Merge branch 'vis2024' of github.com:ieee-vgtc/ieeevis.org into vis2024

_posts/2024-09-25-vis-2024-OPC-blog.md

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+title: The Road to VIS 2024 - Reflections on Reviewing
+description: 
+layout: blog-page
+active_nav: Blog
+authors: The VIS 2024 Overall Paper Chairs
+author_contact: [email protected]
+permalink: /blog/vis-2024-OPC-blog-Reviewing
+---
+
+The road to VIS 2024 is coming to an end and our work as OPCs is almost done. In a few short weeks, we will be opening the paper program at the conference and we will be saying farewell to outgoing OPC Tamara Munzner, who served the conference both last year as well as this one. Together with stalwart OPC assistant Petra Specht, Holger Theisel and Niklas Elmqvist will continue on for next year, and will be joined by Melanie Tory from Northeastern University as the third OPC.
+In other words, this is as good a time as any to reflect on the road to VIS 2024: what went wrong, what went well, and what will happen in the future.
+This is the tenth "Road to VIS 2024" post that we are posting to the IEEE VIS website. Overall, we count this blog post series as a positive achievement for VIS 2024. We hope that these posts have helped to shed some light on the inside workings of the conference for both early-career and senior researchers alike. We have valued the chance to speak to the community directly in this way.
+If you cast your mind back to the early days of the blog, you may remember our second post on the ["Call for Papers"](https://ieeevis.org/year/2024/blog/vis-2024-OPC-blog-call-for-papers), where we talked about the four changes we were making to the conference for 2024. Earlier this summer, we distributed a survey to our program committee to collect their feedback on these changes and the overall review process this year. Out of a total of 142 PC members and 12 Area Papers Chairs, we received 75 responses—thank you!—which we think is a pretty good rate, and certainly good enough to base our decision-making on.
+Our first change, to reduce the number of reviewers per paper from four to three (primary, secondary, and one external reviewer) yielded 47% in favor, 18% undecided, and 35% negative (see below). There were many free-form comments in favor and against; we read them all. Nevertheless, we think that this response warrants continuing the experiment for at least another year. We are awaiting the VSC's final decision on this proposal for VIS 2025.
+[statistic 1](./images/2024-09-25/Bild_1.png)
+Our second change, to increase the load for each PC member from six to eight—and thereby reducing the size of the program committee to free up external reviewers—was much less popular. As can be seen in the pie chart below, 74% were against keeping this load and wanted to go back to 6 per PC member, 11% were undecided, and only 15% felt that the 8 papers per PC member load was acceptable. The comments were rather scathing, with some respondents saying they would decline the PC next year if the higher load was maintained for VIS 2025. While we note that 8 used to be the norm for the VIS conference in the past, we have heard this feedback loud and clear. We are awaiting the VSC's approval on going back to 6 papers per PC member for VIS 2025.
+[statistic 2](./images/2024-09-25/Bild_2.png)
+We also collected general feedback on the review process and read each of the responses. Overall, PC members provided many helpful tips on managing the reviewing load, finding external reviewers, increasing the reviewer pool, improving the transparency of the process, and desk rejecting more liberally. We thank everyone who took the time to offer their thoughts on the process and we will be doing our best to incorporate their feedback, directly or indirectly, for next year.
+This brings us to the topic of the future: VIS 2025. While we have not yet even held VIS 2024, it is never too early to prepare for what's next. Beyond the changes discussed above—keeping three reviewers and going back to six papers per PC member—we have some bold ideas of where VIS should go. Some of these deal with improvements to PCS to reduce the impact of unethical reviewing; see our post on ["Decisions"](https://ieeevis.org/year/2024/blog/vis-2024-OPC-blog-decisions_2), for more details on this. However, some ideas that we are considering are sufficiently bold or experimental that we would first like to hear what the community has to say about them. For this reason, the VIS 2024 and the incoming 2025 OPCs plan to discuss them at the VIS town hall during the conference. To give you a flavor of some of the things we are considering, we're thinking about (1) extending the deadline a week for only supplemental material, (2) giving authors the option to publish anonymized reviews with their accepted papers, and (3) introducing a student reviewer program where primary reviewers optionally get to invite a Ph.D. or masters student as an advisory "student reviewer" for each paper they manage.
+We hope that you will join us at the VIS 2024 town hall so that you can weigh in on these ideas, and offer any other ideas that you may have for improving VIS in the future.
+Anyway, our work here is almost done. This has been quite a ride and we're looking forward to a vibrant finale at the conference. We can't wait to let you see the exciting scientific program that the community has assembled. See you in St. Pete's Beach!

