Announcing posit::conf(2025) Virtual Day, Sept 16th!

So, you’re planning to attend posit::conf virtually. You probably have your calendar blocked for September 17-18, and you’re all ready to log in to Discord and get chatting with fellow attendees while you watch the livestreams. (You’re registered for conf, right?!)

Well, we’re gonna need you to reserve one more day on your calendar! Join us on Tuesday, September 16th (one day early) for a whole extra day of virtual activities and talks 🎉

What’s on the agenda?

How do you attend? 

You can add this Virtual Day Session to your schedule in the conference portal (Click “Sessions” at the top and filter to “Virtual” on Sept 16th) and you’ll find a Virtual Day Agenda with join links in your Event Portal. All interaction will take place on the posit::conf(2025) Discord 👉🏼

The most important thing to do is join the Discord server! That’s where all communication during the events will take place. Here’s how to get the best out of your Discord experience:

1. Already have a Discord account? Go to https://discord.com/login and log in.
2. Don’t have one? Go to https://discord.com/register and create one, then check your email to verify your account.
3. Click the “CLICK HERE TO JOIN!” button in your Event Portal and you’re in!

The Discord is your chance to network, so don’t make the mistake of trying to network with an anonymous screen name! No one will know who you are if you have a name like “gogo48” or “supersquirrelgirl97” 👀 So let’s set you up for success:

1. Click your profile in the bottom left > Edit Profile and add an Avatar image, then scroll down to the About Me section and add a bio. Putting a link to your LinkedIn or Bluesky profile here is great!
2. From there, click Per-server Profiles and edit your Server Nickname for the Posit conf server to be your real name (this platform will be for networking, and it’s tough to network with a goofy anonymous screen name).
3. Go browse channels, introduce yourself in the #introductions channel, and get chatting! Most importantly, go find the #virtual-day-events channel. Want to see all channels? Click the server name at the top left and check “Show All Channels”.

For some virtual events, attendees will also use Slido, a Q&A platform. Links to the Slido will be found in Discord as well as the Virtual Day Agenda section in your Event Portal on the day of the events.

What will the events be like?

AMA with Rich Iannone

11 – 11:45AM ET

Get ready for an AMA with Rich Iannone, creator of the {gt} and {pointblank} packages and all-around great human. Let’s chat with Rich about package dev! But, hey, it’s an AMA (ask-me-anything) – so ask whatever you want 🤔

Virtual Talk Session

12 – 1:25 PM ET

Tune in to our Virtual Talk Session featuring talks on everything from building your first ggplot2 extension package and best practices for shiny app deployment to validating LLM responses to tackle important social issues. Go check out the Virtual Day event in the Schedule for more details on the individual talks and speakers. Chat with other attendees in the Discord server while you watch, and ask your questions in Slido – they’ll be answered in an hour-long Q&A session afterward!

Data Science Hangout (Q&A) with Virtual Talk Session Presenters

1:30 – 2:30 PM ET

Talks will be followed by a cozy hour-long Q&A with the virtual speakers hosted by Libby Heeren & Rachael Dempsey. If you’ve ever attended a Data Science Hangout, you’ll love this Q&A! We’ll cover questions asked in Slido and chat with each other in the Discord server.

Photo by Camylla Battani on Unsplash

Data Science Trivia Game with Swag Prizes

3 – 4 PM ET

Join Libby for a fun Trivia Night Event! A conference day wouldn’t be complete without a little friendly competition, would it? Test your wits, have a laugh, and if you’re a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place winner, you’ll get a SWAG PRIZE! This will be an individual event (not organized into teams). Hands on your buzzers!

Recap time

1. Register to attend conf virtually! Students and teachers get to attend virtually for free
2. Log in to the Event Portal and add Virtual Day to your schedule
3. Join the Discord server
4. Block your calendar and get ready for 3 days of fun with the data community!

See you there!

Have a question about conf? Check out our FAQ page. Our email is there if you don’t find an answer to your question. If you’re on Discord, find the #i-have-a-question channel and ask away!