Poster Planning

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Poster Sessions are held Monday through Wednesday. Authors are assigned to a specific Poster Session, and on the day of their assigned session, their posters are displayed all day during ToxExpo hours (9:00 am–4:30 pm), allowing attendees to visit the posters at their convenience. Authors will attend their posters only during the assigned Poster Session time frame.

This page contains instructions and tips for accepted poster presenters, including how to prepare/design your poster, when and how to display your poster, author attendance expectations, and FAQs. There also are guidelines and information for Poster Session Chairs, such as pre-meeting preparation and on-site roles and responsibilities.

Scientific ePosters

SOT is pleased to offer poster presenters the opportunity to share their research electronically as well as during their assigned Poster Session at the 2023 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo. Please note that uploading an ePoster does not replace your physical poster; ePosters should be provided in addition to your physical poster. Your ePoster and physical poster should be identical.

Instructions for Uploading an ePoster

Watch the Video Tutorial | View the PDF Step-by-Step Instructions

Instructions for Poster Session Presenters

Poster Design: Preparing Your Poster

Poster Preparation Tips and Layout Suggestions

  • 96" w x 48" h (244 cm x 122 cm) Display Area
    Posters are mounted horizontally on a usable space of 91" w x 45" h (231.1 cm x 114.3 cm). All poster material should be confined to the space provided and should not exceed it.

  • Headers Come First
    At the top of each poster, you should post a label stating the title, authors, and author affiliations in addition to the abstract final ID number. The lettering of this title strip should be at least 1" (2.54 cm) high.

  • COI and Logos
    Conflict of interest disclosures should be included on your poster. Institutional logos, but not product logos, are allowed on your poster.

  • Aim for Clarity and Readability
    Make sure your poster is understandable without an oral presentation and readable from five feet away. Remember that your poster will be on display all day.

  • Keep Visual Balance in Mind
    Make an initial rough layout, paying attention to the proportions of figures, tables, and text. Try to maintain a balance of using ~50% of the poster board area for figures and tables.

  • A Good Poster Is Like a Good Paper
    Include your objective, the design/methods, the results, and the conclusion, but avoid displaying a short manuscript. Experimental details should be concise. Tables and conclusions should be clearly stated.

  • Keep It Simple
    Don’t overload your poster with excessive text and data. Where possible, organize tables and figures chronologically in vertical progression.

  • Poster Board Details
    The poster board surface consists of fabric over a corkboard. You may use pushpins or Velcro to mount the poster. Pushpins are provided on-site.

  • Choose Photographs with Caution
    Illustrative drawings should be used to depict animals. Photographs of animals should be used only where absolutely necessary for the scientific presentation. Because SOT does not condone inhumane treatment of animals, photographs depicting such treatment (as well as data derived from such treatment) will not be permitted under any circumstances. Posters for which human subject data are presented should indicate on the poster that protocols were reviewed and approved by a Human Subjects Institutional Review Board.

  • No Active Promotion of Exhibitor Booths
    SOT policy prohibits the active promotion of ToxExpo exhibitors on scientific posters (e.g., “visit xxx in Booth Number yyy”). SOT reserves the right to remove scientific posters that specifically promote a ToxExpo booth. Listing author affiliations in the poster title is not considered active promotion.

  • Optional: Alternative Format for Poster Design
    The SOT Scientific Program Committee (SPC) encourages authors to format their posters in a way that best portrays their research and fosters discussion. There are many philosophies and recommendations regarding poster displays, and the SOT community on LinkedIn engaged in a discussion of a new poster format dubbed Poster 2.0. More information on Poster 2.0 is available on the creator’s YouTube account.

    The SPC does not endorse or recommend a particular poster format. The only rules related to poster display, such as use of photographs and promotion of exhibitor booths, are outlined on this web page.

Scientific Poster Printing Services

Orders for having posters printed by Shepard and picked up on-site in Nashville can no longer be accepted (orders were due by February 28). Please make your own arrangements for printing and pick on-site through FedEx (downtown Nashville) or another vendor.

Presenting Your Poster

The Chair of each Poster Session will be present at the session and available to provide assistance and answer any questions. This individual will be wearing a “Session Chair” ribbon.

Poster Mounting Information

The presenting author of each poster abstract is responsible for the proper assembly, mounting, and presentation of the poster. Presenters can mount their posters on their assigned board beginning at 7:30 am on the day of their Poster Session.

Poster presentations have unique identifying numbers known as the abstract number. Abstract numbers do not specify poster board locations; presentations have separate poster board numbers. Poster presentations are mounted on prenumbered boards throughout the Exhibit Hall. The Primary Program Supplement—Platform and Poster Sessions PDF (available in February 2023) and SOT Event App (available in February 2023) include an Exhibit Hall layout listing the poster board number preceded by the abstract final ID number. Poster board numbers are preceded by a “P.” Example: 3025–P101 reflects Abstract #3025 and Poster Board Number P101.

Presenters should display posters ONLY on the assigned day. Posters must be removed immediately at the end of each day so that the boards may be prepared for the next day’s Poster Sessions.