_posts/2024-09-26-vis-2024-OPC-blog.md

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+---
+title: The Road to VIS 2024 - Conference Talks 101
+description: 
+layout: blog-page
+active_nav: Blog
+authors: The VIS 2024 Overall Paper Chairs
+author_contact: [email protected]
+permalink: /blog/vis-2024-OPC-blog-Talks
+---
+There is an art to orchestrating a successful talk session at any conference, including IEEE VIS. Whether you're a session chair, speaker, or attendee, this blog post will help you make the most of your IEEE VIS experience, and to help others make the most of theirs.
+
+## For Session Chairs
+Session chairs play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth flow of presentations and discussions during the VIS conference. Your responsibilities begin before the conference and continue to the end of your assigned session.
+
+You should be communicating with your speakers even prior to the conference. Reach out to them well in advance, requesting a preprint PDF of their paper to familiarize yourself with their work if you cannot easily find it with a quick search online. While you don't need to read the papers in depth, skimming them will help you generate potential questions and lead a more engaging discussion. Although you will hear from the VIS organizers which of the authors will actually be giving the talk, you should double check with the speaker to ensure that this information is still correct.
+
+When you arrive at your designated room during the conference, introduce yourself to the student volunteer and A/V technician. Knowing who these individuals are will be invaluable if any technical issues arise during the session. Once your speakers start to arrive, take the time to learn the correct pronunciation of their name. Write it down phonetically so that you will be able to repeat it reliably in the heat of the moment. You should also make sure that they have all plugged in their computers and tested their setup.
+
+Open the session by stating your name and affiliation. Give a (very brief) overview of the papers that will be presented, setting the stage for the audience. For example, you could say "Hi everyone, my name is X from Y, and I will be your session chair today. Our session has six exciting papers on the topic of Z. Let's start with the first paper, which will be presented by W."
+
+Time management is one of your key responsibilities as a session chair. IEEE VIS is a large event with multiple parallel sessions, and many attendees like to "session hop" between talks. To facilitate this, it's crucial to not just start and end your session on time, but also the individual talks in the session. You should probably work out the exact timing in advance. Consider using prepared signs (or slides) to keep speakers aware of their remaining time, such as "5 minutes left," "2 minutes left," and "Time's up."
+As session chair, you are responsible for leading the discussion during the Questions & Answers (Q&A) after each talk. Have your own questions ready in case the audience needs encouragement. Manage the length of the Q&A period appropriately, and be ready to politely cut off long-winded questions or answers. If there's a line at the microphone and time is running short, you may need to respectfully inform waiting attendees that you've reached the end of the Q&A period.
+
+As you wrap up the session, thank the speakers and attendees, and remind everyone of any upcoming events or announcements.
+
+Summary of key things to remember:
+-	Communicate with speakers before the conference and familiarize yourself with their work;
+-	Learn how to pronounce each speakers' name before the session begins;
+-	Manage time strictly, using visual cues to keep speakers on schedule; and
+-	Be prepared to lead the Q&A, having your own questions ready if needed.
+
+## For Speakers
+As a speaker, your goal is to effectively communicate your research while respecting the time and attention of your audience. Thorough preparation is key to a successful presentation.
+
+The VIS conference typically provides a speaker ready room where you can test your technology and rehearse your talk. Take advantage of this resource to ensure your laptop connections, audio, video, and any demos are working correctly. Practice your talk to make sure you can comfortably fit it within the allotted time. Note that you probably have to schedule a slot in the ready room, so plan in advance.
+
+On the day of your presentation, arrive at the session room at least 15 minutes before it starts. Introduce yourself to the session chair and confirm the pronunciation of your name. And if you're on the job market, let them know—they can announce it at the start of your talk, which is a great way to increase your visibility!
+
+During your talk, be mindful of the time. Start and end your presentation on time, paying attention to any time-keeping signals from the session chair. Aim for the ["Goldilocks length"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldilocks_principle)—not too long, not too short, but just right.
+
+During the Q&A session, keep your answers concise and to the point. If a question requires a lengthy discussion, offer to continue it after the session (this is also how you deal with a very technical and/or too specialized question). As your time slot comes to an end, be prepared to vacate the podium promptly for the next speaker. You can even begin packing up your equipment while answering final questions if necessary.
+After your talk, stay in the room to field additional questions and be open to continuing discussions during breaks or social events. One of the great benefits of in-person events is the chance to discuss your work with others at odd times during the event—make sure you take advantage of this!
+Summary of key things to remember:
+-	Arrive early to test your setup and meet the session chair; 
+-	Adhere strictly to your allotted time; and
+-	Be prepared for the Q&A, offering to continue lengthy discussions after the session.
+
+## For Attendees
+Attendees play a vital role in creating an engaging and respectful atmosphere. Please enter the room quietly if you're joining a session in progress. If you're planning to "session hop," try to do so between talks to minimize disruptions.
+
+Remember that questions, even if they are critical, show your appreciation for the speaker's work. In other words, if you have a question, don't hesitate to ask—it's the best way to compliment the speaker. Do think through your question before you get to the microphone to ensure that it is concisely worded and relevant to the talk. If you find yourself starting with the infamous words "I have more of a comment than a question", step away and save that comment for a later one-on-one discussion with the speaker after the session is over. When it's your turn, start by stating your name and affiliation, then speak clearly into the microphone. Always use the provided microphone for accessibility reasons: "I'm loud" is not loud enough for people in the room who are deaf or hard of hearing, or those who are listening to a session remotely through a livestream or a recording.
+
+Summary of key things to remember:
+-	Enter and exit rooms quietly, especially when "session hopping"; and
+-	Ask concise, relevant questions and always use the provided microphone.
+
+## Closing
+By following these guidelines, we can all contribute to making IEEE VIS 2024 a successful and enriching experience. Whether you're chairing a session, presenting your work, or attending talks, you have an important role to play in fostering a collaborative and insightful conference environment.
+
+We look forward to seeing you all at IEEE VIS 2024 in a few short weeks!
+

