Directions for Lecture Captain

Responsibilities

• Plan and MC the event in the lecture hall.
• Be in contact with the Roof Captain and Wildcard before and during the event to coordinate planning.
• Help to set up the projector and sound system for the lecturer.
• Make announcements to the audience about future events and astronomy news.
• Introduce the speaker.
• Give away swag.
• Lead the slideshows and movie presentations.
• Close down the lecture hall at the end of the two hours.
• Answer attendee questions on astronomy, physics and science.
• Positively represent the University, the Department, and our profession.

Instructions

The Day Prior to the Lecture (or earlier)

• Plan what activities will occur after the lecture. What slideshows will be given? Who will give them? What swag will you give away (I recommend choosing something topical from our swag aisle; Two different items maximum--bookmark and packet/poster)? Will you show an educational film (cosmic collisions, powers of 10, Hawaiian Starlight, etc.)? Figure out a rough timeline.
• Contact your Lecture Volunteers. Remind them that they are expected to be to the observatory 30 minutes beforehand to setup the signs. Arrange with them who is going to do what.
• Contact the Roof Captain for the event night. What targets is he/she going to look at? Exchange phone numbers so that he/she can text message you 30 minutes after the lecture has begun with a weather update.
• Contact the Wildcard for the event night. What are they planning on doing? Observing in front of Pupin? Running the 3D Wall?
• Check to confirm that the computer/projector is working in Pupin 301.
• Print out some outreach schedules and ​skymap fliers for public distribution. Check to see if there are any leftover from previous events. If the outreach calendar is dark, consider making negative copies to save ink. The best copying mode is the Photo/Text mode. 100 copies is usually enough,

Thirty Minutes before Lecture

• Go to the astronomy library and get the Lecture Captain box from the swag area in the southern part. This box should contain the building signs, any past lecture schedules, possible DVDs for showing, etc.
• You and your volunteers should put up the building signs directing people to the lecture hall, and the roof and wildcard room (if applicable). Note: bring the red, standalone post down from the swag area to the 13th floor elevator area.
• You and your volunteers should bring down the swag to the lecture hall.
• You and your volunteers should bring down one of the Lab Laptops for running the slideshows. Do not forget the dongle and power cord!
• You and your volunteers should put the outreach schedule and skymap fliers at the entry way to the lecture hall.
• You and your volunteers should set up the projector and show the speaker how to manipulate it.
• You and your volunteers should set up the wireless microphone for the speaker if he/she wants to use it. Encourage the speakers to use a microphone even when they insist they are loud enough. There are very few lecturers who really are loud enough (modulo David Helfand). There is a key in the box of materials kept in the library to open the cabinet below the podium where the microphone is kept. Often the microphone does not have charged batteries, in which case you can use some of the rechargeable batteries on the roof for the lecture -- just be sure to return them to our repository rather than leaving them downstairs.
• Write the webpage address on the blackboard.

Beginning of Lecture

• The full audience usually doesn't arrive until about 5 minutes past, so start your announcements 2 minutes past the hour (the lecture will begin at about 5 past).
• Welcome the audience and make any other outreach announcements. Point out the fliers and website for outreach.
• Announce the next lecture that will take place in two weeks, as well as any other imminent outreach (or astronomical) events.
• Comment on the feasibility of observing that night, if the weather conditions seem uncertain.
• Comment on what the observing targets are, what the slideshow may be after the talk, and what the wild card is doing.
• Introduce the speaker.

Immediately After Lecture

• Turn on the lights and ask if there are any questions for the speaker.
• IMPORTANT: Count the number of attendees while the speaker is taking questions.
• Keep the Q&A session to less than 5 minutes. Thank people for coming, and invite them to ask the speaker questions in person.
• Announce the weather conditions (you should have received a text message from the Roof Captain) and directions to the roof. If it is cloudy, let people know about telescope tours to roof.
• Announce the slideshow/Astrowall presentation will begin in 5 minutes.
• Announce the next lecture.
• Invite the children in the audience to come forward to get swag.
• If either you or the volunteer is not involved in the slideshow, Lead a group of visitors to the roof yourself. This has the benefit of keeping the traffic flowing well. The ideal situation is when 1/3 of the audience goes to the roof, 1/3 goes to a wildcard event, and 1/3 stay for the slideshows in the lecture hall. Make sure people are aware when the roof closes.
• After five minutes, you or your volunteers should start pre-planned slideshow.

After Two Hours

• Announce that the two hours are up, and that the event is over.
• You and your volunteers should shutdown the projection system, the microphone and erase the chalk boards.
• You and your volunteers should pick up *all* the building signs and the fliers from near the entryway REMOVE THE TAPE FROM THE SIGNS.
• You and your volunteers should bring the lab laptop, the extra swag, and anything else that remains in the lecture hall back up to 13th floor. You *must* put this away where you found it. Do not leave it on your or someone else's desk, as it is easy to lose things this way.

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

• Write up a brief explanation of what happened at the event (i.e. a paragraph or two) for the outreach website. For examples, see: ​past events. Send this description to the Outreach Director, who will post it.
• Update the outreach wiki to include the event. Remove it from the list of scheduled events, and copy/paste it into the list of past events along with an accurate list of volunteers (the ones who actually worked), # of attendees and the length of the event (not the amount of time you worked). Be sure to include all of the events that occurred (Stargazing, 3D wall, lecture, etc.), don't just copy and paste--make sure it is accurate as to what happened.
• Update the outreach wiki with an entry to the "Past Star-gazing Dates" as to whether or not it was clear (underlined) or cloudy (not underlined).
• Email Millie with information about who volunteered and who should be paid (only grads and undergrads). Generally, if a volunteer was there the whole time, they should be paid 2.5 hours for the event (include the lecturer if he/she is a student). If the event ended prematurely or someone left early, then this will reflect on the pay of the volunteer.