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Physics Events

Events
  • Seminar Archive
  • Old Seminar Archive
  • Astro Journal Club
  • General Information about our events.
  • Speaker Information, including a map and timelines for the main speaking event.
  • Host Information, including expected duties of speaker hosts.

General Information

Speaker Series events are held on Mondays at 4:00 pm, in Fondren Science Room 158 unless otherwise specified in the calendar.

  • Public live stream: https://www.physics.smu.edu/web/seminars/live.php.
Refreshments are available at 3:45pm in Fondren Science Building 16 (The Hyer Ed Cafe) unless otherwise noted. The calendar contains the current schedule of talks. Abstracts and links to speakers' slides may be found there.

Questions or requests about the speaker series? Send an e-mail to Prof. Stephen Sekula

Information for Speakers

The department is really looking forward to your presentation! Please find here general speaker instructions for the day of the event. Since speaker series events are currently hybrid, there are some things to consider.

In-Person Speaker

  1. If at SMU, your host will bring you to Fondren Science Building 123 between 3:30-3:45 pm. We will use this time to conduct audio/video tests before refreshments and the event.
    1. It's best if you can use the in-room PC (it runs Windows) to present your slides. That way, Zoom will pick up your shared slides for broadcast using the room's machine (which also provides audio and camera views of the room).
    2. If you do need to present using your own laptop, please run Zoom on it, connect to the virtual room, mute your speakers and in Zoom disable your camera and microphone. Then share your desktop on Zoom so everyone can then see your slides. Your host can help you with this. Audio and video will still be run off the in-room PC.
  2. We'll go grab some refreshments from FOSC 16 (home of "The Hyer Ed Cafe") and bring those back to FOSC 123.
  3. Audience members might want to mingle a little with you before the event.

Remote Speaker

  1. If speaking remotely, please connect to the Zoom room (sent by email) between 3:30-3:45pm, if possible. We will use this time to conduct audio/video tests before refreshments and the event.
  2. We'll make sure you can share your desktop with the audience for broadcast on Zoom and in the room, and that sound is working for you and us.

We'll get started promptly at 4pm. The department chair may make a couple of of announcements. Your host will then introduce you. Your talk will begin around 4:03.

We usually expect a talk to wrap up around 4:45-4:50, leaving time for questions. Some folks need to leave at 5pm due to family or class commitments. We try to constrain the event to not later than 5:15pm with questions and discussion.

Information for Hosts

The host has several responsibilities:
  • A week before the event: Organize a lunch or dinner event with the speaker, if their schedule permits. This event should be organized in consultation with the department chair to establish budget and reimbursement practices. The meal event should include some students and faculty (aim for 5-6 people, in addition to the speaker, to allow for easier conversation in a small group).
  • 3:15pm: Pick up coffee for the pre-talk refreshments. The department currently orders 120oz of coffee from Panera Bread in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center. For instructions on how to pick up the coffee, speak with Lacey Breaux or the Department Chair. This coffee should be brought to the Main Office so it can be transported with snacks to FOSC 16.
  • 3:30-3:45pm Bring the speaker to FOSC 123 for an A/V check, and then take the speaker to FOSC 16 for pre-event refreshments.
  • 4:00pm After brief announcements from the Department Chair or a designate, introduce the speaker at the event. Speakers are asked by the Chair to provide a biography, and this will be shared with you. You should feel free to embellish if you and the speaker have a personal or professional relationship.
  • During and after the talk: The host should handle audience Q&A and mind the time to make sure the event closes around 5:15pm, to allow people to commute home and/or for the speaker to have a break before any dinner arrangements, etc.