One of the other visible differences in recent annual meetings is the increased use of technology in every area, from the educational sessions to the Exhibit Hall, said Olejko. Attendees can catch videos of sessions they missed on the ACR’s SessionSelect web page, surf for abstracts online, and use free wireless internet in the Exhibit Hall.
“Everything in our syllabus is available online, except the premeeting courses,” said Olejko. “The abstract book weighs eight pounds. So we now give people a choice. They can get their syllabus online, receive it on a thumb drive, or get the book. Only about 1,000 attendees this year wanted the book.”
In the future, Olejko predicted attendees will be able to use their mobile phones and tablet computers for more meeting-related activities. “I could see that type of technology being used in registration, for example. You could register for your ‘Meet-the-Professor’ session on your iPad and not have to go to registration. You will be able to do anything from anywhere,” he said.
Susan Bernstein is a writer based in Atlanta.
