Speaking Opportunities
Thank you for your interest in presenting a session at the IRMI Construction
Risk Conference. We are accepting proposals for the 2009 IRMI Conference until
February 13, 2009.
A complete submission will include all of the following items. The ensuing
paragraphs provide specific detail on what is required for each item. PLEASE
READ THESE PARAGRAPHS CLOSELY TO ENSURE YOUR PROPOSAL ADHERES TO OUR REQUIREMENTS.
To assist in your proposal, we have developed a form you can use to guide
you through the proposal process. This form is in Microsoft Word format.
Download the form.
Presentation Content
Please include the following in your proposal.
One-paragraph descriptive summary
of the session content, including format and educational objectives
(i.e., what attendees will learn from the session and how it will enable them
to do their jobs better). To see a sample session description,
click here.
Detailed outline (1-2
pages) of the presentation content. For a sample outline,
click here.
Proposed educational level(i.e.,
basic, intermediate, or advanced). Speakers should assume an understanding of
construction risk and insurance fundamentals. We ask that all presentations,
except those specifically designated for "beginners," be prepared at an intermediate
or advanced level.
Suggested time frame.
Our program can accommodate a variety of presentation lengths, including 60,
75, 90 or 150 minutes. (At our discretion, related topics are sometimes combined
to form a longer session.) Please indicate what you think is an appropriate
amount of time to adequately cover the topic.
Speakers
The success of our Conference is directly related to the quality of the educational
sessions; therefore, we exercise great care in selecting speakers. First-time
IRMI speakers, in particular, are asked to provide evidence of speaking experience
and ability. Our requirements differ based on whether the proposed session is
a lecture or panel format, as well as whether the individual has spoken at a
previous IRMI Conference. (NOTE: Over time, we have developed a preference for
lecture or classroom-style workshops. For that reason, the chances of your proposal
getting accepted for the program are higher if you propose a lecture format.)
Note Regarding the Number of Proposed Speakers:
The more speakers involved in a presentation, the more difficult it is to maintain
a cohesive, smooth-flowing session. For that reason, we prefer to keep the number
of speakers in a session to the minimum number required to do the topic justice.
The appropriate number of speakers depends to a great extent on the length of
the presentation and the style of the presentation. The following general guidelines
apply.
- Lecture Format: We favor single-speaker
sessions, but where there is a need for a copresenter, we will give that
need appropriate consideration. Rarely will we approve more than two speakers
for a lecture-style presentation of 90 minutes or less. If you intend to
submit a proposal for three or more speakers, be prepared to tell us how
much time is to be allotted to each speaker and what each speaker will add
to the program that the other speakers cannot provide.
- Panel Format: We have found that the best
size for most panel discussions is three or four panelists of diverse backgrounds,
plus a moderator who is also knowledgeable on the subject.
Please refrain from "inviting" anyone (officially
or unofficially) to participate in a presentation prior to our approval of all
speakers. As stated previously, we retain the right to select all speakers and
direct the content of all sessions, and we may have suggestions that will require
adjustments in the proposed session. To avoid putting you or us in an embarrassing
and uncomfortable situation, we ask that you merely provide the names of people
you would recommend as participants, but leave all invitations to us.
First-time IRMI Speakers: Please submit contact
information (address, phone, and e-mail), a biography, and a summary of speaking
experience for each proposed speaker who has not been a presenter at a previous
IRMI Conference. Also, note whether an audiotape or videotape of a past presentation
or speaking references could be provided upon request.
"Veteran" IRMI Speakers: Please indicate the
most recent years of your participation in IRMI conferences. If there have been
substantive changes in your professional focus or company affiliation since
you last spoke at an IRMI Conference, please submit an updated biography. If
your contact information (address, phone, or e-mail) has changed in the past
2 years, please send current contact information.
Handout Materials
All speakers are required to provide handout material to supplement their
presentation. IRMI will reproduce, ship, and distribute handout materials submitted
by speakers prior to our stated deadline (usually sometime in August) at our
expense. Speakers who fail to provide handout materials by the stated deadline
must accomplish all of these tasks at their own expense.
We require all speakers using PowerPoint
(or similar presentation software) to include their slides in their handout
material. This not only facilitates note-taking, but makes it possible for attendees
sitting further away from the screen to read the text. Because handout materials
must be submitted well in advance, you are effectively agreeing to have your
presentation ready by the August submission deadline.
Articles or papers written by you or others on the session topic may also
be included in handout material, as long as copyrights are not violated. Speakers
are responsible for obtaining appropriate permission to reprint all copyrighted
materials.
Failure to provide the required handout materials may result in a speaker
not being invited to participate in future conferences.
State-Required Evidence of Qualifications
IRMI files the Conference for continuing education credit in most states.
This process requires us to comply with a host of regulations and to obtain
a certain amount of personal information from all speakers. For example, we
must document speakers' credentials, provide speakers' birth dates and Social
Security numbers, obtain speakers' signatures on various forms, and provide
outlines of all sessions. Speakers must be willing to cooperate in this effort
by providing the requested materials by the specified dates.
Failure to cooperate with our attempts to get the Conference approved for
CE credits may result in a speaker not being invited to participate in future
conferences.