Network — Virtually the Same as In Person 

Two essential benefits of an in-person meeting are the ability to network with other attendees or talk in-depth with speakers and poster presenters. This OSA Meeting may be virtual, but there are still opportunities to meet up and make those professional connections. (The only thing you’ll miss is the handshake.)

OSA is engaging with two networking platforms, Braindate and Discord, to facilitate interactions. Each offers a unique experience — allowing you to choose the discussion format best suited to your needs. However, you’ll first have to set up accounts with either one or both before participating.

Speak with Speakers

We know the value of remaining in the room after a technical session or poster presentation has ended to ask questions of presenters. Discord enables similar, extended discussion. Select speakers will have their own “channel”. Find the speaker of interest, and pose questions by chat. Speakers may even opt to set up a quick, impromptu video or audio call for increased engagement.

Attendees:
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Channel Guide

#Announcements: Important updates and announcements for the event including reminders of upcoming special events and features!

#Introductions: Introduce yourself and let the rest of the attendees know what you are looking for, what problems you are facing or what solutions you might be able to offer.

#General: Did you watch a great talk and want to discuss something with your peers? This is the place to start your conversation. Whatever you guys wanna talk about, dig into it with this channel.

#coffee-chat: When you want to talk about non-technical content or non-event specific topics check out this channel.

Poster Presentations: Want to ask a question about a poster or start a conversation with the poster presenter? You'll find a list here of all poster presentations that have opted in. Channels are named with the poster presentation ID and the presenters last name.

Tips/Hints

1. Claim your account: Add an email and password when you join the Discord server and verify your email to ensure you have continuous access throughout the conference.  While you can use Discord without creating a profile, your access may be reset every time you close the app. Check out the Discord Getting Started Guide for more information.
2. Personalize your profile: Add a photo avatar to bring a much needed human aspect to the meeting. Learn about more Discord Account Customization. 
3. Introduce yourself: Add an introduction a week before the event. What problems you are facing or what solutions you might be able to offer?

Anti-harassment Policy and Code of Conduct

Networking and other attendee engagement opportunities at Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science are subject to all OSA Event Policies & Terms and the Anti-Harassment Policy and Code of Conduct. Violation of any of these policies or guidelines can result in removal from the event. We ask you to be respectful and courteous to your fellow attendees. 

​If you witness any activity that violates the above, please use the online portal https://osa.org/IncidentReport (or send an email to CodeOfConduct@OSA.org).

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