PyData Event Guidelines

Detailed Responsibilities

Divided responsibilities of the Organizing Committee and NumFOCUS are listed chronologically in the table at the end of this document.

1) Organizing Committee Responsibilities

• The Organizing Committee Chair(s) will convene regular meetings of the committee, at least once per month, and ensure that meeting minutes are recorded. The Organizing Committee Chair(s) will maintain consistent and timely communications with NumFOCUS staff to ensure close coordination on matters affecting the conference. The Organizing Committee Chair(s) will serve as the primary point of contact for the entire committee, so as to keep communications with NumFOCUS staff centralized and manageable.
• The Program Chair will convene a proposal review committee of 5-7 members. The Program Chair will serve as the main point of contact for communication with NumFOCUS about the CFP, Review, and Scheduling process. The committee will issue a Call for Proposals (CFP), review and vote on proposal submissions, coordinate 2-3 keynote speakers, and create the event schedule.
• The Venue and Hotels Chair will be responsible for arranging audio/visual services and catering at the venue. All A/V and catering decisions must be made in consultation with and receive approval from NumFOCUS staff. The Venue and Hotels Chair will identify hotels where NumFOCUS can book a room block for discounted reservations for event attendees.
• The Diversity Chair will be responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the conference promote diversity of participation and an inclusive, welcoming environment. The Diversity Chair will promote and manage diversity scholarships, develop partnerships with local organizations to increase participation by underrepresented groups, and consult with other members of the Organizing Committee to ensure all aspects of the conference promote diversity and inclusion.
• The Sponsorship Chair will be responsible for ensuring all committee members are identifying, approaching, and securing corporate sponsors for the event. The Sponsorship Chair will ensure that there are enough confirmed sponsorships sufficient to cover the costs of the venue, catering, AV/videography, and keynote speaker travel expenses. The Sponsorship Chair will coordinate with NumFOCUS staff prior to arranging any non-standard sponsorship packages. The Sponsorship Chair plays a very important role in ensuring the financial viability of a PyData event.
• The Printing Chair will be responsible for the design, printing, and distribution of schedule handouts, venue signage, attendee badges, t-shirts, and any other collateral or “swag” required for the event. The Printing Chair will coordinate with NumFOCUS staff and must receive sign-off from NumFOCUS prior to printing/ordering.

2) Event Structure

The most common format for PyData events is:

• 2 days of talks, 2-4 tracks
• 1-2 days of tutorials, 2-4 tracks

Other formats are possible (e.g. 1-day workshop event). Email [email protected] to discuss potential event structure options.

3) Venue Guidelines

NumFOCUS asks that all PyData events attempt to secure the following:

• A venue provided at no cost, hosted by a corporation or university
• Plenary space for 250 or more people
• Additional breakout rooms for 80 or more people for additional tracks (utilizing the plenary space for one track)
• Space for sponsor tables, catering, and networking
• AV connections for laptop presentations, with lavalier and hand mic
• Wifi for all attendees
• Electricity for attendee charging stations and sponsor tables

4) Budget

Revenue generated from PyData events play an important role in supporting NumFOCUS sponsored projects and the ongoing research and development of open-source scientific data tools through educational, community and public channels.

To facilitate financial administration by NumFOCUS staff, committees must:

• provide up-to-date cost estimates, invoicing, and expenditures on a designated spreadsheet (provided by NumFOCUS)
• secure approval from NumFOCUS for all transactions prior to payment (and prior to making any specific promises or proposals to vendors)

5) Sponsorships

To defray the cost of the event, organizing committees must secure corporate sponsorships. Sponsorship funding should cover most or all of the costs for the venue, catering, AV/videography, and keynote speaker travel expenses.

6) Templates

NumFOCUS can provide templates for the following items:

• PyData conference logos
• Sponsorship outreach and solicitation
• Diversity scholarship program applications
• T-shirt, badge, and lanyard designs
• Sponsor banner(s) and schedule flyers/posters design
• Video thumbnail, title cards, and closing slides