Please review the answers to these Frequently Asked Questions about the Blackburn Institute’s 2020 Virtual Annual Symposium. If your question is not answered here, please email Kathryn Drago.
Use the topics below to quickly find the answers you need.
Registration
Logging In to Symposium
Technology
Please watch our short how-to-use-Hopin video.
Also, at the beginning of each Symposium day (1:30-2 pm CDT on August 28 and and 8:30-9 am CDT on August 29), please join us for the check in and orientation session to familiarize yourself with Hopin.
Yes. For all panelists appearing on the stage (keynote speakers and featured panels), prior to Symposium, we will meet with you to acquaint you with the backstage area and “going live.” A Blackburn staff person will also be on stage with you to handle tech issues while you present.
For all other panelists, when Symposium is live you will be invited to a “Green Room” where Blackburn students or staff will show you how to share your audio/screen and allow participants to ask questions on screen. You will also have a student facilitator in your session to help you with technology.
The keynote sessions and the featured panels (Sessions IX and XIV) will happen on the stage. When you are in the Symposium site, click the “Stage” button on the left side of the screen to join one of these sessions.
All other sessions will show up when you click the “Sessions” button on the right side of the screen. These sessions will appear 5 minutes before they begin and disappear 5 minutes after they end.
Participation
Sharing your video is highly encouraged when asking speakers questions, in the Networking Break, and while participating in Coffee and Conversations discussions. However, it is not required. Video helps us to see facial expressions and build bonds while we are far away.
If you need to do something that might distract other participants (talk on the phone, tend to children, etc.), please turn off your camera for a moment and turn it back on when you can.
Traditional Blackburn Events
Interactivity
Yes. Between 10:15 and 10:45 am CDT on August 29, all participants are invited to the Networking Break. To join in Hopin, click the “Networking” button on the left, and then click “Ready.” You will be matched with another participant to speak with over video. During the Networking Break, you will have the opportunity to match with four participants for 7 minutes each. You will not be rematched with the same person. You can also share your contact information with whoever you’re matched with by clicking “Connect,” so make sure to fill out your profile.
Hopin will match you according to your ticket type:
- Blackburn students can meet AB Members, Fellows, guest speakers, and guests of the Institute
- Blackburn Fellows can meet AB Members, Blackburn students, guest speakers, and guests of the Institute
- AB members can meet Blackburn students, Fellows, guest speakers, and guests of the Institute
- Guest speakers can meet AB members, Blackburn students, and Fellows
- Guests of the Institute can meet AB members, Blackburn students, and Fellows
- Student guests can meet other student guests
If you registered for Symposium before 8/16, you have been assigned a Coffee and Conversations room based on the topic you selected. If you registered late, you may join On August 28 at 6 pm CDT, you will find these events under the “Sessions” button on Hopin.
Each room will have a maximum of 20 participants and a moderator and guided questions to keep conversation flowing. While the discussion officially ends at 7 pm, feel free to on the platform and continue talking over text or video chat. Additionally, please continue these discussions through Blackburn Connect.
Yes, but this will happen differently in Hopin’s Stage and Session areas.
In the Stage area (where you will hear from the keynote speakers and featured panels), there is a 10 second delay between what the speaker says and what the audience hears. Because of this, we encourage you to write you questions in Stage Chat. During the Q&A section of the talk, the moderator will read these questions to the speaker.
In the Session area, you can choose to share your audio and video to appear to everyone as you ask your question aloud. You can also choose to ask a question in the Session Chat, and the moderator of the session will help the panelists to answer those questions as well.