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Speaker FAQs

Review the information below to prepare for your upcoming session at UC Tech 2026, to be held from July 8-10 in Merced. Click on your session format to jump directly to the information you need: General for All Speakers, Birds of a Feather, Panel, Presentation, or Poster.

This page was last updated on May 28, 2026. For other questions, reach out to uctech@ucmerced.edu.

General for All Speakers

Important Information

Is there a PowerPoint template I can use for my session?
Feel free to use our conference-themed PowerPoint templates. It is encouraged but not required.

When will I know my session date, time, and location?
A tentative program is planned for release the week of June 8, while a finalized program is expected in late June. We are doing our best to accommodate any scheduling requests; however, we cannot guarantee availability until the conference program is finalized.

What do I need to bring for my session?
Birds of a Feather, Panel, Presentation:

  • Please bring your own personal laptop and USB-C adapter (if your laptop does not have an HDMI port). You are responsible for preparing any session handouts or materials prior to the conference.
  • We also recommend that you bring your own laptop charger, batteries, and a copy of any slide deck on your local laptop as backup.
  • The Planning Committee will have a limited number of loaner laptops and USB-C adapters available in the event of an emergency.

Poster: Other than your poster, you do not need to bring anything else.

Room Preparation

What is my room capacity?
Room capacity will vary from 30 for smaller rooms and 174 for larger rooms. We will be using the tentative program to gauge session interest and plan room assignments in advance of the conference.

What will my room be equipped with?
Birds of a Feather, Panel, Presentation: Each room will be equipped with the standard AV equipment: Wi-Fi, power outlets, a display, and HDMI cord. One lapel microphone will be available for larger rooms. Clickers will not be provided. We recommend arriving 5-10 minutes before your session is scheduled to set up your room equipment. If needed, volunteers will be available to provide technical support.

Poster: The poster showcase room will have an easel to display your poster.

How will my room be configured?
Birds of a Feather, Panel, Presentation: Rooms will either be set up in classrooms with chair-desk combo seating in rows or auditoriums with audience-style seating in rows.

Poster: The poster showcase room will be an open space.

How will I connect to Wi-Fi?
UC speakers should connect to eduroam using their campus ID and password. Those who are not affiliated with UC should connect to UCM-Guest.

For instructions on connecting to eduroam or UCM-Guest on various devices, see UC Merced's Network Support Articles.

Miscellaneous

Will my session be recorded?
No. Recordings will be limited to the Keynote Addresses.

Who is the audience at UC Tech?
The audience will be primarily IT staff across UC and our UC Tech 2026 sponsor representatives.

Is there a dress code?
No. We recommend choosing attire that is business-casual, comfortable, and well-suited for warm Merced weather. Be sure to check the weather report before you travel.

Birds of a Feather Meetup

What is the Birds of a Feather meetup format?
Attendees with common areas of interest and/or expertise gather for discussions. This format is not intended to be a presentation, but rather an opportunity to solicit and encourage active discussion from participants.

When is my meetup scheduled? How much time do I have?
Birds of a Feather meetups will be pre-conference on Wednesday, July 8, from 4-6 p.m. before the evening Welcome Reception at 6:30 p.m.

You can choose to have a 1-hour or 2-hour time slot. If you haven’t already, email uctech@ucmerced.edu to let us know your preference.

What are some Birds of a Feather resources?

Panel

What is the Panel format? How much time do I have?
Speakers share diverse perspectives on a topic, with a moderator guiding the conversation and facilitating audience questions.

You have 45 minutes, including any Q&A. Please do not go over time as sessions may occur after yours. You will have a volunteer in the room to keep time.

What are some resources to prepare for my panel?

Presentation

What is the Presentation format? How much time do I have?
Speaker(s) share a project in detail. You have 45 minutes, including any Q&A. Please do not go over time as sessions may occur after yours. You will have a volunteer in the room to keep time.

What are some resources to prepare for my presentation?

Content and Storytelling

Inclusion and Accessibility

Design and Visuals

Audience Interaction and Performance

Equipment Set-Up

  • PPTControl: Clicker app for your phone, watch, and computer.
  • Second display options: For Macs, the built-in Sidecar feature lets you use an iPad as a second display (which PPT will use for the presenter view). For Windows laptops, there are some options like Duet Display, Luna Display, Spacedesk, and Splashtop Wired XDisplay. 

Poster

What is the Poster format? How much time will I have?
Speakers display a poster with research or applied/operational work for the entire duration of Day 1 and Day 2 (July 9-10) of the conference.

You will be assigned a 45-minute time slot in the program, during which we recommend you come chat with attendees visiting the poster showcase room.

How should I design my poster?
The recommended poster dimensions are 48 inches wide by 36 inches tall.

Here are poster size font recommendations. Use no more than two fonts.

  • Title: 90-100 pt – The largest and boldest text on your poster.
  • Headings: 50-60 pt – Clearly distinguishable from the title and body text.
  • Body Text: 30-36 pt – Legible from about a metre away.
  • References: 30-36 pt – To distinguish them from body text, ideally go for 30 pt 

Optional No-Cost Printing: Submit File by June 19
If you’d like us to print your poster for you at no cost, please review the details below:

We’ll securely store your poster until the conference. 

What are the poster set-up and tear-down times during the conference?
Poster set-up and tear-down information will be provided at a later date via email and this page.

What will be provided at the poster showcase?
Standing display easels will be provided.

What are some poster resources?