DIMACS Workshop Organizer's Guide:


This document gives general guidelines for workshops at DIMACS. It is intended to help workshops fulfill DIMACS Mission and to help organizers both in effectively planning their workshop and making it a scientific success.

1. Table of Contents

1. Workshop Proposal

2. Preliminary Planning:

After a proposal is approved, the organizers should address questions such as soliciting presentations, inviting speakers, and planning the scientific program. The Planning Guide gives some suggestions for planning as well as some requirements of the NSF and DIMACS.

3. Budget Planning:

Approved workshops are also given a budget for travel, lodging assistance, and certain other expenses. It can also be used to offset registration fees for selected invited participants. DIMACS will cover the catering costs. The Budget Planning Worksheet guides organizers to prepare a budget that effectively implements their scientific program.

It is sometimes possible to leverage your budget by making arrangements for participants in a workshop or working group to visit DIMACS before or after a workshop or working group. You should contact the special focus organizer in which your workshop or working group falls to discuss this if this opportunity arises.

4. Center Facilities:

DIMACS has a variety of facilities at Rutgers to host workshops. The Workshop Facilities page indicates rooms for meeting, lunch, and other resources such as computing and AV equipment.

5. Lodging and Transportation:

Workshop participants will need travel and lodging information. Participants who receive support must use U.S. based aircarriers. See Invitations Page for information about these rules. DIMACS workshop publicity pages (see Workshops) has listings of other workshops and they give sample travel and lodging information.

6. Invitations:

Invitations are usually sent by email or regular mail. The Invitations page has a guide and samples.

7. Publicity:

Broad participation in workshops is the most basic motivation for the funding agencies that sponsor our workshops. The Workshop Publicity page describes what the center does to publicize events and what information the organizer needs to provide.

8. Workshop Publications:

Publishing information about workshops leverages the organzing efforts to greater impact and visibility. The Publications page describes how DIMACS Workshop Proceedings are done and has some suggestions for other ways to increase impact.

9. At the Workshop:

Time management is critical in running a successful workshop. Participants with time constraints may be able to attend only a limited number of talks. These talks need to begin and end as listed in the program.

The DIMACS Staff is available for help with questions concerning computer access, parking, transportation, reimbursements, etc.

10. Evaluation:

DIMACS conducts an on-site evaluation and possible follow-ups with participants to evaluate how well the workshop fulfilled goals. We also require that organizers write a brief report evaluating the workshop. The Evaluation Guide describes the evaluations and what is expected.

11. Planning TimeLine and Milestones

The Timelines page suggests adequate time to have effective publicity, give participants adequate warning to get inexpensive travel tickets, etc.

12. DIMACS Staff:

The DIMACS Staff provides assistance in planning and conducting the workshop. This page gives the names of the staff members and their contact information. A brief description of the staff member responsibilites is as follows:
IndexWorkshop and Special Year Organizer's Guides
DIMACS Homepage
Contacting the Center
Document last modified on November 19, 2012.