Virtual Presentations

This page will showcase the virtual presentation options for Halifax 2022.

We have chosen to host our virtual presentations directly in the Fourwaves platform. This link https://fourwaves.com/poster-sessions/ provides some background information on the capabilities of the platform. We will be using most of these features (not all!) so that presenters can customize their presentations spaces as they wish. The platform offers asynchronous and synchronous messaging, and participants can put an announcement on their posters indicating when they will be available for live chats. Session convenors will facilitate live sessions during pre-arranged times to showcase the virtual presentations. There will not be any live virtual talks during the in-person conference sessions but virtual presenters have the option of doing a pre-recorded talk.

These presentation spaces are much more than just static posters; each participant will be able to upload a short video, powerpoint slides, additional images or text files, and have access to a live video chat at any time.

For best results your poster should be at least 1.2m by 0.9m (traditional poster size or bigger). Orientation can be landscape or portrait. Please save your poster as a high resolution image file (jpeg, tiff, png) and label it with your session number, last name, and a short title (e.g. SS-09 Smith Paleozoic trilobites). More instructions on uploading and curation will be forthcoming.

All virtual participants will have access to the oral presentations during the conference. The links to these will be hosted within the Fourwaves platform in the Schedule page. We anticipate that access will be through a live stream, and as recordings after the conference for a specified length of time (TBD) available to all registrants.

Some short courses/workshops and field trips will also have a virtual attendance option.

There will be events that cannot be live steamed or recorded. These will include the ice-breaker, closing reception, luncheons, and the live poster sessions.

Updates to Virtual Presentation information

As we planned, you can now send your organizer a copy of your 15-minute pre-recorded presentation, and they will play it during your scheduled slot in the session in Halifax. The talk should be submitted to your organizer as soon as you have finished it, but definitely before May 13th so that there are a few days to check for problems. You already have an email connecting you with your session organizer for that.


The live session will be streamed as it happens, you can access that by clicking on the live stream link located in the Fourwaves online schedule for each day. Each session will have a link that will be active on the right day. You talk will also be streamed as it is played so you will be able to see it. The live stream only goes out from the convention center, you will not be presenting live. Questions about your presentation will be directed to the comment function in Fourwaves.

You will also notice that you are scheduled for virtual poster sessions. These times are specifically scheduled for people to interact with the virtual presenters to get the virtual part of the program as much attention as possible. You will have access to a live video chat during those times for anyone who visits your presentation space, and you will be able to see and respond to immediate comments in the chat, or comments left during other times. You will be able to visit other virtual presenters and look at their uploaded material. You can upload whatever optional material you want, this can include a poster, images, a slide deck, or a short recorded video message introducing your work. If your recorded talk is under the size limit for video you can put that in as well. The success of the virtual sessions will depend on the presence and participation of the virtual presenters so we encourage everyone to support their colleagues and visit the virtual presentations.