Poster Session Times and Expectations

All posters must be displayed during ToxExpo hours (9:00 am–4:30 pm) on the day of the author’s assigned Poster Session. This is an expectation of SOT Annual Meeting poster presenters and is enforced by SOT staff and Poster Session Chairs.

Monday through Wednesday will consist of three Poster Session time periods. Presenters are required to attend their posters during their assigned Poster Session time period—the poster itself will be displayed all day. The three Poster Session times are:

  • 9:00 AM–10:45 AM
  • 10:45 AM–12:30 PM
  • 2:30 PM–4:15 PM

Presenters will be informed of their assigned Poster Session time when they receive their abstract acceptance notice in early January 2023.

Presenters are expected to discuss their work with scientists visiting their poster. Should circumstances prevent you from making your presentation, you must arrange for a co-author or colleague to present your poster, and you must notify your session Chair and SOT Headquarters.

Poster Retrieval after All-Day Poster Display

Posters are required to be displayed during ToxExpo hours (9:00 am–4:30 pm) on the day of the author’s assigned Poster Session.

On Monday and Tuesday, posters that are left on the boards after 5:00 pm will be placed on a poster retrieval table near that Poster Session’s presentation area and can be picked up by the author the next morning. Any posters on the poster retrieval table that are unclaimed by 10:00 am the day after the poster presentation will be destroyed.

On Wednesday, posters left on the boards after 5:00 pm will be removed and placed on tables outside the Exhibit Hall entrance. Any posters unclaimed by 10:00 am on Thursday will be destroyed.

Poster Session FAQs

  • Will authors be asked to attend their posters all day?

    No. Presenting authors will attend their posters during their assigned Poster Session time frame, but the poster will remain displayed during ToxExpo hours.

    The presenting authors are encouraged to include an email address or other contact information on their poster so attendees who view the poster when the author is not in attendance can contact the authors with questions or other information. Uploading an ePoster provides additional viewing opportunities for attendees.

    Poster Sessions and their corresponding time blocks are defined by topic (e.g., neurotoxicology, metals) so that attendees interested in that topic have access to all authors at the same time. In addition, the Scientific Program Committee will make every effort to ensure that no Scientific Sessions, including Platform Sessions, related to a specific topic occur during the same time period as the Poster Session for that topic.

  • What if a sudden time conflict arises and I—or any co-author—cannot attend my poster during the designated Poster Session time frame?

    SOT understands that sudden scheduling conflicts can arise. All presenting authors are encouraged to include an email address or other contact information on their poster so attendees who view the poster when the author is not in attendance can contact the authors with questions or other information. Presenting authors also are highly encouraged to upload an ePoster to provide additional viewing opportunities for attendees.

  • How are Poster Session times and locations in the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall assigned by the Scientific Program Committee?

    Poster Sessions and their corresponding time blocks are defined by topic (e.g., neurotoxicology, metals) so that attendees interested in that topic have access to all authors at the same time. In addition, considerable effort is made to group similar topic Poster Sessions together in the same color-coded area in the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall. Finally, the Scientific Program Committee makes every effort to ensure that no Scientific Sessions, including Platform Sessions, related to a specific topic occur during the same time period as the Poster Session(s) for that topic.

  • If authors are not standing by their posters all day, how can photography be monitored?

    SOT policy is to not allow any photography of posters unless permission is expressed by the author. SOT staff and security staff will be enforcing the “no photography” policy on-site to curtail concerns about the all-day display format. “No Photography” signs will be displayed on all poster boards. Attendees who violate the no photography policy risk ejection from the Annual Meeting.

  • How will the Poster Session times be defined in the Annual Meeting materials?

    The SOT Event App and other materials will include annotations to indicate the Poster Session time, which corresponds to the author-attended time. In addition, signs will be placed on the ToxExpo floor to explain and define the session times.

  • What time in the morning should authors mount their posters?

    On Monday through Wednesday, authors may enter the Exhibit Hall as early as 7:30 am to mount their posters.

  • What time in the afternoon should authors remove their posters?

    Poster “tear-down” will occur between 4:30 pm and 5:00 pm Monday through Wednesday.

  • What if an author forgets to remove the poster in the afternoon?

    Poster presenters should remove their posters by 5:00 pm each day. Posters left on boards after 5:00 pm will be removed and placed on retrieval tables.

    The exhibit hall closes on Wednesday, March 30 at 4:30 pm. Remaining posters will be gathered and available for pick up at the front of the exhibit hall. Any posters unclaimed by 11:00 am on Thursday will be destroyed.

  • How will author compliance to the all-day poster policy be monitored?

    Authors are required to have their poster mounted on the board for the full duration of the ToxExpo hours (9:00 am–4:30 pm). Poster Session Chairs will be assigned to assist authors during the Poster Sessions, to note any empty boards, and to check compliance with the all-day poster display requirement.

  • I am presenting a poster in a Poster Session that I am chairing. How should I handle this?

    It is very common for Poster Session Chairs to present a poster in the session that they are chairing; this is why SOT assigns two Chairs per Poster Session. You may split the poster Chair duties with the other Chair. If the other Chair also is presenting posters during your Poster Session, you are authorized to leave your poster for a few minutes during the session to fulfill the Chair duties as explained in the Poster Session Chair Guidelines.

