For Presenters and Moderators – Scientific Sessions 2024

Registration

Accepting an invitation to speak or moderate does not automatically register you for Scientific Sessions. As an invited speaker, moderator or poster professor, you must register online after completing a series of steps in the online notification system, accessible through the link emailed to you.

See registration information on the Scientific Sessions Registration page or click the link below to begin.

Invited Presenters, Moderators, Oral Abstract Presenters and Panel Participants

Presenters

Invited Presenters/Oral Abstract Presenters

  • All oral presenters are required to upload their presentation slide deck 24 hours before the start of their session.
  • To upload your presentation slide deck, access the AHA Scientific Sessions 2023 Orchestrate website.
    Site URL: https://aha2023.sessionupload.com
    • Username: speaker email address
    • Password: aha2023
  • Familiarize yourself with the session(s) you are speaking in. Ensure you stay within the time limit. Review the speaker notes and the session description for details.

While On-Site in Philadelphia:

  • Visit the Speaker Resource Room to upload or review your slide deck before your presentation.
  • Arrive at the meeting room 15 minutes before your session starts.
  • Stick to the allotted time for your presentation. If you go over, moderators will cut you off.

If you have any questions or need clarification about the session format or flow, contact the moderators of your session.


Moderators for Sessions

Moderators serve as the leads for each session held at AHA Scientific Sessions 2023. Moderators should ensure participants understand the flow of the session prior to arriving onsite. If requested, AHA staff can help arrange a teleconference or email to coordinate the session speakers.

  • As a moderator you welcome participants to the session and keep the session on track and on time. You also encourage discussion among panelists and audience members.
  • Social media moderators engage with audience members via social media platforms, such as X (formerly Twitter).
  • You can view slides in the on-site Speaker Resource Room.

While On-Site in Philadelphia:

  • Visit the Speaker Resource Room to review presentation slide decks before your session.
  • Arrive in the meeting room 15 minutes before the start of your session.
  • Welcome participants and audience members.
  • Encourage audience members to ask questions via the AHA mobile app and tag us on social media using #AHA23.

Panel Participants

Panel Participants serve to further conversation about the topics being discussed. You will not have a slide presentation.

If you have questions or need clarification about the session format or flow, contact the moderators of your session. AHA staff can help.


Session Types: Main Event, Late-Breaking Science, Featured Science, Cardiovascular Seminar, Early Career, Joint Session, Hall, Abstract Oral and Abstract Rapid Fire Oral

  • All PowerPoint slides need to be uploaded 24 hours before the start of your session.

    • All oral presentations must be in electronic slide form. We encourage the use of the Scientific Sessions Slide Template to develop presentations.

    • Invited presenters and oral abstract presenters: You’ll receive an email directing you to go to the presentation management website, Orchestrate, so you can upload your presentation in advance.

      • Panel Participants will not create a slide presentation, as the role of the panel participants is to further discussion and conversation regarding the topics being discussed.

    • While there is no limit to the number of slides for each presentation, we encourage you to plan one slide per minute.

  • As a presenter of any session type, if you have any questions or need clarification about the session format or flow, contact the moderators of your session.

  • Always check the Online Program Planner for changes that may have occurred closer to the meeting. Your speaking time could be affected by a canceled talk in the session.

Poster Presenters

Poster Presenter Guidelines

Poster Boards Location: Science and Technology Hall, Level 2, Hall A-D
Exhibit and Poster Hall Hours: (Presenters cannot access the poster area prior to the dates/times shown below.)

  • Saturday, Nov. 11 (9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ET)
  • Sunday, Nov. 12 (9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET)
  • Monday, Nov. 13 (9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. ET)

Poster Setup/Teardown

  • Posters must be set up on the morning of the scheduled presentation day, immediately upon the opening of the Exhibit and Poster area in the Science and Technology Hall. Mount your poster only on the day it is scheduled to be presented. (Refer to your acceptance notification for presentation details.)
  • Posters must remain on display all day of your scheduled presentation day. (Refer to the Exhibit and Poster Hall hours above.)
  • The poster board number will correspond with the pre-assigned Presentation Number, which can be found in your acceptance notification or on the AHA Mobile Meeting Guide App with utilization of the global search option. (App can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play)
  • All posters must be taken down at least 15 minutes prior to the closing of the Exhibit and Poster Hall area on the day it was presented. If a poster is not removed as instructed, it may be discarded.

Presentation Period

  • During the assigned poster session time, you must attend your poster for the entire time. This is mandatory. (Please refer to your acceptance notification for your assigned poster session date/time.)
  • You must be prepared to answer questions from attendees in a one-on-one format. (You will not need to give a formal presentation.)
  • If you have more than one poster to present at the same presentation time, then you must identify a co-author to be the presenting author of the additional poster. If this applies to you, you must send an email to [email protected] and copy the new presenting author to notify the AHA.
  • Your poster must be displayed for the duration of your assigned day. (Failure to present deprives the audience and leaves a space in the program that might have been filled by another presenter. Due to the competitive nature of the program, any unexplained absences may result in the denial to consider your future abstract submissions at any future AHA meeting.)

Publication

  • If you selected "Yes" on the Abstract Copyright Transfer Agreement, your abstract may be published in the online Circulation supplement, online Program Planner, Mobile Meeting Guide and ePosters. If you selected "No," your abstract will be excluded from these publications. (You submitted the Abstract Copyright Transfer Agreement at the time of your abstract submission.)
  • Per your acceptance notification, requests for withdrawal of an abstract must have been received in writing, via email, to [email protected] by Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, to avoid journal publication.

