• Stuart Henderson speaking at a conference

Plan a Conference

Events, whether large or small, require planning to not only run successfully, but also to ensure Jefferson Lab follows the guidelines laid out by the Department of Energy. Event Services specializes in assisting all departments at the lab in every step of this planning process. The following guidance below should serve as helpful documents for planning events at the lab.

In addition to any planning considerations below, a critical factor of any event is Jefferson Lab's Security Guidelines. This comprehensive document can be found here. For more information on security topics such as Visa & Immigration, head to the Jefferson Lab International Services webpage.

All events either hosted or co-hosted by Jefferson Lab, must go through the below process to stay within DOE & Contract guidelines and procedures. Please refer to Section 104 in the Administrative Manual for more information. Individuals who do not fill out and get approval on the Event Submission Form may lose their privilege to host future events, receive reduced funding and/or may not be reimbursed.

  1. Complete the Event Submission Form to the best of your ability. This form will then route for signatures to the appropriate parties below. If there are any questions about filling out the form, please see this tutorial and/or contact Event Services. Routing includes:
    • Event Services to review the information and feasibility of budget.
    • Chairperson of the event.
    • Security for any compliance with Foreign National Access Program and sensitive topics that may be covered.
    • Division Associate Director.
    • Finance and Lab Director for lab funds of $50,000 or more.
  2. Book the room you would like for your meeting through O365. For calendar usage and tips, please reference the guide offered by the Computer Center here.
  3. Begin considering the necessary documentation for conference approval, such as:
  4. Once all of the above processes are completed and the Event Submission Form is signed by all parties, Indico websites for the event will be unlocked and available to the organizer.
  5. Event Services will then set up an initial logistics meeting to discuss specific event needs such as rooms, catering, budgets, etc.

Every event has a set of needs to ensure success. Some take full-fledged off-site contracts with subcontractors and staff, while others are simply a handful of Jefferson Lab staff and users having a weekly team meeting. This page describes the tiers for different types and categories of meetings.

The Jefferson Lab Event Calendar is the best place to keep everyone informed of your event. Please take the time to submit your events so that they can be seen by the lab and, when appropriate, abroad! The calendar is the best place to keep up to date on everything going on in and around the lab.

Budgets for an event can often get complex with many different funding sources, revenue and expenditures. This sheet is used by Event Services to assist in navigating all of these. 

Whether you need a quick snack for a small meeting, or a full day event filled with food and drinks, our caterer has a menu that can cover all food and drink needs. Event Services can help plan your meals based on any budget.

Jefferson Lab has many conference rooms that can accommodate your event space needs. Some can be easily arranged to suit the style that best suits the intent of the meeting or event. Take a look here for a brief overview of each room available to reserve and guidance on how to reserve a physical space at the lab.

There are many digital platforms that can be used for a virtual meeting. Depending on the individual needs such as size of the attending group, moderation needs and which group of individuals is the meeting catered to, one of three platforms can be used. Event Services has two documents to assist you with setting up a virtual meeting:

- The Virtual Meeting Platforms At-a-Glance document will help you understand the many differences in the platforms.

- The Virtual Meeting Flowchart will assist meeting organizers with an easy to use chart to select which platform will be perfect for your event.

- Some Pop-up Backdrops are offered by Event Services to use in your office for a virtual events. Please see Event Services for use of these pop-up banners.

 For more in-depth information such a platform overviews, tutorials, and troubleshooting, please see the Jefferson Lab Computer Center website.

Example virtual meeting backgrounds can be found on the Communication Standards & Templates site.

More information on conference room audio visual capabilities can be found in the Jefferson Lab Knowledge site.