Virtual Meeting FAQs

No. The SOT Virtual Meeting Platform is hosted on a website, so you simply need a URL and internet connection to take part, which means you can participate on any type of internet-connected device (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, computer, etc.) The URL for accessing the platform will be emailed to all registrants in early March 2021. Access will be granted via the SOT Annual Meeting website as well.

If you are an SOT member who is registered for the meeting, you will use your standard SOT log-in information (email and password) to open the website containing the Virtual Meeting Platform.

If you are a nonmember who is registered for the meeting, you will use the same email and password that you used when registering for the meeting to open the website containing the Virtual Meeting Platform.

You may test your access in early March 2021.

Select the “Reset Password” link from the log-in page and enter the email address that was likely used to create your registration. You will be emailed a link to reset your password.

Portions of the platform are now accessible, allowing you to browse the schedule and bookmark events and activities on a personal playlist.

More features of the platform will become available on March 12, with all remaining features, such as the ToxExpo Exhibit Hall, going live on March 15.

To view a list of other registrants for the meeting, you should download the SOT Event App from Google Play or the Apple App Store or access the Mobile Web version. In the Event App, you can find a Messaging feature on the More tab along the bottom of the screen.

On the Virtual Meeting Platform, you can interact directly with presenters and exhibitors through an online chat feature. You also can enter one of the networking lounges, such as Hallway Huddles or Tiny Tox Talks, to engage in video chats with other attendees (watch a sneak preview of the Hallway Huddles Lounge). Finally, many SOT Committees, Regional Chapters, Special Interest Groups, and Specialty Sections are holding events that will involve live video interactions and engagement.

This black box is a placeholder for the video player that is used to broadcast sessions and display presentations on demand. During a session’s scheduled date and time, the black box will be replaced with the video stream of that presentation. Note that the individual presentation descriptions will not contain video streams while a session is in progress, but upon a session’s completion, on-demand copies of each presentation will be available within the presentation section of the My Meeting Playlist within 24 hours.

Beginning on March 12, 2021, the Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will occur on weekdays through Friday, March 26, 2021. During the two weeks of the meeting, each day will consist of approximately five hours of Scientific Sessions (Symposia, Workshops, posters, and more) and Featured Sessions, as well as time for exploring the Virtual ToxExpo and visiting the networking lounges, while Fridays are reserved for Continuing Education courses. The SOT meeting is not intended to be just another online meeting, but instead, it will use state-of-the-art technology to allow attendees to engage and connect while also participating in scientific learning.

All Scientific Sessions, Featured Sessions, poster presentations, and Exhibitor-Hosted Sessions also will be available on demand through May 31, 2021, on the Virtual Meeting Platform.

On Friday, March 12, 2021, the Continuing Education courses will occur at US Eastern Standard Time (US EST, UTC -5). With the change in the United States to Daylight Savings Time in the morning hours of Sunday, March 14, all other sessions and activities will occur at US Eastern Daylight Time (US EDT, UTC -4).

To help attendees compare US EDT with their local times, SOT has developed a World Time Zone Map, which depicts times in cities around the world that correspond with 10:00 am (US EDT, UTC -4).

The Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will be delivered via a Virtual Meeting Platform that will allow attendees to engage in a variety of activities, such as:

• Scientific Session presentations featuring live Q&As
• Online chats with poster presenters, as well as poster viewing with audio recordings
• Exhibits with online chats, videos, and other features
• Networking through video and online chats, presentations, and meetings

As with the in-person meeting, the Virtual Meeting will feature a balance of learning and social opportunities and engagement.

All Scientific Sessions, Featured Sessions, and Exhibitor-Hosted Sessions will be available on demand after their scheduled presentation, with all posters becoming available on March 12. All on-demand content will be accessible to registrants through May 31, 2021, on the Virtual Meeting Platform.

The Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will include a majority of the sessions and events normally associated with the in-person meeting: Featured Sessions, Scientific Sessions, Continuing Education courses, exhibits, Exhibitor-Hosted Sessions, student and postdoc events, and more.

All 59 accepted Symposia, Workshops, and other Scientific Sessions, plus the 14 Continuing Education courses, will be presented as part of the Virtual Meeting. The 1,000+ accepted abstracts have be programmed into virtual Platform and Poster Sessions.

In short, the Virtual 2021 SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will contain the same amount and caliber of scientific content as the in-person meeting, as well as opportunities for interaction and networking. The SOT meeting is not intended to be just another online meeting, but instead, it will use state-of-the-art technology to allow attendees to engage and connect while also participating in scientific learning.

SOT will provide many opportunities to connect and interact with colleagues during the meeting. From Component Group meetings and receptions to networking lounges and social activities, such as a Virtual Fun Run and Virtual Photo Booth, the Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo is expected to facilitate making connections as if meeting in person. Various activities will allow attendees to engage in video and online chats with friends and colleagues, as well as with presenters.

See a sneak preview of the Hallway Huddles Lounge that will be open throughout the meeting for impromptu discussions and meetings.

Sessions and activities during the Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will occur at a scheduled date and time with live interaction opportunities available. All Scientific Sessions, Featured Sessions, poster presentations, and Exhibitor-Hosted Sessions also will be available on demand to meeting registrants through May 31, 2021, on the Virtual Meeting Platform.

Yes. SOT has created merchandise, including T-shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more, featuring the 2021 meeting artwork, as well as general SOT artwork. Visit the SOT Online Store to peruse and purchase SOT-branded products.