  • What rationale goes into programming Poster Sessions in a particular order?

    The SOT Scientific Program Committee traditionally groups Poster Sessions into daily slots based on topic. For example, the Arsenic Toxicity, Toxicity of Metal Mixtures, and Metal Toxicity Poster Sessions would occur on the ToxExpo floor at the same time. Keep in mind that all accepted posters must be displayed all day during ToxExpo hours, but authors will attend their posters only during the assigned Poster Session time frame.

  • Why do Poster Sessions begin in one cluster of poster boards on the ToxExpo floor and then continue in another cluster several feet away?

    Not all poster board clusters on the ToxExpo floor contain the same number of boards, and not all Poster Sessions contain the same number of posters. Therefore, ensuring that all Poster Sessions begin and end in the same poster board cluster can be challenging.

    To resolve this issue, the SOT Scientific Program Committee would need to set a minimum and maximum number of poster abstracts accepted per Poster Session so the sessions would contain an equal number of boards within the same cluster, which would limit the number of poster abstracts accepted. The current policy is to assign no more than 40 posters to a Poster Session, while the minimum is seven posters for a Poster Session.

    Signs are used throughout the poster board areas to help attendees and poster presenters locate sessions and specific poster presentations. Poster board clusters also are color coded (blue, green, orange, purple) to assist attendees with locating the clusters on the maps located in the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall.

  • Why are the poster board clusters scattered throughout the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall instead of all together?

    Poster boards are strategically placed throughout the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall to optimize the experience of attendees and exhibitors by creating an ease of movement throughout the hall.

Poster Session Chair Guidelines

Objectives

The primary objective of the Poster Session is to foster and encourage discussion and debate of important scientific questions relevant to the major themes of the session. Secondary objectives include providing specific feedback to the authors concerning their data and its interpretation and fostering interchange between the presenters and the observers of the poster material.

Rationale

Poster Sessions are composed of related abstracts, which are presented in a poster format. There can be anywhere from seven to 40 abstracts programmed under one of several themes. Authors are required to display their poster on their assigned board from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm on the day of their Poster Session (Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday). Authors will present their posters during the assigned Poster Session, during which the viewers can discuss their work with them on an individual or small-group basis. There is no formal discussion period, but Chairs are expected to attend and foster discussion among the authors and the viewers. Since the majority of abstracts presented at the meeting will be scheduled in this format, the role of the Chair is extremely important.

Preparation for the Annual Meeting

The Chairs will be assigned to each Poster Session before the Annual Meeting and should have some degree of expertise in the topic being presented. The abstracts to be presented during the Poster Sessions can be viewed by using the SOT Online Planner and SOT Event App before the meeting. It is highly recommended that the Chairs be familiar with the abstracts being presented during the assigned Poster Session.

Chairs are encouraged to contact their colleagues to inform them of the Poster Session and the major themes and to ask that they attend the session. These colleagues should have expertise in the major areas being addressed, and when possible, new investigators specifically should be invited.

Poster Session Times and Author Attendance

Scientific posters must be displayed between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm on the day of the author’s assigned Poster Session. However, presenting authors are asked to stand by their posters only during the assigned Poster Session time period. Two Chairs will be assigned per Poster Session. Duties may be split between Chairs. Chairs are not asked to stand by the poster boards in their session all day; one Chair should visit the posters periodically throughout the rest of the day to ensure all posters are in compliance and being displayed.

Responsibilities as a Poster Chair

  • Encourage attendees to view the posters.
    Guide viewers to posters that will be of particular interest to them and foster discussions between attendees and authors.
  • Check all displayed materials for appropriateness.
    Photographs that depict inhumane treatment of animals are not permitted and must be removed. If there are any questions regarding the appropriateness of any presented material, contact the on-site SOT Office.
  • Keep it clean.
    Make sure that the area around the session is kept clean and free of refuse.
  • Solicit feedback from presenters and attendees.
    The Scientific Program Committee requests that you ask those participating in your session for comments, concerns, and suggestions to improve the Annual Meeting. Any information received should be noted on your Chair Survey, which is sent electronically by SOT Headquarters and also available in the SOT Event App.
  • Monitor all-day poster display compliance.
    Poster Chairs are asked to visit the posters in their session throughout the day to ensure all posters are on display in accordance to the all-day poster display requirement.

Responsibilities during the Poster Session

  • Interact with each poster presenter.
    Welcome the author’s participation and reduce any nerves or discomfort. This function is particularly important when the poster’s author is a new or younger investigator.
  • Guide experts to relevant posters.
    Expert feedback is important to presenting authors. Again, this function is particularly important when the author is a new or younger investigator.
  • Serve as a bridge between authors of different posters.
    Often, presenting authors are not able to review other posters at the same session because they are committed to standing by their poster during the session. Help facilitate interaction between presenting authors.
  • Ensure posters are attended by authors.
    It is expected that each board will be attended by the presenter or alternate during the Poster Session. Any unattended displays should be listed on your Chair Survey.