What's Inside - July 2022 | |
Planning to Succeed
- By Marie Hunter, Head of IEEE Global Meetings, Conferences and Events
Stay in the Know
- Changes for Wire Transfers to Local (External) Bank Accounts for IEEE Geo Units, IEEE Student Branches, and IEEE Conferences
- Wells Fargo Address Change
Organize Like a Pro
- Visa Letter Requests for IEEE Conferences – Planning Ahead
- Stay Ahead of Troublesome Travel Trends
- MCE Trendspotting - Asynchronous Events
Meet the MCE Team
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Momoko Vanna, Business Operations Manager
Available Resources
- Create a Following With a Winning Brand and Website
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Did you know that IEEE may have negotiated rates and terms available to leverage as an organizer? You may want to reach out to [email protected] to check in on the vendors and tools you are considering so that we can help you be in the most favorable position to negotiate.
If we don't have a preferred or non-profit rate in place, your feedback would help us prioritize which partners we should speak with to help you with your process.
We are happy to help.
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Changes for Wire Transfers to Local (External) Bank Accounts for IEEE Geo Units, IEEE Student Branches, and IEEE Conferences | |
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Please note that IEEE Geo Units, IEEE Student Branches, and IEEE Conferences no longer need to be registered as suppliers in the Oracle Supplier Database in order for funds to be wired to the local bank account.
For IEEE Geo Units and IEEE Conferences, Treasury will accept the NextGen Electronic Transfer Payment Request Form without a Supplier Number.
For IEEE Student Branches, funds should be sent directly to the Section CB account, not to the Student Branch local bank account.
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Wells Fargo Address Change | |
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Please note that if you have any Wells Fargo Bank by mail envelopes please discard them. The address for the "bank by mail" has changed.
Please send an email to [email protected] to request new envelopes.
The new address:
Wells Fargo
PO Box 77200
Minneapolis, MN 55480
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Visa Letter Requests for IEEE Conferences – Planning Ahead | |
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International attendees of IEEE events often need a letter of invitation in support of their visa application to obtain a visa to participate in a conference. Many potential attendees have experienced longer wait times in visa application processing, some taking several months to obtain a visa. Many applicants are required to appear in person for an interview as part of the visa process and in some cases, wait times for interviews are taking as high as five, six, and seven months.
A number of factors are behind the delays, but the most impactful are pandemic-related issues (e.g. staffing attrition, backlogs due to holds on visa issuance related to COVID restrictions on travel/entry) as immigration departments continue to try and catch up.
As organizers, you will need to plan ahead to ensure the attendance of international participants at your event. You should plan to provide invitation letters requested as early as possible, at a minimum, five to six months in advance of the event in support of your participants. While it is recognized that most authors receive paper acceptance notifications within three to four months prior to an event’s start date, you may want to consider the provision of an expanded timeline in your paper review and notification of acceptance deadlines. Alternatively, in support of authors, you may consider the allowance of remote presentation for those authors who cannot obtain their visas in time for the conference.
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As a reminder, IEEE guidelines related to the issuance of visa letters provide for the following:
Visa letters should only be issued to:
- People the committee knows
- Speakers/Presenters
- Committee members
- Attendees who have paid their registration fee in full and are not from one of the countries embargoed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
Visa letters should state only the facts:
- Conference title, dates, and location
- That the requester has paid the required registration fee in full
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While it is recognized that an invitation letter can help support their visa application, it is not a guarantee, and IEEE does not have any influence over the issuance of a visa. The determination is at the sole discretion of the embassy/consulate.
An invitation letter is prepared solely for the purpose of visa application and is not a commitment on the part of the organizers to provide any financial support or confirmation of inclusion in the program.
If you have further questions about visas for your conference, please contact the MCE Team.
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Stay Ahead of Troublesome Travel Trends | |
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Travel is becoming more expensive and unpredictable than ever, which can impact the success of your event. Travel inflation and disruptions can affect your budget, attendance, and bottom line. Here are some travel trends to watch and what you can do to adapt.
Inflation
Inflation is causing travel costs to skyrocket. Fuel costs, supply chain disruptions, geopolitical concerns, and staffing shortages continue to magnify the issue. Travel cost increases may affect your event’s attendance and anticipated surplus.
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Where are the increases?
What you can do
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Adjust your budget and registration fees - Reflect travel cost increases in your conference budget, and ensure your registrations will enable you to meet your financial obligations.
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Leverage the IEEE Travel Program - Where appropriate, book IEEE Travel through World Travel Inc. using the Concur platform (get started here) for enhanced efficiency and cost savings.
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Plan ahead - Give participants ample time to register for your event and book travel.
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Take advantage of discount programs - If applicable, use any available hotel and airline rewards programs.
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Negotiate with your venue - Partner with your hotel to identify cost savings for your room block or other expenses.
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Travel disruptions
Reports of travel delays and cancellations are on the rise. Staffing shortages, equipment availability, lost luggage, and security backups are part of the problem. Disruptions may impact the ability of presenters, VIPs, exhibitors, and other participants to make it to your event.
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What you can do
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Plan ahead - Ensure that your budget, venue, and staffing can support a pivot to hybrid, and can accommodate earlier arrivals or changes to travel plans.
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Put it in writing - Include contingencies in your speaker and exhibitor agreements. Define what happens when speakers or exhibitors cannot attend and which expenses you will or will not cover
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Have backup plans - To avoid gaps in your program, have speakers pre-record their presentations, and ensure your team is prepared to display this content if needed.
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Offer guidance to participants - Consider providing travel tips in your event communications or website.
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If you need assistance with strategies for combatting travel challenges, MCE is here to help. | |
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Asynchronous Events
As conferences and events continue to navigate the virtual/hybrid/in-person landscape, many are experimenting with new formats to keep attendees happy and engaged. A popular hybrid event format involves streaming your in-person content to a virtual audience. While this can be effective, this typically prioritizes in-person content and experiences and may be less engaging for your virtual audience. Learn how an asynchronous event format can benefit your event.
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Momoko Vanna, Business Operations Manager | |
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As a Business Operations Manager, Momo Vanna plays a key role in several important financial processes impacting IEEE conferences. Between developing a monthly forecast of the business, working directly with volunteer organizers, and ensuring accurate accounting of conference financial information, Momo manages important processes that help ensure the integrity of IEEE’s financial statements and provide senior staff and volunteer leadership with essential data and analysis to guide decision-making.
Momo has been with the IEEE for the last 12 years, starting as a member of the Computer Society’s staff before joining MCE in 2014. She spent several years as an analyst supporting individual events before moving into a Business Operations Manager role in 2021. She is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton with a degree in Business Administration and a concentration in Accounting. Her background in accounting has recently helped implement new processes in IEEE’s NextGen financial systems.
When she is not at work, you can find Momo spending time with her two sons and many nieces and nephews. She loves to teach and involves the kids in many Okinawan traditions including taiko (drums) and odori (dance).
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Create a Following With a Winning Brand and Website | |
Your brand and website are often the first impressions prospective participants have of your event. IEEE has several resources available to help you create a brand and user experience that will resonate with your audience year after year. | |
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Event branding and website resources
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If you need assistance creating your event branding or website, reach out to MCE at [email protected]. | | |
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IEEE Meetings, Conferences & Events (MCE)
445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
Phone: +1 855 340 4333 (Toll-free US & Canada)
+1 732 562 3878 (Worldwide)
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