How to attend the conference

CDC 2021 will take place on the Virtual Conference Platform – VCP.

For instruction on how to enter the VCP please see “How to access the live program”

To attend the Opening, semi-plenary and Bode lecture sessions, please see “How to attend Zoom Webinar events”

To take a coffee break, please see “What is the Virtual Coffee and Exhibit Hall?”

IMPORTANT NOTES about login problems:

if you try to access the VCP simultaneously from more than one device/browser tab from the same IP, you will not be able to login! In such a case, please, close the browser and try again, opening the link in a single tab/window.
Some users are experiencing difficulty in accessing the virtual conference program (VCP) with Chrome and Safari browsers, but were able to login to VCP using FireFox. In case you experience login problems, please try to access the VCP using FireFox.
Some users solved their login issues by changing their Paperplaza password, avoiding special characters.
Some users had login issues due to their antivirus software, trying to protect them from accessing the VCP. Hence, if you have login problems, try connecting after disabling the antivirus.

What is the correct time zone for the conference program?

The entire program of the Virtual CDC, including the workshops, will be online during the hours 1:00PM – 5:30 PM UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). The clock below indicates the current time in both UTC and your local time (alternatively, you can consult https://www.utctime.net/ or https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/).

How do the technical sessions run?

Technical sessions are held in a Zoom meeting room. They have the same structure as in previous CDCs except that all technical talks are pre-recorded videos.
In the session, videos will be played.
During the playing, the audience can ask questions through Zoom chat window to the presenter, and the presenter may answer immediately by text or wait until the video ends and answer the question verbally.

What are the instructions for a presenter?

Presenters must be present at their technical session to answer live to questions.
It is highly recommended for the presenter to enter their session room 5 minutes before the session starts.
Please change your display name in the Zoom meeting to “n-th paper – your name”, where n is the number of your paper in the session. This naming will help the chair/co-chair and the audience to identify the speaker.
It may be wise to learn ahead how to change the display name in Zoom.

How to access the Live Program?

If you registered to the conference, then, you will be able to enter the Virtual Conference Platform (VCP) at https://events.paperhost.net/conferences/conferences/CDC21/proceedings/vc using your IEEE CSS PaperPlaza PIN and password. Through the entry page, you will get access to the program:

and will see the list of all technical, semi-plenary, plenary, special and social sessions, reported in chronological order per each day, Monday to Friday, as shown in the screenshot below referring to Monday December 13, 2021:

If you select the session that you are interested in, you will get the link to the Zoom room hosting that session (highlighted in red in the screenshot below).

Use the code 000000 (six zeros) when prompted for a meeting passcode.

Manuscript, slide deck and video are available for each paper of the session:

IMPORTANT NOTES about login problems:

if you try to access the VCP simultaneously from more than one device/browser tab from the same IP, you will not be able to login! In such a case, please, close the browser and try again, opening the link in a single tab/window.
Some users are experiencing difficulty in accessing the virtual conference program (VCP) with Chrome and Safari browsers, but were able to login to VCP using FireFox. In case you experience login problems, please try to access the VCP using FireFox.
Some users solved their login issues by changing their Paperplaza password, avoiding special characters.
Some users had login issues due to their antivirus software, trying to protect them from accessing the VCP. Hence, if you have login problems, try connecting after disabling the antivirus.

How to attend the Workshops?

The Workshops will be held on December 11 and 12, 13:00-17:00 UTC.

Participants should receive the Zoom link and password from the organizer of the workshops by December 9.

In case of any issue, please contact the workshop chair Na Li ([email protected])

How to access the Social/Student Programs and other special events?

CDC 2021 hosts traditional social events and special sessions, including:

Women in Control Event
IEEE Young Professional Scavenger Hunt
Meet the Faculty Candidates Poster Sessions
CSS Awards Ceremony
Farewell Reception

Please look for their times in the CDC homepage (https://2021.ieeecdc.org/social-program/ and https://2021.ieeecdc.org/special-sessions/ ) or in the VCP main menu under “Information” and “Highlights”.

How to attend Zoom Webinar events?

The Opening remarks, semi-plenary and Bode lecture sessions will be held as a Zoom Webinar instead than a Zoom Meeting.

What is the difference for you as an attendee?

When selecting the Zoom link, you will have to enter your email and name instead of the passcode.

Wait till the host starts the webinar, and then you’ll be able to enter it and follow the event. You are encouraged to use the Q&A function to make your questions during the videos of the semi-plenary and Bode lecture, so as to ease the interaction with the speaker.

What is the “Virtual Coffee and Exhibit Hall”?

A major appeal of in-person conferences is meeting new people and making friends.

In CDC 2021, such informal interactions take place by visiting the Virtual Coffee and Exhibit Hall, which uses Spatial.Chat, a digital platform in which participants are represented by their avatars in a virtual space.

To access the hall, click here!

By controlling the avatars using a computer mouse, people can move in the virtual space, meet people, and chat using their cameras and microphones.

Your voice can be heard only by the people near you! Therefore, if you find someone in the Virtual Coffee and Exhibit Hall, who you already know, you should “approach” him/her (by moving your avatar) to say hello.

Some of our sponsors will also have exhibit booths in Spatial.Chat, so make sure to drop by and get information on possible publishing, employment and collaboration opportunities.

The Virtual Coffee and Exhibit Hall is open every day of the conference, alongside the other sessions.

The etiquette is to use your Full Name in the Virtual Coffee and Exhibit Hall and turn your camera on.

Do attendees have to do anything special?

Well, nothing special except enjoying the conference as at previous CDCs! But, we wish the following from you:

Use your full name (first and last name) in Zoom and Spatial.Chat.
Make sure that you mute your microphone in technical sessions that use Zoom. At the beginning of the meeting all participants are automatically muted. Only unmute yourself if you are supposed to speak!
Turn on your camera in the Virtual Coffee and Exhibit Hall or at social events that use Spatial.chat. You can also always turn on your microphone in Spatial.chat.

It may be more convenient to install Zoom Client for Meetings in your PC, rather than using its web version which has limited capability. To install, please visit https://zoom.us/download#client_4meeting