Poster Preparation Guidelines

ePosters and Poster Printing Service
All poster presenters are required to upload an ePoster. Information for ePosters submission and poster printing will be sent to you via email from [email protected] in late September. To ensure you received this important information, please add [email protected] to your safe-senders list.

Preparing Printed Poster
All authors’ disclosure information must be included in your poster. Please ensure that this information is clear and visible to attendees viewing the poster. Your presentation should contain succinct headings that organize and logically display the information. Graphics should be explicit and brief. Elaboration is best done verbally. (Think about how you’d present this information in an oral presentation using slides.) You must include a short, legible introduction and a summary of the conclusion.

The poster display may have the following identifiable sections, but they are not mandatory:

  • Hypothesis or objective
  • Methods
  • Results or outcomes

Our poster boards including the A-frame legs measure 84 inches high by 77 13/16 inches wide (213.36 centimeters high by 197.64 centimeters wide). The actual poster space on the board is ½ in thick gray fabric foam measuring 48 inches high by 77 3/16 inches wide (121.92 centimeters high by 196.06 centimeters wide).

Note: A 4.25-by-11-inch card containing your poster’s QR Code will be placed on the left side (mid-level) of the board. Please do not cover this card. The QR Code allows attendees to view poster information with their smartphones and listen to the author’s discussion of the study through a prerecorded audio narration or view supporting video(s) via the required ePoster that the presenting author has uploaded.

Graphic showing the sizes and placement of Posters in the poster hall.

All illustrations (figures, tables, diagrams, equations, etc.) should be final before arriving at the Science and Technology Hall. Keep in mind:

  • Keep text and figure legends explicit and brief.
  • Create illustrations that can be read from distances of approximately 4 feet (1.2 meters) to 6 feet (1.8 meters).
  • Create charts, drawings and illustrations similar to those you would use for slides.
  • Do not mount your materials on thick poster board because it may be too heavy for pushpins, which will be provided for you to mount your poster materials.

Storage
An unattended poster storage area will be provided in the Science and Technology Hall. You may store your materials in this area before and after your presentation. However, please note that AHA staff will not be responsible for stored material. Do not leave valuables, especially laptops, in this storage area.

Design, Materials and Production
A poster is an artistic expression of scientific data. Posters usually have eye-catching but simple drawings, diagrams, graphs and/or photographs with clean and attractive layouts.

Sources for Design and Production

  • Art department at your institution
  • Commercial art schools
  • Commercial artists
  • Graphic designers
  • Advertising agencies

Background Materials

  • Color sheets and film overlays
  • Matte and glossy surfaces, most self-sticking brands, such as Pantone color paper, Pantone color/tint overlays, Chartpak
  • Hot press illustration board (very smooth and has less absorbent surface than regular grade)

Printing and Drawing

  • Color keys
  • Computer systems that can generate large, readable type
  • Professionally set type
  • Press type (rub on)
  • Geotype, Letraset, Chartpak, Format
  • Border tape (rub on) (see brand names above)

Readability of Posters
Keep in mind that large audiences view the poster sessions. To accommodate a group at a single poster presentation, the size of the lettering (type) must be large enough to be legible from approximately 6 feet (1.8 meters) away.

The key to good readability is to choose contrasting colors and shades. Simple use of color can add emphasis effectively. The six best color combinations are:

  • Black on white
  • Red on white
  • Green on white
  • Blue on white
  • White on blue (no diazo)
  • White on black

Choose a typeface that is simple and clear. The weight of the type chosen (the thickness of each letter) should be medium or bold. The actual size of the type is measured in points. Below are examples of recommended point sizes for legible viewing from various distances.

The actual size of the type is measured in "Points." To be legible at a distance of eight feet, the minimum type size used should be 30 points. Below are suggestions of type for viewing at various distances.

Legible point sizes
To be Legible at: Use this point size:
6 feet 30 pt. M
10 feet 48 pt. M
12 feet 60 pt. M
14 feet 72 pt. M

Uploading your Presentation

  1. Enter your show’s Orchestrate URL in your browser. (This URL is normally provided in a welcome email along with your username or password.)
    Note: If you are unsure of your username, password, or URL please email Orchestrate@freemanco.com.

  2. Enter your Username and Password and Click "login."
    Results: You will be logged into the dashboard page of Orchestrate

  1. Click "Upload Files."
    Result: A dialog box to locate your file on your computer will open

A still frame from the Orchestrate website to upload speaker presentations.

  1. Locate the file you'd like to upload on your computer. Click "Open" to begin uploading your file.
    Results: A progress Bar will appear under the file name section. If your upload was successful, you will receive a pop-up message indicating that the upload was successful, and your files will appear listed under the appropriate session/presentation.
A still frame from the Orchestrate website to upload speaker presentations.

Important notes:

  • Closing the window or logging out before the file has been uploaded will completely cancel the file upload.
  • Only allowed file types an be uploaded. (PPT, PPTX, and PDF)
  • When naming your file please keep the length under 30 characters and do not include special symbols: $ & +,/:;Z@“#%{}|\^* as this will prevent your presentation from uploading through the submission website.
  • The uploaded file size must be under 2GB.