2016 ESA Annual Meeting
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
August 7-12, 2016
Application Deadline: June 16, 2016
Please read this page thoroughly before beginning the online application.
Note that if you are presenting at this year’s meeting, you should wait to apply until AFTER the scheduling notifications go out in May. This is because we will need you to tell us when you are available during the conference, so that we can schedule volunteer work around your presentation. If you’re presenting, we strongly suggest you bookmark the application and come back to fill it out after you know when you’ll be presenting.
This opportunity is not a rolling deadline – we will consider ALL complete applications received by June 16. It is in your best interest to submit a complete application on time rather than an incomplete one early.
About Volunteering
ESA will select around 80 responsible undergraduate and graduate students as volunteers to perform the tasks outlined below during the ESA Annual Meeting. We appreciate your interest in providing assistance. Our staff relies on student volunteers to run such a large and complex meeting smoothly.
Requirements
In order to be considered for a volunteer assignment at this meeting, applicants MUST, by the June 16 Early Bird deadline:
- Be a student (as of the deadline).
- Register to attend the meeting at the student rate (which includes paying the appropriate fee).
- Complete and submit the online student volunteer application form.
Students who are presenting will be notified of their abstract scheduling in late May and should apply after they receive the notification so that we can be sure to schedule around their presentation.
In order to be eligible for a refund of the meeting registration fee, volunteers MUST:
- Confirm their volunteer assignments when they receive them in early July.
- Sign an Accident Waiver and Release Liability Form. It will be on the back of the volunteer timesheet.
- Show up on time and complete all volunteer assignments (14 hours).
- Document completion of all volunteer assignments by having an ESA staff member or other designated alternate sign where indicated on the timesheet.
- Turn in their completed timesheet at the On Site Registration Desk by 11:30 AM Friday, August 12.
Volunteers will be eligible for a refund of only their meeting registration fee after completing all volunteer assignments and submitting a completed timesheet. Volunteers are responsible for securing housing, transportation, parking (if applicable), and meals. Volunteers will be reimbursed for the applicable Early Bird student fee, but not for any optional field trip, workshop, or ticketed event fees. Most refunds will be processed after the meeting but no later than October 1, 2016.
Those accepted to serve as Student Volunteers will be notified of their selection and assignments by early July. Each Student Volunteer will receive a copy of the Accident Waiver and Release of Liability Form, a print copy of his/her final work assignments, and a timesheet with his/her registration materials on site. A schedule reflecting all student volunteer assignments will also be available in the Student Lounge at the conference.
Volunteer Assignments
Student Volunteers usually work several shifts to complete the 14 required service hours. Shifts are available every day from Saturday, August 6, through Friday, August 12. Typical assignments are described below.
- A/V Support: Help speakers move their slides onto the laptop in the room and serve as a backup presider in cases where a presider does not show up. No previous experience with A/V support is required. All A/V volunteers will be trained on site at one of three 30 minute training sessions. Time spent in training will be counted as part of the 14 hours of service required.
- Field Trip Check-In: These are usually early in the morning. Collect signed waiver forms from field trip registrants and help hand out lunches and water.
- Event Ticket Taker: Collect tickets at the door, control access to the event, and direct people without tickets to the Onsite Registration Desk. These assignments do not include a free event ticket.
- Registration Desk: Greet attendees and give them their registration materials, help keep the Registration area organized, and perform other support tasks as assigned by ESA staff.
- Information Desk: Answer questions, help attendees sign up to use a Speaker Ready Room, help session presiders and moderators check out various materials they need for their sessions.
- ESA Booth (Exhibit Hall): Help sell merchandise at the ESA booth.
- Pack Up: On Friday morning, we need to make sure everything is properly packed and labeled to make it back to the ESA office safely.
Summary of Timeline
| late April | Volunteer information and application available. |
| May 19 | Presenters notified of abstract scheduling. |
| June 16 | Deadline for Early Bird Registration and volunteer applications. |
| Early July | Selected volunteers notified of assignments. |
Contact
If you have a question or need help, please contact Christine Zapanta, devintern@esa.org.