What's Inside - August 2022

Planning to Succeed

By Marie Hunter, Head of IEEE Global Meetings, Conferences and Events

Stay in the Know

New Resources for Implementing Job Recruiting at IEEE Conferences

Organize Like a Pro

Including Virtual Access in Your Conference Plans

Meet the MCE Team

Brett Houseal, Program Manager, Digital Productions

Available Resources

IEEE CrossCheck for Conference Paper Plagiarism Screening

Planning to Succeed

A recent article circulating in the hospitality industry reports that event attendance is not fully back to 2019 levels. This comes as no surprise, and when we look at the guidance we gave for 2022--to estimate 60% of the 2019 attendance in your contracts and space bookings--we are reassured that this data supports our earlier 2022 guidance.

Having said that, some events are experiencing record attendance, with enthusiastic participants delighted to be back in person.

My recommendation is to stay the course; be conservative in making contractual arrangements when planning events. At the same time, invest in your events to attract audiences, and don't forget to make the experiences memorable once they return.

How can we help?

Stay in the Know

New Resources for Implementing Job Recruiting at IEEE Conferences

In February, the IEEE Board of Directors (BoD) passed an update to Policy 10 that includes new language for job recruiting at conferences. This change allows each conference chair to decide whether job recruiting is appropriate or not at their event.

Additional guidance is now available on the MCE website to help organizers better understand the options, implications, and best practices for job recruiting at conferences. IEEE Volunteer, John Barr, and the IEEE Conferences Committee developed the guidance with input from VPs of Conferences and Regional Conference Coordinators.

Explore Conference Job Recruiting Possibilities

These guidelines will support organizers in determining how job recruiting might benefit their conference communities including attendees and related companies.

Get Started

Organize Like a Pro

Including Virtual Access in Your Conference Plans

As conferences return in person, you may wonder where virtual events fit into your strategy. During the pandemic, virtual events helped IEEE conferences reach new audiences, enhance inclusivity, realize cost savings, and achieve greater sustainability. However, going hybrid can be logistically challenging and costly. So what is an organizer to do? Here are some ideas for building virtual events into your future plans.

Cultivate digital events thought leadership

Consider creating new conference roles to lead your virtual events strategy and position you to pivot during emergencies. At the Society/OU level, a Digital Conference Coordinator can cultivate portfolio readiness to support virtual events. This role can facilitate sharing across your Society of virtual events technical knowledge, vendors, and equipment. At the conference level, a Digital Event Chair can coordinate AV, work with virtual presenters, and liaise with production vendors.

Consider a few virtual-only events for your portfolio

The virtual format is ideal for events with content-intensive programs, global attendee and author audiences, and those supported by tech-savvy organizing committees or members. Depending on their audience, location, and goals, some of your current face-to-face events might be a great fit for virtual. Newly developed virtual flagships or event series taking place throughout the year could also be a welcome addition to your portfolio.

Use virtual events to diversify your content

Recorded content from virtual events, such as keynotes or audio recordings, can find new life in the IEEE Resource Center, social media, or podcasts. Make this content available on demand after your event, or use it for a future year’s conference marketing. Consider monetizing content or offering educational credits to create new revenue streams. Grow or establish your online library of technical content to engage your audience year-round.

Consider going virtual to explore cross-disciplinary opportunities

Virtual events can open the door to other related IEEE OUs' and Societies’ members joining your event or paying for content. You may also use virtual events to broaden your speaker pool, leading to a richer technical program with a wider array of topics. Going virtual can also help you expand your potential reviewers for your peer-review process.

Use virtual as a springboard for sponsorship opportunities

Virtual events present less friction for partners and contributors to get involved (think reduced overhead, physical footprint, space rental, and booth requirements).

Expanded reach, cost savings, and enhanced content visibility are just a few of the ways virtual events can strengthen your portfolio. To learn more about the next generation of virtual events, visit the MCE website or contact our team.

Contact MCE

Meet the MCE Team

Brett Houseal, Program Manager, Digital Productions

As a member of the Meetings, Conferences & Events (MCE) Strategic Programs Team, Brett provides program management for MCE strategic initiatives with a focus on digital event production, as well as other operational transformations in the MCE business.

Brett joined IEEE in 2017 and has served in several roles as a jack-of-all-trades in the (MCE) department. In his previous role, he contributed to the Event Operations Team, managing the complete sales lifecycle of MCE's event registration services and supporting sales activity for all other service offerings. With 10+ years of experience in video production, Brett also collaborates with MCE colleagues on special projects, creative/graphic generation, and video production.

Brett is a champion for teamwork, humility, and inclusion. He enjoys learning what makes people tick and how gadgets work and places thoughtful attention on efficiency and effectiveness. He is a "techie" who is always looking for opportunities to integrate the latest and greatest in work and play.

Brett obtained his BA in Communication from Marist College (Poughkeepsie, NY), where he was a four-year member of the NCAA Division I baseball team; he holds an MBA from Wesley College (Dover, DE) and is a certified PCMA Digital Event Strategist (DES). He is a proud Philadelphia sports fan and currently resides in New Jersey.

Available Resources

IEEE CrossCheck for Conference Paper Plagiarism Screening

Did you know that the IEEE CrossCheck Portal is available to all conference organizers and periodical editors to help screen papers for plagiarized material? The IPR Office partnered with the IEEE Publications Technology department to develop the CrossCheck Portal as a stand-alone web application that can be used by any conference publications volunteer at any time.

Why Use IEEE CrossCheck?

Free to IEEE Conference Organizers

IEEE-vetted tool
Easy uploads of individual and batch submissions
Direct support provided by the IPR Office staff

Learn more and register

How can MCE help?

IEEE Meetings, Conferences & Events (MCE)

445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA

Phone: +1 855 340 4333 (Toll-free US & Canada)

+1 732 562 3878 (Worldwide)

Email: [email protected]

Website: ieeemce.org

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