Workshop Agenda

The administration of the workshop is a challenge. We have more than 70 editors --- a phenomenal group that constitutes a dream list. It is impossible for 70 persons to have an interactive session over a one-hour Zoom call. At the same time, we suspect that part of the appeal to many is the opportunity to know what is discussed in each session. So, we created the following model, which we have tried on an experimental basis for the first workshops and found it worked well (subject to improvement as we learn more from experience):

All Editorial Board Members receive a prospective chapter and draft table of contents three weeks before the workshop.

A few Board Members (typically three) are contacted in advance to serve as lotse for a session. The German term lotse has several meanings, traditionally an experienced pilot who guided a ship through local port waters (lotse singular, lotsen or lotsin plural). The lotse role here is to ensure fruitful conversation, with critical but constructive questions, comments, and responses. (Thank you, Sonja Opper, for the lotse imagery.) The authors are invited to propose one of the three lotsen for the session.

To open the session, the authors briefly summarize the key point in the paper we all have read. The authors will have no more than 5 minutes to present no more than 3 slides (firm).

Next, the lotsen/in ask questions and discuss the paper interactively with the authors for a half hour or so.

Then, the floor is open for questions or comments from the Board Members present.

In the final minutes of the session, we accumulate comments without author response so the authors have as many Board comments as possible, then give the authors an opportunity to comment broadly before closing the session.

We adjourn on the hour. Public comments in the session chat are distributed to the Editorial Board and each lotse receives a brief comment sheet, to be returned within a few days. Other participants on the Editorial Board are of course also welcome to send in comments (and comments from a fourth lotse acting in the interest of the series may be solicited where useful).

We stress that this format continues to be experimental, and we expect to modify it as we learn more from the sessions. We remind you, too, that the sessions are not public; they are open only to Editorial Board Members, and to occasional guests by explicit invitation. Of course, not everyone can attend every session, but we invite you to all.