Directions for Lecture Captain

The Lecture Captain is in charge of assuring the whole lecture and stargazing event goes off without a hitch, but his/her main responsibilities are in Hameetman setting up, and organizing the lecture and Q&A.

General Responsibilities

• Emcee the lecture, including introducing the Lecturer, and give announcements
• Coordinate directly with the Lecture Volunteers to set-up and run the lecture and post-lecture talk/panel/Q&A
• Coordinate directly with the Telescope Captain before and during the lecture
• Select and distribute astro swag
• Answer attendee questions on astronomy, physics and science
• Close down the lecture hall at the end of the two hours
• Positively represent the Institute, the Department, and our profession

Week Prior to Lecture

• Contact the Lecture Volunteers to remind them of their responsibilities: meet 30 minutes before lecture, ready to Q&A, etc.

Day of Lecture (or earlier)

• Exchange phone numbers with Telescope Captain to enable you to coordinate during event
• Check the supply of handouts for the lecture (outreach schedules, skymaps). If running low (<50), make additional copies.
• Make panelist nametags consisting of name and specialty of each panelist
• Acquire the key to the AV closet from Althea or Anu. Set up the AV equipment to record the lecture in NW corner of Hameetman. (Plug in the screen and the controls to coaxial cable and ethernet respectively. Plug in power for both. Use remote to turn on camera at back of Hameetman. Hit #6 preset or whatever you want.)
• Print out copies of the Audience Survey to hand out.
• Get North Field key from athletics director, John Carter (john.carter@caltech.edu). Usually done on Friday afternoon. Email first to make sure OK. Placate him with reassurances that no one will screw up the field!

45 Minutes before Lecture

• Get the Lecture Captain box from Cameron's office (Cahill 323) containing badges, outreach signs, tally counter
• Select appropriate swag from Cameron's office
• Get copies of handouts
• Contact security office (x4701 or 626.395.4701) requesting that they unlock the main entrance to Cahill
• Close the doors to the hallways from Cahill Lobby on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors to assure that people don't roam the building when let in Cahill's front doors.
• Get the direction signs and sign posts from Erika's office--and move them out front
• Station at least one Lecture Volunteer at the entrance to Hameetman Lecture Hall to hand out materials and surveys if we're doing surveys that month. Use tally counter.
• Help set up speaker in Hameetman Lecture Hall. Use wireless microphone for them, handheld microphone for you to make announcements.
• Find out details about Lecturer for short introduction (2-3 sentences; where they're from, research focus, something unique?)

Lecture Start

• Stand in front of the audience with the microphone and people will start to quiet down.
• Announcements
  • Thank everyone for coming
  • Introduce yourself
  • Announce the schedule for the night: 30 minutes lecture, then 90 minutes of Q&A Panel and 90 minutes of Telescope Observing
  • Announce observing status: clear, cloudy, uncertain. Telescope targets.
  • Point out flyers, swag, handouts
  • Remind people that no food, drink, smoking, pets, and high heels(!) are allowed in Hameetman or on the field with the telescopes (and why)
  • Direct people to where the telescopes will be set up and how to find them
  • Announce how to identify volunteers with their badges
  • Remind people of lecture next month and other events (AoT)
  • Introduce Lecturer

During Lecture

• I usually go to the back of the lecture hall or to a side location out of the way
• Surreptitiously count attendees in the audience and record/remember
• Be in texting contact with the Telescope Captain regarding whether observing is clear enough to observe, status, etc.
• Enjoy lecture

Immediately After Lecture

• If needed, help facilitate Q&A for the speaker. Limit questions to 5 minutes. Stand up at front to signal the end of questions.
• Inform the audience that they will have an additional opportunity to ask questions of the speaker after you make a few announcements.
• Announce the weather conditions (you should have received a text message from the Telescope Captain) and directions to the fields.
• Announce the post-lecture talk/panel Q&A will begin in 5-10 minutes.
• Remind people about the next lecture/stargazing
• Thank people for coming, and invite anyone with additional questions for the speaker to come forward.

Panel Q&A or Slideshow

• This is pretty free form and up to you. If you want to have a pre-planned informal slideshow or demonstration, you can. Default is to have Lecture Volunteers act as a panel Q&A for attendees.
• Bring in table from hallways and put up nametags for each panelist if doing the Q&A Panel
• After 5-10 minutes, you or the Lecture Volunteers should start whatever you want to do.
• Remember to introduce each panelist

After two hours (or when the audience leaves, whichever comes first)

• Announce that the two hours are up, and that the event is over.
• Shutdown the projection system, store the microphones, and erase the chalkboards.
• Have the Lecture Volunteers collect the building signs and swag on 3rd floor.
• Bring the Lecture Captain box, extra swag, fliers, badges, AV remote, etc. back to your office or Erika's office.
• Record how many people attended
• If telescopes are back, lock Erika's door.

The Day after the Lecture (IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS)

• Write a short blog post on the event (i.e. a paragraph or two) for the outreach website. Include # of attendees. For examples, see: past events.
• Send this description to Cameron Hummels, who will post it.
• Return Lecture Captain box to Cameron.