for security purposes. After August 15th, we accepted via an email to scecmeet@usc.edu requests be placed on a waitlist in the case of cancellations. As of August 30, the waitlist is closed. SCEC2020 zoom participation is now completely locked. No more participants can be added.

Get Ready Attendees!

Meeting new folks online can be a challenge. Here are a few tips and tricks to help ensure you are represented the best way possible:

• Update your SCEC profile with a current headshot image, your expertise and correct contact information. The participant images, meeting people directory and presentation information all link to your scec.org user profile throughout the annual meeting website.
• Manage your Zoom profile and background. Use the same headshot in Zoom and in your scec.org profile. Turn on your camera during sessions when possible so people can meet you. Use Zoom virtual backgrounds from your university’s website or download your SCEC2020 "meeting badge" to use as a custom zoom background and give people context to engage with you.
• Be available to meet people and to share information. Coordinate with your co-authors to manage your poster “space”. Plan shifts to make sure someone is in your poster’s zoom room during the live poster sessions each afternoon. Have figures, datasets, animations or other materials at the ready. Use your poster’s lightning talks and full tour videos to introduce others to your work. Choose to be notified when someone leaves a comment on your poster, and follow-up with them.

My abstract has been accepted, now what?

• Poster Presentations. Work with your co-authors to prepare your poster presentation content, including a poster PDF and optional videos of 1-minute lightning talk and 5-minute walk-through of your poster. Upload your poster PDF and link to accompanying videos by September 11, 2020. Plan on a square aspect ratio - the SCEC template posters are sized at 45" x 45", which will display well online. See the SCEC2020 Poster Session Guide for more information and links to templates you may opt to use.
• Oral Presentations. Only invited plenary speakers will have oral presentations during the science theme sessions. Session moderators and speakers will be supported by the SCEC meeting team, who will help you prepare for the session and facilitate the online meeting format. More detailed instructions will be emailed to all invited plenary speakers and session moderators.

What are the guidelines and requirements for the online posters?

• See the SCEC2020 Poster Session Guide for detailed instructions.

What technology and equipment do I need to attend?

• At a minimum you will need a computer, internet connection, modern web browser (Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox preferred), and audio (speaker/headphone and microphone). For a better interactive online experience, a webcam and headset are recommended.
• Zoom video and web conferencing software installed on your computer. You should have a Zoom user account with the same email that you registered for the meeting. (You can sign up for a basic Zoom account — it’s free.)

• Make time to configure your Zoom settings to improve the quality of your online meetings.
• This video explains advanced Zoom settings so you can look and sound your best, screen share, and record.
• See tips on managing Zoom meetings with a large number of attendees.
• Learn more about Zoom’s accessibility features & ADA compliance.

During the SCEC Annual Meeting

How do I join the online SCEC Annual Meeting?

• The meeting platform will open between Monday, September 14 at 7am Pacific time. The first live session begins at 8am.
• Go to the SCEC2020 live program which will have links to join the live talks and visit the online poster gallery.
• The meeting platform will close on Thursday, September 17 at 6pm Pacific time.
• The online meeting platform is only available to registered participants.

What technical support is available for me?

• Help with Zoom. Live support will be available courtesy of USC Dornsife Technology Services. See sidebar above.
• Help with the website or program questions. Email scecmeet@usc.edu.

What accessibility accommodations are available?

• Pre-recorded talks will be captioned. Every effort will be made to have captions available during live meeting sessions.
• Presentation slides will be available for download (with speaker’s permission) as soon as possible after each presentation.
• Participants with additional accessibility needs are encouraged to contact scecmeet@usc.edu as early as possible to determine if we are able to help.

The Southern California Earthquake Center is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all participants. We take pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive SCEC community, and therefore expect all participants to abide by the SCEC Activities Code of Conduct.