We are excited to welcome you to our annual conference in Austin, Texas! Below you will find some frequently asked questions along with their answers.
May in Austin can be very warm and wet. Prepare for high humidity and sudden rainstorms. Conference attire ranges from suits to jeans. We suggest wearing comfortable shoes and bringing a sweater as the meeting rooms can be chilly. The hotel also has a pool, so be sure to pack your swim suit!
The Registration Tables will be set up on Level Four, outside the Grand Ballroom.
- Please download Whova, our conference app. This app will include the most up-to-date session schedules as well as personal agendas with reminders, speaker profiles, slides and documents to accompany conference sessions, networking opportunities, and the opportunity to provide feedback on sessions.
- You will receive a physical conference program in your registration packet. You can also view the conference program here.
- Please wear your name badge at all times.
- Complimentary charging stations are located near the Registration Tables.
- Welcome to the Conference: Join us for a fun session to kick off the conference. You’ll learn some tips and tricks to navigate the conference as well as make connections with your colleagues.
- In your registration packet you will receive a Bingo card that you will be able to fill out by chatting with other conference participants. Be sure to attend the General Session Luncheon on Tuesday, May 31 from 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m. to turn in your card for the drawing! The winner will receive a free GoPro HERO9.
- On Sunday and Monday afternoons, join your colleagues for Connections and Conversations. Similar to the game “Topics,” each participant picks a guiding question card and poses it to the group. Once everyone provides their answer, the next person draws a question card, and so on. Topics include Teaching and Learning; Policies and Practices; Fatigue and Burnout; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Communication; Time Management; In-Person Transition; Connection and Collaboration; Celebration; and Priorities and Planning.
- The conference app, Whova, has a meetup function that allows participants to post meetings that other interested participants can join. These could be informal discussions on a topic, dinner plans, or walking trips to local Austin attractions!
- On Monday evening, NISOD staff will lead interested attendees to the Congress Avenue Bridge to see our local bat population take flight! Check the Whova app for more details about this meetup.
Parking is available at the JW Marriott, as well as at city garages, including a garage on E. Second Street and San Jacinto. Limited street parking may be available on Sunday and Monday. The Austin Convention Center 2nd Street garage typically has complimentary parking on Memorial Day, and is a more affordable parking option for the weekend.
- The Excellence Awards Dinner and Celebration will take place on Sunday, May 29 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in JW Marriott Grand Ballroom. The event is open seating. Please pick up your packet at the registration desk by 5:00 p.m. on Sunday and then head over to take photos in front of our Excellence Awards wall!
- Your packet will include your dinner ticket (as well as any guest tickets you have purchased) and a name reader card. Be sure to bring these with you to the event.
- Following the Student Essay Contest recognition, attendants will direct recipients by table to the stage to be recognized.
- Prior to crossing the stage, you will hand your name reader card to the attendant to have your name read. If your name has special pronunciation, we kindly ask you to add appropriate pronunciation marks to the name card.
- Dinner will be served following the Excellence Awards recognition.
- Breakout Session rooms will be equipped with a laptop, data projector, and screen. If you bring your own laptop or tablet, please be sure to bring any cables and adapters. Roundtable Discussions cannot accommodate equipment other than the presenter’s personal, battery-powered laptop or tablet.
- Please review the map of the JW Marriott to see where your presentation room is located.
- The Speaker Support room is located in Room 405, Level 4 and will be staffed approximately throughout the conference.
- Visit the Speaker Support room prior to your session if you need help or experience technical difficulties. Technical support staff will also be monitoring rooms during sessions and walking the hallways of the hotel.
- The Speaker Support room will be stocked with Post-its, markers, flipcharts, and tape. You can also borrow a clicker to use during your presentation.
- There is only 15 minutes between sessions, so please be sure that your session ends on time so that the next presenter can prepare for their session.
NISOD appreciates the support of all of our sponsors and exhibitors. For a complete list, click here.