Poster Hall

Have you ever attended a conference where there was a poster hall? If you have, you would have browsed through posters that were probably neatly ordered in rows. A poster that caught your attention may have raised thoughts, comments, and questions. It is likely that you then engaged in a conversation with the poster presenter and with other participants at the conference who were at the same poster.

We have tried to simulate this experience virtually. In fact, our Virtual Poster Hall has some added benefits. When you visit a virtual poster you can leave a question or comment for the presenter, or you can answer a comment left by another visitor. If you see a figure standing behind the poster, you will know that the presenter is on-line, and you may get a quick turnaround on your comment or question. However, even if the presenter is not on when you are, you can leave a message and they will answer the next time they are on-line. So unlike a traditional poster hall, you can visit this one anytime day or night. You can print these posters. You can also read and comment on the questions left by others.

There are 23 posters in this Poster Hall, presented by lead staff from 23 different LSC projects. The projects represented have either just finished their NSF funding or are near the end of their funding cycle. As such they have a great deal to say about what they have learned about sustaining their projects. We are very grateful to each of these presenters.

They have each addressed their goals, and provided reflections from the end of their projects, suggestions for other LSC projects, and questions that they would like to see visitors answer. We have asked presenters to discuss, as openly as possible, factors that they have found to promote and inhibit the sustainability of their reform efforts. In many cases presenters have shared both triumphs and challenges with extraordinary candor. This frankness is critical to further understanding about sustainability and large-scale refom. We hope that poster discussions will be constructive in promoting this open dialogue.

So please visit the posters, answer the questions left by presenters and other visitors, ask them some of your own questions, and leave comments. Discussants Deborah Loewenberg Ball, George Hein, Judi Fonzi, and Jim Stigler will also visit posters and leave comments or queries, which you can read as you visit the posters.