First Timer’s Guide to the ACBS World Conference in Dublin

Welcome!

We have compiled this guide to assist first-time conference attendee’s in making their time at the ACBS World Conference as productive and stress-free as possible. There’s no “right” way to attend the conference nor is there a set number of sessions or events to attend. You should attend the conference with the plan to make connections, learn, and have fun.

Planning for the Conference

Getting there: Check here for airport transfer information to get you to the venue or accommodations.

General Conference Schedule: Please find the schedule of events which will help you plan your days here - https://contextualscience.org/wc17_gen_schedule.

What Should I Bring?

Tote Bag: You’ll want a bag, and the conference give away is NOT a bag this year. You’ll be carrying a lot of stuff: The Program (unless you opted out of receiving this print publication when you registered), handouts, notepad/tablet, snacks, a sweater, and a computer.

Snacks and a water bottle: ACBS provides lunch each day along with Coffee/Tea breaks in the morning and afternoon. If you’d like to supplement that, shop at the grocery store (on or off campus) and stock up on fruit, granola bars, or energy bars – items that are portable and filling to sustain you through the day. Your brain will thank you!

Comfortable Shoes & Clothes: This is not the time to wear new shoes, even if you look amazing in them. Bring your favorite comfortable shoes. ACBS conferences are a bit more informal that other similar conferences when it comes to dress. Most people wear slacks/shorts/jeans and a button-down shirt, blouse, or something similar. Be comfortable. (Oh, and a sweater is a good idea in case a room is chilly.)

Choosing Conference Sessions (2019 Preliminary Program)

Sometimes selecting which of 165 education sessions to attend requires some time. There is a lot of cool research, some really useful practical training, thought provoking invited speakers, and a wide variety of topics. Expand your horizons and have fun. Read through the sessions available. Keep a list of these available sessions, but don’t stress about definitively picking one over another until the time comes. You will end up chatting with other attendees about pending sessions and they may lean toward one or the other or even suggest one you had not considered. Another strategy is to find (or recruit) a buddy to attend a different session in the same time slot and then meet up afterward to share information.

You will notice there are several different types of sessions available throughout the conference. We’ve included a brief explanation of each type to assist with choosing your sessions:

• Workshops are training sessions of 1.5 or 3 hours and usually focus on a combination of experiential and/or didactic exercises. The workshops 27-30 June are open to all, no additional registration is required.
• The Ignite presentation is a short, structured talk in which presenters present on ideas and issues they are most passionate about using a “deck” of 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds for a total of 5 minutes each.
• Symposia are a series of three or four 15-20 minute presentations focused on either empirical research or conceptual, philosophical, historical, or methodological issues. A discussant highlights and integrates the contributions of various speakers in the symposium and moderates questions from the audience.
• Panel discussions consist of 3 to 5 speakers selected for some shared interest or expertise in an area. Panelists respond to one or more questions or issues, with time allotted for interaction among the speakers and with the audience.

Networking at the Conference

The Conference Ambassador/Ambassadee Program: This program is hosted and organised by the Women in ACBS SIG and ACBS Membership Committee. The aim of this initiative is to foster community, connection, and inclusivity at the ACBS conference. We want to support delegates to feel welcomed at the conference by providing opportunities for information and connection, so delegates want to come again and again, and want to get involved in ACBS more widely.

This program will allow ACBS conference attendees (“Ambassadees”) to be matched with people who are seasoned ACBS conference attendees (“Ambassadors”) to aid in networking and provide a better overall conference experience for all.

To register for the program, please complete the survey found here by June 14th: https://kingston.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_83bnwGqrdyyi2Ut

The First Timer’s Event/Rookie’s Retreat: Attending this event can help you get oriented to the conference, meet some attendees, and start your networking! The First Timer’s Event/Rookie’s Retreat will be held on Wednesday, 26 June at 18:00-18:45 in The Blue room, DCU Helix.

Chapter/SIG (Special Interest Group) Meetings: You are welcome and encouraged to attend any Chapter and SIG meetings that are occurring during the conference which interest you. You do not need to be a member of these groups to attend and this is a great way to meet people who live locally to you or who have similar interests. 

Evening and Social Events: ACBS conference social events (dinner, mixers, follies, dance party, etc) generally have high attendance. These events are a good opportunity to chat with others in a relaxed environment and have fun. You will find the schedule for evening and social events here: https://contextualscience.org/evening_and_social_events.

Quick Tips

• Clothing: Dublin area temperatures in June are cool, but comfortable. Daily highs are predicted to be between 17-20 degrees Celsius (62-68 degrees Fahrenheit). Dress comfortably. In general, it does rain about one third of the month of June, so you will want to be prepared for some rainy days.
• All sessions from Thursday morning through Sunday noon, are included with your conference registration. Workshops given during these times are complimentary.
• If you’re an early riser and want a nice start to your day, check out our morning movement and meditation sessions. CEs are even available!
• You will be meeting other therapists/researchers so be prepared to help them remember you by sharing your business card. If you don't have a business card, don't worry! ACBS is an informal conference and you can always snap a picture of someone's name tag and message them later through our membership directory.