FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Registration • Cancellation of Registration • Payments • Abstract Submissions
Oral and Poster Presentations • General

• How do I register to attend the conference?
• I am trying to register for the conference online via the conference website. Where is the "submit" button for online submission?
• When should I register?
• When is the deadline for registration?
• I have sent my registration form. When should I expect to receive confirmation?
• The conference is less than two weeks away, and I haven't received any confirmation documents. What should I do?

Cancellation of Registration

• I am not yet sure if I can definitely attend the conference. Is it okay for me to register now and then cancel later, or just not turn up at the conference?
• I have to cancel my place at the conference. Can a colleague attend in my place?
• I have to cancel my place at the conference completely, and no one else from my organization can attend in my place. What do I need to do?
• I need to cancel my place. Do you need to know the reason for my cancellation?
• I need to cancel, but it is too late to get any sort of refund of my fee. Is it okay for me to just not turn up at the conference?

Payments

• When do I need to pay my registration fee?
• How do I pay my registration fee?
• The registration form only has space for credit card details, but I don't have a credit card. Can I pay another way?
• Have you received my payment?
• Will I get a receipt when I arrive at the conference?

Abstract Submissions

• Can I submit an abstract now?
• How do I submit an abstract?
• I have submitted my abstract but have not received confirmation of receipt, what should I do?
• I have submitted my abstract and received a receipt, but now I realize that it contained a mistake and I need to revise it, should I submit it again online?
• I have lost my abstract reference number - what should I quote when I contact the Conference Secretariat with a question?
• I have submitted my abstract for review and received an electronic receipt. What happens now?

Oral and Poster Presentations

• My abstract has been accepted, but I now need to withdraw it. How do I do this?
• My abstract has been accepted, but we won't be able to present it at the conference. Can it still be included in the conference abstract book?
• I submitted an abstract, but now I am unable to attend and present it at the conference. Can a co-author colleague present it on my behalf?
• What size should I make my poster?
• When is my oral presentation and how long should it last?
• The details of my presentation have changed, but the old details are still on the website. When will it be updated?

General

• I want to make sure that I am kept fully informed about this conference, and sent all relevant information about it. What should I do?
• Are there any group travel arrangements for the conference, official air carriers or official travel agents?
• Will I get the conference abstracts and program sent to me before the meeting?
• What materials will I get when I arrive at the conference?
• Do I need a visa to attend the conference, and if so, can the Conference Secretariat help me with my entry visa application?
• I am unable to come to the registration session at the start of the conference. Can I register at a later stage?

Registration

• How do I register to attend the conference?
  The registration period for the conference usually opens 3 - 6 months prior to the conference. The registration form is available on the website. Please complete the registration form in full and send it directly to the hotel by fax, telephone or email and your registration will be processed and confirmation documents will be sent to you.
  Back to top

• I am trying to register for the conference online via the conference website. Where is the "submit" button for online submission?
  For your security, we currently do not accept online registrations. Please print out the registration form available online and fax it to us or email to the address listed on the form.
  Back to top

• When should I register?
  Please register as soon as you know that your attendance is definite. This will mean that all the relevant documentation will be sent to you in good time before the conference, and your name will be included in the published list of participants. It will also mean that you have a guaranteed place - on occasions conferences do become fully booked and regrettably we do have to turn people away. However, if your attendance is not definite, please do not register yet.
  Back to top

• When is the deadline for registration?
  If you are planning to attend the conference as a standard delegate the registration deadline is February 15, 2006. However, if space is available at the conference, you can register right up until the conference itself. Do check the homepage of the conference website for announcements about the conference being/becoming fully booked. However, if you know you are going to attend, we do recommend that you do register as early as possible.
  Back to top

• I have sent my registration form. When should I expect to receive confirmation?
  All registrations are acknowledged in writing, and you will receive a confirmation letter, an invoice/receipt for your registration fee and information about final payment details. This is sent by airmail. Please allow approximately one week delivery time for airmail letters from the US.

Remember that registering in good time before deadlines means that you are dealt with promptly!
Back to top

• The conference is less than two weeks away, and I haven't received any confirmation documents. What should I do?
  This could mean that either your form was not received successfully, and you are not registered, or that our confirmation documents have not reached you successfully. It is essential that you make urgent contact with the Conference Secretariat in order to check the status of your registration.
  Back to top

Cancellation of Registration

• I am not yet sure if I can definitely attend the conference . Is it okay for me to register now and then cancel later, or just not turn up at the conference?
  No, if you are not sure that you can attend, do not register at this stage. Cancellation terms and conditions apply to your registration from the moment that you submit your signed registration form to us, as we will then be holding a place at the conference specifically for you. In addition if you book a place, and the conference becomes fully booked, you will be preventing someone else from attending the conference. Please refer to the Registration Information section of the conference website for the specific cancellation terms.
  Back to top

