The 2021 WQA Convention and Exposition is the association’s first-ever hybrid event, offering expanded access for those participating in person and online. Those attending virtually can participate in real time during live-streamed events July 28–30, and those attending in person can take advantage of on-demand-only courses.
“Whether in person or virtual, participants can design their personal convention experience in a way that makes the most sense to them, both during the live event in Las Vegas and in the months to come,” said Tom Bruursema, WQA Associate Executive Director, Member & Public Engagement. “With the two available options, companies are able to have more employees benefit from the convention experience by combining live attendance and virtual registrations.”
The hybrid design works in all areas of convention attendance:
- Several in-person convention sessions will be live-streamed each day so virtual Convention-goers can participate in real time, answering polls, asking questions, or making comments. A schedule of live-streamed events is available here.
- Some education sessions have been pre-recorded and will be offered on-demand only—they’ll be uploaded a few days before the Convention opens and available online for months afterward, available to the in-person attendees as well as virtual. Many of these pre-recorded sessions are geared to less-experienced water treatment professionals and would be good training sessions for those wanting to advance their careers, and many offer Continuing Professional Development credit toward recertification for the more experienced pros. Check out the on-demand education here.
- All of the in-person Convention sessions (even those offered in live-stream) will be recorded for later online access. People who attended live can review a session they attended or watch ones offered at the same time they were attending something else. Virtual attendees can see any sessions they were unable to see as live-stream.
- The Virtual Exposition will be open 24 hours a day to make appointments with exhibitors or find new business connections. An interactive floor plan will allow the virtual audience to browse the exhibitor list or search by product category.
- Many of the networking, games, and giveaways are designed with an eye toward the virtual audience, so those who cannot be in Las Vegas won’t have to miss out on the fun.
- The virtual components are accessible to attendees even while they’re in Las Vegas, allowing additional flexibility onsite if needed.
For nearly 50 years, the WQA Convention and Exposition has been the signature event of the water treatment industry. “Imagine” is the theme for 2021, the first live WQA gathering in nearly two years because of the coronavirus pandemic. Education sessions are offered on all three days, and the trade show floor is open July 29 and 30. The Convention’s Opening General Session will feature keynote speaker Simon T. Bailey, plus presentation of industry awards for both 2020 and 2021.
Full convention details, including registration information for virtual or in-person attendance, is available at wqa.org/convention.
Source: WQA
