International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts

Dear All,

I wanted to provide you with a quick update about when the program will go live with the links to presentations!
The deadline to have conference presentations uploaded to our system was 23 February 2021. However, due to the power and life disruptions across much of Texas and other parts of the United States, we offered extensions for those who needed them, and therefore the link to upload will remain open until next week.

I was hoping that I could meet the original deadline of 1 March 2021 to release the program with the live links to the presentations; However, because of the extension, and in an effort to keep from overloading your inbox with multiple versions of the program, it is likely that I will not be able to send the program with the live links until 5 March 2021. Even though this is four days later than our original plan to get the program to you, it will still give you a full two weeks to view all of the amazing presentations that are planned for this year! (NB: Only those registered for the conference will receive the program with the live links.)

Once you receive the program, you will see that I have embedded all of the presentation titles with a link to the corresponding presentation. When you find a presentation that you would like to view, all you will have to do is click the title of the presentation and it will take you directly to it! (NB: The volume of the presentation is set by the person who uploaded the presentation, and there may be some presentations that will require you to adjust the volume on your end.)

I will update the program one more time after 5 March 2021 to add in a direct link to the “room” where each session is being held, and then email it to everyone who is registered for the conference! Once that is sent out, and once the conference officially begins, all you will have to do is click on the title of the session you want to attend, and it will take you into the room where the session is being held!
Thank you all for being so kind and understanding as we work to bring you the best virtual conference we can!
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

Valorie
—
Valorie Ebert
First Vice President, International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts (IAFA.org)
Department of English
Broward College – North Campus
Coconut Creek, Florida 33066

ICFA 42 Power Disruption and Paper Uploads

The IAFA is aware of the power (and life) disruptions across much of
Texas and in other parts of the United States, and we will make
exceptions for submitting presentations as needed.

Because our deadline was created to ensure that everyone is able to
view the presentations before the conference, we ask that any member
who can meet the original deadline (which is February 23, 2021) to
please do so.

We’ve updated the FAQ for Sheet for Presenters:
https://www.fantastic-arts.org/2021/icfa-42-faq-sheet-for-presenters/

–Karen Hellekson for the Reg team (iafareg AT gmail.com)

ICFA 42 “Climate Change and the Anthropocene”
When: March 18–21, 2021
Where: Online
Guest scholar: Stacy Alaimo
Guest author: Jeff VanderMeer

Event details
Cost: Registration ($40 for regular registrants, $20 for students/adjuncts) closes on February 22, 2021. There is no on-site registration. Paper presenters must be an IAFA member to present. Further, all merchandise is being printed and mailed to order, and will not be available for sale at future conventions. Sign up for the conference via the IAFA home page: https://iaftfita.wildapricot.org/
If you cannot pay right now: That’s OK. Please sign up and create an invoice to indicate your good-faith effort to attend. You can pay the outstanding balance later.

Here’s how the online programming works: Presentations are organized into panels as usual. Presenters will upload their presentations as videos or as documents like PDFs. Attendees will peruse the program ahead of time, viewing/accessing the presentations relevant to a panel. Then, at the time noted on the program, everyone will log into Zoom and talk about the panel’s papers.

There will be a moderator to organize time, and there will be a tech person to troubleshoot tech. Nobody will recap their paper; it will all be discussion. All the clicky links to make this happen will be easily accessible online to registered attendees.
In addition to prerecorded content to view ahead of time, there are a couple LIVE items on the program.

The program is updated continually here (currently v8), so be sure to check your data and ensure correctness: https://iaftfita.wildapricot.org/

Here is the FAQ Sheet for Presenters, which includes useful dates: https://www.fantastic-arts.org/2021/icfa-42-faq-sheet-for-presenters/
Some content has already been uploaded; thank you to those who are either (a) helping us test, or (b) really on top of things! Mike Smith, IAFA’s tech officer, who is previewing the content as he processes it, notes, “There are some seriously creative and talented people in this organization.”

Yes, there will be a book room
Kathmandu Books, our usual on-site vendor for the beloved book room, is busy putting together a tailored collection of books for sale, focusing on books by ICFA 42’s author/creative attendees. Stay tuned for more info!

We still need volunteers!
For help with Zoom: Here’s a description of the tasks: https://www.fantastic-arts.org/2021/volunteers-needed-for-icfa-42/
Or sign up here: https://forms.gle/qYYJrQPN8v5sD6T49
Training has been moved to the week of February 22, 2021, to accommodate more signups. If you’re on the fence, consider yourself nudged and sign up.

For the SCIAFA mentorship program: There is still time to sign up to be a mentor or a mentee at this year’s virtual ICFA conference. If this is your first time attending ICFA, or just your first time attending a virtual conference, please sign up to be a mentee and you’ll be paired with an experienced conference-goer who can answer your questions and show you the ropes!
If you have lots of experience with ICFA, virtual conferencing, or both, please sign up to be a mentor and help our newcomers feel welcome!
If you’re interested in being either a mentee or a mentor for the student caucus, please email Shelby Cadwell (iafa.studentcaucus2 AT fantastic-arts.org), vice rep for the Student Caucus, the following information no later than February 28, 2021:
• Name
• Email address
• Institutional affiliation (if any)
• Main interests in the field of the fantastic
• Will you be available for the Wednesday evening meet-up? Yes or No
• Which role are you signing up for, mentor or mentee?

The usual Reg reminders
If you have a credit, please, please, please do not pay your invoice. Choose “invoice me” and not “pay now.” If you have to enter credit card info, just stop. Stop I tell you! Don’t do it! The software needs an open invoice so Reg can apply your credit. However, keep in mind that credits last 2 years, so if you have money left over from last year’s canceled ICFA 41, you can use it next year too.
To apply your credit to an open invoice, just email Reg the relevant unpaid invoice numbers, and we will do a Thing in the software to apply it.