• I have to cancel my place at the conference. Can a colleague attend in my place?
  This is usually not a problem. Please inform the Conference Secretariat in writing of your details, plus the contact details of the person who will be attending in your place. A substitution can then be made, and no extra charge or cancellation penalty is incurred.
  Back to top

• I have to cancel my place at the conference completely, and no one else from my organization can attend in my place. What do I need to do?
  Please contact the Conference Secretariat in writing in order to cancel the place fully. Cancellation terms will apply, and the cancellation charge will depend on the date of your cancellation.
  Back to top

• I need to cancel my place. Do you need to know the reason for my cancellation?
  Not necessarily. Unfortunately, the cancellation terms outlined in the Registration Information section of the website apply regardless of the reason for your cancellation.
  Back to top

• I need to cancel, but it is too late to get any sort of refund of my fee. Is it okay for me to just not turn up at the conference?
  We would prefer that you inform the Conference Secretariat in writing of your cancellation for our records, regardless of whether you are due a refund or not.
  Back to top

Payments

• When do I need to pay my registration fee?
  A deposit of US$100 is due at the time of registration. Your registration fee must be paid in full by March 1, 2006, in order to ensure that you are allowed entry to conference sessions. In order to make the registration process as quick and efficient as possible for you, we recommend that you complete the registration form with your credit card details.
  Back to top

• How do I pay my registration fee?
  In order to expedite the registration process, please complete the registration form with your credit card details. Confirmation of your credit card payment along with registration confirmation documents will be sent to you. Please see the Registration Information section of the conference website for alternative payment methods.
  Back to top

• The registration form only has space for credit card details, but I don't have a credit card. Can I pay another way?
  If there is any way that you can pay by credit card, we do strongly recommend it, as it is the quickest and most efficient method of payment. However, if this is impossible, please see the Registration Information section of the conference website for alternative payment methods.
  Back to top

• Have you received my payment?
  Please refer to the invoice/receipt which was sent to you as part of your registration confirmation pack. This document will contain any payment details which we received at time of registration, and will be marked "fully paid" if payment has already been processed. Your invoice may be marked "Deposit Received" which means that we have received your US$100 and final full payment is due by March 1, 2006.
  Back to top

• Will I get a receipt when I arrive at the conference?
  No, not automatically. Your confirmation invoice/receipt is sent to you by (air)mail. We may be able to provide a copy of this at the registration desk, but we would prefer that you ask for the document by email before the conference if you can, rather than on-site at the conference. If you require any further receipt documents, please contact the Conference Secretariat before the conference.
  Back to top

Abstract Submissions

• Can I submit an abstract now?
  Information will be available on the call for posters section of the conference website. This will provide you with the relevant abstract submission deadline and submission guidelines, and it will also inform you if the submission period is not yet open, or if the deadline has passed and submissions are no longer being considered.
  Back to top

• How do I submit an abstract?
  Abstract submissions must be done online using the abstract submissions system. Please see the call for posters section of the conference website for full guidelines. The system involves you filling in a simple web form with your contact and abstract details, attaching your prepared abstract and pressing submit. The whole submission process is very quick, and means that your abstract is automatically acknowledged and is added to the review system. You must format your abstract exactly according to the template and guidelines provided on the website. Please do ensure that you submit carefully and accurately, in order to avoid later revisions. In order that you receive your automatic receipt, it is particularly important that you input your email address accurately.
  Back to top

• I have submitted my abstract but have not received confirmation of receipt, what should I do?
  Most importantly, do not resubmit your abstract at this stage! There may be a number of reasons why you have not received your receipt. There may be an email delay, there may have been an error in your email address field on the form, or your organization may have blocked the message assuming that it is spam. You should generally receive your receipt quoting your reference number within two hours of submission, but please wait one day before contacting the Secretariat. If you still do not have your receipt, please contact the Conference Secretariat in order to check the status of your submission.
  
  Important: Your submission is not valid until you receive the electronic receipt quoting your reference number! Please don't presume that we have received your abstract successfully until you have received acknowledgement of its safe receipt. If you contact us nearer to the conference enquiring about the status of your submission, and we have not received it, it may be too late at that stage for it to be considered.
  Back to top

• I have submitted my abstract and have received a receipt, but now I realize that it contained a mistake and I need to revise it. Should I submit the abstract again online?
  No, please do not resubmit your abstract online, as this will result in a duplication. Please send an email to the Secretariat explaining the revision, and attach the revised abstract. Remember to quote your abstract reference number.
  Back to top

