Below are some preliminary practicalities concerning those who will be presenting at MEHAT. Additional ones will be added as the conference nears. For more general information on how to get to the conference, where to stay, how to get around, and where to go near the university and beyond, please see our MEHAT Guide to Chicago.
Submitting the Paper
You will receive an email in early April with the names and contact information of your co-panelists and panel moderator, with whom you will share your conference papers. (There is no need to send the paper to the conference organizers.) The deadline for sharing your paper with your moderator and co-panelists will be approximately 2 weeks prior to the conference. To ensure fruitful comments and discussion, please adhere to this deadline.
Preparing the Oral Presentation
We urge all participants to tailor their written papers to the oral format of the presentation. Each person will present, individually and in turn, for 15 minutes. Please see this guidelines sheet for MEHAT’s panel format and some tips for newer presenters. Those who find this task challenging may also find these guides helpful: “Everything You Need to Know about Presenting a Scholarly Paper in Public,” by the historian Linda K. Kerber, and “How to Give an Academic Talk,” by technology historian Paul N. Edwards.
A/V Equipment
Each panel room in Stuart Hall will be equipped with a projector, allowing you to share audiovisual materials—maps, images, excerpts of a text, short video clips, and/or an outline of the talk itself—with your audience. If you decide to make use of the projector, you must bring your own laptop or other VGA-compatible or HDMI-compatible device.
If you have trouble with these matters, please be sure to tell us that you’ll need help. Some of our volunteers will be assigned to assisting you with your A/V needs, but it is best to arrive prepared and willing to test your equipment before your panel.
Internet and Library Access
The University of Chicago has campus-wide wireless internet. All participants will be provided log-in credentials to free guest access. If your university has a subscription to eduroam you may access the internet this way as well.
For those who wish to visit Regenstein or any of our other libraries, you can get a pass at the ID and Privileges Office on the first floor of the library. Be sure to bring your institutional ID and let them know that you’re attending a conference.
Disabilities
MEHAT is committed to providing an accessible forum for all its presenters and participants. If you have difficulties with mobility, hearing, vision, speech, or any other disability that needs accommodation, please contact us in advance at mehatconference@gmail.com.
