How big is this conference?
Approximately 187 individuals have registered as of Feb 8th, 2023.
Who is coming?
Over 107 different higher education institutions and companies have registered. Job titles include professor/instructor, disability service professional, digital accessibility professional, instructional designers, math experts, accessibility experts, etc.
Where is the schedule?
Please see the 2023 ATHEN STEM Conference Schedule.
Will the sessions be recorded?
Recordings are available for validated conference registrants (e.g., members of ATHEN/AHEAD or if you paid the $100/day fee).
Can I share the recordings with my colleagues?
It depends on your membership. If you have an institutional ATHEN or institutional AHEAD membership, yes! If you have an individual membership, or registered as a non-member, we ask that recordings are not shared. Your colleagues have options for accessing the recordings afterwards:
- Become an ATHEN member. Join ATHEN.
- Become an AHEAD member. Join AHEAD.
- Pay the non-member fee of $100/day.
How will Zoom work for this conference?
We have 2 Zoom rooms that will remain open for the entire conference day. The Zoom room hosts are as follows:
- Zoom Room 1 - Dawn Hunziker, ATHEN President
- Zoom Room 2 - Krista Greear Wright, ATHEN Vice President
Please see the 2023 ATHEN STEM Conference Schedule to learn which sessions are hosted in what room.
When will I get access to the Zoom links?
You will be emailed the Zoom room links by Wed, Feb 8th. You will be given both Zoom room links so you can move from room-to-room with ease.
What should I know about using Zoom?
We are using the Zoom waiting room functionality. After you select the link, you will be put into a waiting room where the Zoom host will let you in 2 mins before the session begins. You are welcome to use the chat functionality and ask that you stay on mute unless speaking. You are welcomed to use Zoom chat as desired. The Host will help to keep you muted, if needed. Having camera on is optional. We will ask for interaction via Zoom raise hand and Zoom reactions in the Closing Session on Friday.
Will the sessions have live captioning?
Yes. We have live captioners who will be transcribing each session.
How will presentation materials be shared out?
Before the conference: To ensure the highest level of accessibility and engagement, we will be sharing out presentation materials via a Google Drive folder available at https://bit.ly/ATHEN-STEM-2023. Many users are able to focus on the presentation or take notes while having access to the materials in real time.
After the conference: Session will be recorded and shared via unlisted YouTube video to attendees. In the YouTube description, we will share the link to the presentation materials Google Drive folder.
Where do I go for technical help?
For the quickest response, we ask that you post your inquiry via the ATHEN Slack (this is the invitation link). For a slower response, please email ATHEN President (athenpresident@gmail.com).
How can I connect with attendees during the conference?
ATHEN has set up a Slack Workspace, with a Channel dedicated to the 2022 STEM Conference. Please join us via the ATHEN Slack invitation link.
How can I connect with attendees after the conference?
In 2023, we created an optional section in the registration form to facilitate networking. This is where interested parties indicate their interest in sharing their contact information with other conference attendees (who have also done the same). This section includes questions like "What STEM topics would you love to discuss with other conference attendees, even post-conference?" and "What resources do you use to make STEM content accessible? Or, what resources do you use for STEM accessibility help?". Be sure to complete this section in the 2023 STEM Accessibility conference registration (Google Form) to be included in sharing and obtaining contact info for interested attendees.
How can I provide feedback on the conference experience?
We have a general conference evaluation for Thursday, and a separate one for Friday. The links will be shared in the individual sessions, as well as via email. We do not have specific session feedback forms, although you are welcome to add comments about specific sessions in the general conference evaluation. We review evaluations and take their feedback seriously.
Are CEUs available?
Given the inaugural nature of this conference, we do not have a formal process for CEU support. Also, we are unable to verify attendance considering the fluid nature of attendees moving from one Zoom room to another. We can however verify registration and are happy to provide evidence of that attendees that email ATHEN President (athenpresident@gmail.com). We plan to have a better solution for CEUs in the next iteration of this conference.
Where can I learn more about ATHEN?
ATHEN is a professional association and network for Access Technology in Higher Education. The purpose of ATHEN is to collect and disseminate best practices in access technology in the higher education environment as well as present a collective voice for the professional practice of access technology in higher education. Please see About ATHEN.
Where can I learn more about AHEAD?
AHEAD is the leading professional membership association for individuals committed to equity for persons with disabilities in higher education. Please see About AHEAD.