• I have lost my abstract reference number - what should I quote when I contact the Conference Secretariat with a question?
  The Conference Secretariat will be able to remind you of your abstract reference number, which should be quoted in future correspondence. In the meantime, please provide the Secretariat with the corresponding author's full name and the full abstract title(s) related to your question, in order for us to be able to trace your submission.
  Back to top

• I have submitted my abstract for review and have received an electronic receipt. What happens now?
  Your abstract will be sent for review by the Conference Scientific Review committee, in order to determine whether it is acceptable for presentation at the conference. This can take some time, and the date when we expect to be able to inform you of the outcome of review will be included in your electronic abstract receipt. Correspondence informing you of the outcome of review will normally be sent to you by email and hard copy mail. This correspondence will inform you of the details of your presentation format, registration information as well as instructions for the submission of your full paper.
  Back to top

Oral and Poster Presentations

• My abstract has been accepted, but I now need to withdraw it. How do I do this?
  Please let the Conference Secretariat know as soon as possible by email, in order that we can update your records and the conference program.
  Back to top

• My abstract has been accepted, but we won't be able to present it at the conference. Can it still be included in the conference abstract book?
  Unfortunately, no. Only those abstracts to be presented at the conference by a registered delegate will be included in the conference program and abstract book. We do not allow abstracts to be printed in the conference materials unless a presenting author registers to attend the conference.
  Back to top

• I submitted an abstract, but now I am unable to attend and present it at the conference. Can a co-author colleague present it on my behalf?
  Subject to restrictions being in place regarding presenters giving multiple presentations, it should be acceptable for your co-author or colleague to present your material for you. However, it is essential that you inform the Conference Secretariat of the name of the new presenting author before the author registration deadline, as your failure to register by the deadline will mean that your material is removed from the program.
  Back to top

• What size should I make my poster?
  Full guidelines for the production of your poster are included with your acceptance correspondence. These details are not available on the conference website. Please contact the Conference Secretariat should you need a further copy of the guidelines.
  Back to top

• When is my oral presentation and how long should it last?
  Please refer to the conference oral program to see when your individual presentation will take place and its duration.
  Back to top

• The details of my presentation have changed, but the old details are still on the website. When will it be updated?
  Please inform the Conference Secretariat if your presentation details need to be updated on the website. Please bear in mind that the website is updated periodically, but is not immediately reflective of each change to the program as it occurs.
  Back to top

General

• I want to make sure that I am kept fully informed about this conference, and sent all relevant information about it. What should I do?
  In order that we can keep you fully informed, please complete the reply form on the conference website, or on the call for papers brochure. This will mean that we will be able to send to you information, such as the conference program and registration brochure when it becomes available. On the reply form, you can also request email updates, which is a good way for you to get the most up-to-date information. Due to data protection restrictions, we are unable to send you conference information unless you specifically request it using the reply form.
  Back to top

• Are there any group travel arrangements for the conference, official air carriers or official travel agents?
  No, we have found from experience that delegates prefer to make their own independent travel arrangements. In the age of internet bookings, it is easier and more cost-efficient for you to shop around and find the most convenient travel option for yourself. However on the registration form there is an option available for ground transportation from the Reno/Tahoe Airport to the Granlibakken Conference Center.
  Back to top

• Will I get the conference abstracts and program sent to me before the meeting?
  No, but the conference program will be available and updated on the conference website for you to print out up until the conference. The conference abstract book and final printed program, together with any late news items will be available for collection at the registration desk when you arrive at the conference.
  Back to top

• What materials will I get when I arrive at the conference?
  As a minimum, you will receive the final printed program and conference abstracts plus a list of participants. You will also receive a name badge at the registration desk which we ask you to wear throughout conference hours for security purposes. Please see the Registration Information section of the conference website for a list of exactly what is included in your registration fee.
  Back to top

• Do I need a visa to attend the conference, and if so, can the Conference Secretariat help me with my entry visa application?
  If you are unsure whether you need a visa to attend the conference, please check with your local embassy or travel agent. If you do, it is essential that you begin the process as soon as possible, in order that you obtain your visa in time for the conference or registration deadline. Visa application procedures for entering many countries, and in particular the USA, have become stricter and more complex following recent terrorist activities, and therefore it can take much longer to process your application than anticipated.
  
  Subject to certain conditions, we can provide a standard invitation letter to assist you with your visa application, and this should be requested from the Conference Secretariat. We do ask though that you submit your own application to the relevant authority and follow up accordingly. Unfortunately the Secretariat is unable to follow up your application on your behalf or enter into correspondence directly with consulates. The invitation letter simply invites you to register for the conference, and does not imply any undertaking to provide funding or act as financial guarantee for your stay in the hosting country.
  Back to top

• I am unable to come to the registration session at the start of the conference. Can I register at a later stage?
  Yes, the conference information and registration desk will be staffed throughout conference hours for queries and late registration.
  Back to top