Following up on the announcement that RDD 2020 would be replaced by a digital version of the meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meeting organizers have now provided details on registration and on how the digital meeting will work. RDD 2020 was originally scheduled to take place April 26-30 in Palm Desert, California and was to be followed immediately by an IPAC-RS symposium.
Digital RDD 2020 will begin April 26 as scheduled, with all activities taking place on the conference website. While most of the originally scheduled components of the conference will take place in some form, the presentation of the Charles G. Thiel Award will be postponed until RDD Europe 2021.
Programming will include a digital auditorium where delegates can access recorded presentations at any time of day; an Ask a Question feature will allow for follow up questions to the presenters. A Posters on the Digital Podium session will include eight presentations, including finalists for the VCU RDD Peter R. Byron Graduate Student Award. The scientific poster session and Platinum sponsor sessions will also be available for delegates to view at their convenience, as will content provided by exhibitors for the digital technology exhibition.
Digital networking capability will offered in the form of a conference messaging tool that will allow registered delegates to opt in to receiving communications from other registered delegates.
Registration for Digital RDD 2020 will begin on March 23, 2020. Delegates who have already paid registration fees for RDD 2020 and who want to attend the digital meeting can choose to get a refund of the difference in cost between the original registration fee and the Digital RDD 2020 registration fee of $795, an amount that the organizers say will just cover the cost of the digital meeting.
Alternatively, because the digital meeting fee is approximately one third of the original registration amount, delegates who have already paid the higher amount can use the difference to provide registration for two additional people. Or delegates can receive a refund of the original registration fee minus a $200 administration fee.
All registration fees for the IPAC-RS symposium, plus any amount that was paid for additional banquet tickets and excursions will be refunded. Exhibitors who paid for electricity at their exhibit table will also get a refund.
The organizers say, “We know you expect a quality conference, so we have committed to providing you with the best alternative conference experience. It’s an experiment that will succeed if we are all flexible, innovative and connected enough to outwit a coronavirus!”
Additional information is available by visiting the Digital RDD 2020 web site.