content/info/registration/hurricane-planning.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ You can't have a conference in Florida during hurricane season without a little
 
 ## Historical Context
 
-Since 1852, 62 tropical storms and 53 hurricanes have come within 100 miles of St. Pete Beach, with 16 tropical storms and 14 hurricanes occuring in October. Furthermore, the variation in size (typically 300 mi in diameter) and asymtrical impact (Northeast corner is most heavily impacted) of storms mean that some of those events would not have directly impacted the St. Pete Beach area. That is all to say, a hurricane is not likely but certainly possible.
+Since 1852, 62 tropical storms and 53 hurricanes have come within 100 miles of St. Pete Beach, with 16 tropical storms and 14 hurricanes occurring in October. Furthermore, the variation in size (typically 300 mi in diameter) and asymmetrical impact (the Northeast corner is most heavily impacted) of storms mean that some of those events would not have directly impacted the St. Pete Beach area. That is all to say a hurricane is not likely but certainly possible.
 
 Learn more with the [NOAA Historical Hurricane Tracks](https://coast.noaa.gov/hurricanes/#map=6.78/27.725/-82.768&search=eyJzZWFyY2hTdHJpbmciOiJTYWludCBQZXRlIEJlYWNoLCBQaW5lbGxhcyBDb3VudHksIEZsb3JpZGEsIDMzNzA2LCBVU0EiLCJzZWFyY2hUeXBlIjoiZ2VvY29kZWQiLCJvc21JRCI6IjEyMTY4MjAiLCJjYXRlZ29yaWVzIjpbIkg1IiwiSDQiLCJIMyIsIkgyIiwiSDEiLCJUUyJdLCJ5ZWFycyI6W10sIm1vbnRocyI6W10sImVuc28iOltdLCJwcmVzc3VyZSI6eyJyYW5nZSI6WzAsMTAzMF0sImluY2x1ZGVVbmtub3duUHJlc3N1cmUiOnRydWV9LCJidWZmZXIiOjEwMCwiYnVmZmVyVW5pdCI6WyJNaWxlcyJdLCJzb3J0U2VsZWN0aW9uIjp7InZhbHVlIjoieWVhcnNfbmV3ZXN0IiwibGFiZWwiOiJZZWFyIChOZXdlc3QpIn0sImFwcGx5VG9BT0kiOnRydWUsImlzU3Rvcm1MYWJlbHNWaXNpYmxlIjp0cnVlfQ==).
 
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ Atlantic hurricane season is now considered June 1 to November 30. We recommend
 NOAA produces two and [seven day outlooks](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc&fdays=7) of storm formation.
 <img src="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/xgtwo/two_atl_7d0.png" width=500 />
 
-Once a storm has formed, the [CNN Storm Tracker](https://www.cnn.com/interactive/storm-tracker/) provides several visualization that you may find useful.
+Once a storm has formed, the [CNN Storm Tracker](https://www.cnn.com/interactive/storm-tracker/) provides several visualizations that you may find useful.
 
 ## Mitigation Planning
 
-Often when weather events occur, plans do not need to be significantly adjusted (think really bad thunderstorm). Nevertheless, safety is of the utmost importance, and mitigation plans are underway, should we need to make changes due to weather conditions. If bad weather is likely to occur, registrated participants can expect frequent updates from the general chairs. Further, web and tech chairs will be prepared to move conference activities to hybrid or virtual, as necessary.
+Often when weather events occur, plans do not need to be significantly adjusted (think really bad thunderstorm). Nevertheless, safety is of the utmost importance, and mitigation plans are underway should we need to make changes due to weather conditions. If bad weather is likely to occur, registered participants can expect frequent updates from the general chairs. Further, web and tech chairs will be prepared to move conference activities to hybrid or virtual, as necessary.