Organisation of the First Hybrid BMCS Meeting
1. Overview
The BMCS ran its first hybrid event in collaboration with the SCI. The event was the 21st RSC / SCI Medicinal Chemistry Symposium, held on 13th-15th September 2021 both virtually and physically at Churchill College, Cambridge, UK, and it was highly successful.
2. Virtual Platforms
Vimeo was used for the live stream of the main technical programme on the recommendation of TC Digital (the AV company used and associated with Churchill College). The initial intention had been to use YouTube but the platform’s password-protection changed, and hence the change to Vimeo.
Zoom Meetings was used for networking, using one of the RSC’s licences, because it was gratis.
Zoom Meetings was also used for Posters (one licence) and for the Speaker set-up and Q&A (another licence). Again, this was on the recommendation of TC Digital as it was an easy platform to work with, inexpensive, and familiar to most users.
3. Role of AV Provider
In advance, TC Digital worked with each speaker and each flash presenter to create a recording for use on the day.
On the day, TC Digital set the cameras in the conference room, provided the sound mixing, communicated with the virtual speakers and chairs. They also managed the live Q&A in a dedicated Zoom Room. Two of the speakers delivered live presentations, and four of the speakers were live in the conference room for Q&A. The 2021 Malcolm Campbell Memorial Prize was presented in person and received via video link. This is the video with Sir Patrick Vallance receiving the Prize.
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