CONvergence presents panels and performances related to any and all topics that the community wants to feature. You can attend panels to hear Guests of Honor, discussions related to our theme and attendees’ interests, and the expertise and enthusiasm of our panelists.
Panel Schedule
CONvergence hosts a lot of panels over 4 days.
- With very few exceptions, panels are one hour long and have a half hour break between sessions.
- Panels begin at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday and run throughout the convention until closing ceremony.
- Typically, panels are not scheduled between 2:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. but there could be exceptions.
- Panels, their locations, times, and panelists are all listed on the CONvergence Schedule.
Panel Etiquette
It’s normal to want to contribute to a panel discussion that you are enjoying, but there are a few things to remember.
- Often, a panel will include an opportunity for audience members to contribute.
- Please wait for panelists to invite audience members to contribute or ask questions.
- It is okay to raise your hand or a colored card to let panelists know you’d like to contribute.
- Unless invited to do so, it is rude and disruptive to shout out things during the panel.
One exception is: audience can remind panelists to speak into the microphones. After all, we want to hear them!
In many panel rooms, you will find colored cards with shapes in the audience area.
During a Q&A or any time when panelists need to call on audience members, holding up a colored card with a shape helps the panelist more easily call on you, without having to try to physically describe you. They can simply say, “red circle” or “yellow star”, or whichever color and shape you are holding up.
At the end of the panel, please leave these colored cards in the panel rooms for the next audience to use.
Panel Room Accessibility
Most panel rooms have taped off areas for wheelchairs and scooters, as well as chairs reserved for Deaf/Hard of Hearing audience members. Please keep these areas available for the people who need them!
It is also very thoughtful to leave the seat next to the wheelchair seating free if there are other seats available. This helps audience members who use wheelchairs sit with their friends.
Each panel room has a taped off area near the back for setting up camera tripods. Tripods should not be set up in aisles.
Panels on MainStage have slightly different accessible seating process. Learn more about that on the MainStage Page. Learn more about accessibility at CONvergence on the Accessibility page.
Be a Panelist
Anybody can become a panelist at CONvergence. There’s lots more information about that over on the Panelist Info page.
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