Most of us are virtual meeting pros by now—and though many miss the connection and energy of in-person events, there is something to be said for attending sessions in sweatpants, a favorite coffee mug in hand. With any luck, our days of entirely virtual conferences are numbered. We may even be able to gather in person (in some form) as soon as this fall. In the meantime, perhaps we should try to savor things like live streaming and virtual networking. Who knows? One day, in the midst of flight delays and crowded, chilly conference rooms, we might just miss them.

Running Behind?

There is still time to register for the Virtual Spring 2021 Group Meeting, taking place Wednesday, April 28 – Friday, April 30. View the schedule on the Group Meeting website, and be sure to select the sessions you plan to attend as you register. If you skip this step, you will not receive the corresponding Webex/teleconference links and calendar appointments. Make a note of your confirmation number because you will need it later.

Sessions are open to staff from ECOG-ACRIN member institutions, ECOG-ACRIN advocates, NCI/NIH employees, and invited guests only. We are unable to accommodate attendees from non-member institutions or industry. Please note that a few sessions are closed/invite-only (marked *).

Already registered, but want to add or remove sessions? Simply modify your registration.

• Select the "Already registered?" link below the "Register Now" button on the homepage of the Group Meeting website
• Enter your email address and confirmation number, and you will be taken to the registration summary page
• Scroll to the bottom and select the "Modify Registration" button
• Proceed through the process until you reach the sessions page
• Add/remove any sessions you would like, then proceed to the registration summary page
• Scroll to the bottom and click the "Submit" button

Must-See Sessions

Group leaders encourage all attendees to register for the Health Equity Committee Plenary Session (Wednesday, April 28, 8:00 – 10:00 am EDT), the General Session (Thursday, April 29, 4:30 – 6:00 pm EDT), and the NCI-MATCH/EAY131 and ComboMATCH Update and Education Session (Friday, April 30, 10:00 – 11:00 am EDT).

Meeting App

Although this is a virtual meeting, the desktop/web version of the meeting app is a great resource. Use it to browse sessions, view agendas, connect with other attendees, and more. New this year, session recordings will be posted to the app each evening for on-demand viewing. However, please note these will only be available until Monday, May 3.

To access the meeting app on your laptop/desktop, log in with your first name, last name, and the email address you used to register for the meeting.

To use the app on a mobile device, follow these instructions:

• Open the App Store on your device and search for "CrowdCompass Events"
• Tap the icon to download the app
• Open CrowdCompass Events and type "EA" into the search bar
• Tap the blue download icon next to "EA Virtual Spring 2021 Group Meeting"
• Tap the blue "Log In" button
• Enter your first name, last name, and the email address you used to register for the meeting
• You will receive a verification code via text message and email
• Enter your verification code – and you're in!

Training and Education

We are pleased to offer several pre-recorded educational presentations, geared toward clinical research staff, to download and view on demand. We will post these sessions by Tuesday, April 27, to the Clinical and Administrative Resources section of the website, where we typically store such information. They will be available during and after the meeting to anyone with member login credentials, regardless of meeting attendance.

Post-Meeting Sessions

Two additional sessions will occur after the Virtual Group Meeting ends, and they are open to all registered attendees:

• Oncology Nursing Committee Session
  Friday, April 30 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm EDT
  *Continuing education activity – view flyer for details
• Patient-Reported Outcomes Working Group Session
  Wednesday, May 12 from 4:00 – 5:30 pm EDT

You may modify your registration to add these sessions. Just select the "Already registered?" link below the "Register Now" button on the homepage of the Group Meeting website.

Webex Tips

The Spring Group Meeting will utilize the same Webex Events platform as the Fall Group Meeting. View tips for using Webex Events (scroll down and start at "Join an Event," about a quarter of the way down the page).

After completing your meeting registration, check your email for individual calendar appointments with a unique link for each session you selected. If you did not receive these calendar appointments/links, please email the Group Meeting Planners.

For Webex sessions, as attendees join, you will be muted automatically and will not be able to un-mute yourselves or turn on your cameras. However, any attendee may use the "raise hand" button, which will signal to the moderator you would like to speak. The moderator will then un-mute that attendee.

Attendees may also use the chat function at any time throughout a session to share comments or questions.

Presenters may include polls as part of their presentations; please watch for and respond to these polls. They will appear in the right-hand sidebar of the Webex window, near the participant and chat sections.

Save the Date: Fall 2021 Group Meeting

Though the Fall 2021 Group Meeting format is still to be determined, the dates are set. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, October 20 – Friday, October 22. If it is possible to host some or all attendees in person, the meeting will take place at the Marriott Harbor Beach Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Group Meeting Planners will be in touch via email over the summer once Group leaders assess the status of the pandemic/public health situation and plan accordingly.