SOT was able to mitigate the financial losses associated with the 2020 Annual Meeting thanks in large part to the organizations remaining as Supporters for the 2020 virtual presentations and the commitment of the SOT vendors. SOT utilized a line of credit to offset expenses and to preserve the Reserve Fund during the volatile market. The line of credit was paid off in September 2020, and SOT remains in compliance with the financial policy to maintain 75% of the operating budget in the Reserve Fund. The line of credit remains available should the need arise.

Registration fees are being assessed for the 2021 Virtual Meeting. In addition, the meeting is providing a presence for Supporters and exhibitors. In doing so, it is anticipated that SOT will be able to sustain Society operations and conduct a robust virtual event that offers ample opportunities for scientific insights, networking, and interaction between attendees and exhibitors.

SOT will take advantage of state-of-the-art technology to present a full agenda of Symposia, Workshops, Continuing Education courses, Poster Sessions, and exhibits. The Scientific Program and Continuing Education Committees have developed a full slate of courses, Symposia, Workshops, and other Scientific Sessions, which will be presented virtually. The full schedule is available through the Online Planner, the SOT Event App, the Program Overview, the 2021 Preliminary Program, and the Preliminary Program Supplement—Platform and Poster Sessions.

Posters will be all electronic in a format that will include a short recorded oral presentation with some live poster discussion and scheduled chat features. View the sneak preview of how posters will be presented as part of the Virtual Annual Meeting. Posters will be viewable but not downloadable, and upon registration, all attendees agree to the prohibition of capturing, copying, or taking screenshots of any aspect of the Virtual Annual Meeting without the consent of the presenter(s)/author(s)/exhibitor(s)/etc., including but not limited to slide presentations, video presentations, audio presentations, Q&As, chats, exhibits, posters, and abstracts.

Exhibitors also will have the opportunity to create novel experiences for their clients and present Exhibitor-Hosted Sessions as part of the Virtual Meeting.

SOT will present the Continuing Education courses virtually to registrants on Friday, March 12, 2021; Friday, March 19, 2021; and Friday, March 26, 2021. As in previous years, the digital course books for each CE course will be available on the Annual Meeting website for course registrants to download before their course(s).

Yes. The 2021 Abstract Submission Site was open until December 1, 2020.

Accepted poster and platform presentations will be included as part of the official Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting scientific program.

Per the Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting Policies, capturing, copying, or taking screenshots of any aspect of the Virtual Annual Meeting without the consent of the presenter(s)/author(s)/exhibitor(s)/etc., including but not limited to slide presentations, video presentations, audio presentations, Q&As, chats, exhibits, posters, and abstracts, is prohibited.

Accepted abstracts will be published in The Toxicologist PDF (coming in March 2021) on the SOT Annual Meeting website and will be included in all meeting materials.

Yes. The 2021 SOT Awards and Honors Recognition event will take place on Thursday, March 25, 10:00 am–11:00 am (US EDT, UTC -4).

The 2021 SOT Award recipients also will be recognized through a full, produced awards presentation that will be available on March 14 and will continue to be accessible for viewing throughout the meeting and onward.

In addition, many of the SOT Special Interest Groups and Specialty Sections will confer awards during their annual meetings and receptions.

Most of the SOT Special Interest Groups and Specialty Sections are hosting meetings and receptions during the Virtual Annual Meeting, and many of these events are scheduled to include award ceremonies and recognition.

Yes. Beyond the networking lounges that will be available throughout the meeting for casual conversations, events such as the Fun Run and Tox ShowDown are going virtual.

The Virtual 2021 SOT Past Presidents’ 5K Fun Run/Walk is a free event and is accepting registrations now.

Yes. Because the Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will present the full scientific program planned for the in-person meeting, as well as the opportunity to interact with exhibitors, the registration fees and deadlines are the same as were announced for the in-person meeting.

Beyond the initial scheduled presentation, the Scientific Sessions will be available for on-demand viewing through May 31, 2021, for added benefit for all attendees.

Yes. The 2020 registrations transferred to 2021 will still apply to the Virtual 2021 Annual Meeting and ToxExpo. Registrants who rolled their 2020 registration to 2021 received confirmation messages associated with their 2021 registration in December 2020.

Yes. All exhibit booth rentals transferred from 2020 will be applied to the Virtual 2021 ToxExpo experience.

Yes. The Virtual 2021 SOT Annual Meeting and ToxExpo will provide a Virtual ToxExpo in which exhibitors can present information on their services and products and interact with meeting attendees. Attendees are being encouraged to visit the ToxExpo between 8:30 am and 10:00 am (US EDT, UTC -4) and between 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm (US EDT, UTC -4) from Monday to Thursday during both weeks of the meeting to interact with exhibitor representatives. Beyond the designated exhibitor-attended times, the Virtual ToxExpo will remain accessible continuously throughout the meeting.

The Virtual ToxExpo booths will provide opportunities for registrants and exhibit staff to engage in digital conversations and schedule additional in-depth interaction.

Not in the mood to chat? Booths also will have materials to download and links to view more information about products and services offered by the exhibitor.

Yes. SOT is offering Exhibitor-Hosted Sessions as a part of the 2021 Virtual Meeting. The application deadline was February 22, 2021.

SOT will contact exhibitors in priority point order after the 2021 Virtual Meeting to select their booth for the 2022 meeting.

If you booked your housing via Connections Housing, your reservation was canceled for you.

If you booked your housing via Connections Housing, your reservation was canceled. If you booked your housing on your own, please contact the hotel or other housing vendor directly for assistance.