We hope to see you at ICFA 42 in March!
—Karen Hellekson for Reg (iafareg AT gmail.com)

Quick update as ICFA 42 fast approaches!

Confirm info in program

As 1VP Valorie Ebert updates the draft schedule, it is posted on the organization’s website (https://iaftfita.wildapricot.org/). If you appear in the program, please check your info. If you do not appear in the program, revel in your freedom—but peruse it anyway to see what is to come!

Zoom managers still needed

Thank you to those who responded to registrar Emily Midkiff’s plea for more Zoom managers; the response was gratifying. But we can always use more! In fact, it would really help us out. Description of requirements here: https://www.fantastic-arts.org/2021/volunteers-needed-for-icfa-42/

The form to fill in to indicate you wish to volunteer is here: https://forms.gle/qYYJrQPN8v5sD6T49

Reminder

The last day to sign up for the conference is February 22, 2021, at midnight Florida time (GMT-5). Academic presenters must be current members of IAFA to present.

A FAQ sheet for presenters follows. Please email me if you need anything membership or registration related. I’ll also forward any notes you send to the relevant person, so if you have a question and need it directed, do reach out.

—Karen Hellekson for Reg (iafareg@gmail.com)

=====

FAQ Sheet for Presenters, ICFA 42

PRESENTATION

Once accepted, the author may choose to present in one of the following formats:

● Text document
Format: PDF; maximum length: 1800 words

● PowerPoint slideshow with audio commentary
Format: PPTX or MP4; length: 10–15 minutes

● Prezi presentation with audio commentary
Format: any exportable Prezi format; length: 10–15 minutes

● Video recording
Format: MP4; length: 10–15 minutes

We will soon add a small section on the conference website (https://iaftfita.wildapricot.org/) with links to tutorials about creating PowerPoint and Prezi slideshows with audio commentary.

Please upload your presentation (in any of the above formats) to the conference Dropbox (https://iaftfita.wildapricot.org/ICFA-42-Upload). The process is easy: click the link, choose the presentation file, and hit Upload. A Dropbox account is not required to upload. You will need to drop your file by February 23, 2021.

The conference participants will have almost three weeks (March 1–18, 2021) to read, view, or otherwise peruse and become familiar with the presentations.

The Zoom sessions during the conference will be limited to Q&A. Time limitations mean that authors will not be allowed to summarize the papers, but we envision plenty of time for real-time discussions.

DATES TO REMEMBER (ALL TIMES US-EST GMT-5)

● February 1 (Monday): Final schedule posted.

● February 22, 11:59p (Monday): Registration closes.

● February 23, 11:59p (Tuesday): Papers/presentations due via upload.

● March 1 (Monday): Version of program with links to presentations goes live.

FAQ Sheet for Presenters

ICFA 42 “Climate Change and the Anthropocene”

March 18–21, 2021 @ Online

The IAFA is aware of the power (and life) disruptions across much of
Texas and in other parts of the United States, and we will make
exceptions for submitting presentations as needed. Because our
deadline was created to ensure that everyone is able to view the
presentations before the conference, we ask that any member who can
meet the original deadline (which is February 23, 2021) to please do
so.

PRESENTATION
Once accepted, the author may choose to present in one of the following formats:
● Text document
Format: PDF; maximum length: 1800 words
● PowerPoint slideshow with audio commentary
Format: PPTX or MP4; length: 10–15 minutes
● Prezi presentation with audio commentary
Format: any exportable Prezi format; length: 10–15 minutes
● Video recording
Format: MP4; length: 10–15 minutes

Links to tutorials about creating PowerPoint and Prezi slideshows with audio commentary are available at IAFA’s YouTube account (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWbFN8jKysYvj4C4xE1yQVA). For those new to Zoom, we have linked to short official Zoom tutorials. Information regarding presentation uploads, including file naming protocols, is available at “Upload Files for ICFA 42,” linked below.

Please upload your presentation (in any of the above formats) to the conference Dropbox (https://iaftfita.wildapricot.org/ICFA-42-Upload). The process is easy: click the link, choose the presentation file, and hit Upload. A Dropbox account is not required to upload. You will need to drop your file by February 23, 2021.

The conference participants will have almost three weeks (March 1–18, 2021) to read, view, or otherwise peruse and become familiar with the presentations.

The Zoom sessions during the conference will be limited to Q&A. Time limitations mean that authors will not be allowed to summarize the papers, but we envision plenty of time for real-time discussions.

DATES TO REMEMBER (ALL TIMES US-EST GMT-5)
● February 1 (Monday): Final schedule posted.
● February 22, 11:59p (Monday): Registration closes.
● February 23, 11:59p (Tuesday): Papers/presentations due via upload.
● March 1 (Monday): Version of program with links to presentations goes live.

Please consider volunteering to help us put on ICFA 42!

Volunteers are needed to manage the Zoom rooms in 4-hour blocks (don’t worry, training is provided). Registration fees will be refunded upon completion of the task.

To volunteer for ICFA 42, click here and fill in your availability: https://forms.gle/qYYJrQPN8v5sD6T49

Some further requirements:

Must be members of IAFA
Must have a reliable, reasonably high-speed internet connection
Must have a working knowledge/basic experience with a virtual meeting platform, Zoom experience preferred
Must be willing and able to attend a training session in February
A Zoom account is not required

Thank you!

IAFA Registrar

Emily Midkiff

https://iaftfita.wildapricot.org/