Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any questions, concerns, issues or suggestions for CIRMMT? Then we invite our members (regular, collaborator and students) to complete a simple anonymous online form at any time: https://forms.office.com/r/FQ4PrSQFaH

Please follow the instructions on how to apply for membership in one of our categories: regular member, collaborator, student member and visiting academic or research-creator.

The Honorary Lifetime membership nominations process can also be found on the how to apply for membership page.

You will need to decide what kind of event it is you are trying to propose:

• Workshops, Seminars and Special Events are all something that members can suggest organizing.
• Distinguished Lectures & live@CIRMMT concerts are dealt with by the Centre and follow a specific structure. You can make suggestions for guests to the appropriate Research Axis (RA).
• improv@CIRMMT and the Student Colloquia are organized by the Student Executive Committee, but again, members are welcome to speak to these people to try and arrange something within these categories.

First, you can figure out if the event comes under one or multiple RAs and approach those RA co-leaders. However, you should always try and get CIRMMT’s Events Coordinator in the loop as soon as something is looking to be more solid and is moving forward as this will be the person to help you organize many aspects of the event.

If you think it’s bigger than that or if at any time you are unsure, you can always come to CIRMMT’s Research Centre Administrator or to the Events Coordinator, and we can try and either help you set up your event, or guide you to the right person.

What information should be included in such an event proposal?

A rough estimate of date, description of event, expected participants, expected benefits to the CIRMMT community, estimated budget, the type of room required, any technical help and/or equipment.

Is there a specific budget I should keep in mind?

Not all events require a budget. CIRMMT has a budget available for outreach events, but does not pay anything towards seminars, for example.

Each RA has a set budget for the year as does CIRMMT as a whole. We ask that you be sensible yet realistic when putting forward a budget and provide a breakdown of items:

• For example, consider the estimated number of people you plan to have at your event and calculate food accordingly.
• We strongly suggest buying snacks, milk, cream and other drinks at the grocery store to reduce costs.
• CIRMMT also has its own crockery and cutlery that can be borrowed, which can again reduce costs.
• We try to avoid paying any guest lecturer fees (formerly honoraria), but could pay for travel and accommodation if necessary.

After submitting an event proposal, when should I hear back and from whom?

If you go directly to the RA co-leaders, then most likely you will hear directly from them as to whether they can support a proposal. After that you should be in contact with the Events Coordinator to start arrangements.

If it’s from elsewhere (Directors or CIRMMT Executive Committee), you will most likely hear from the Research Centre Administrator. We do our best to get back to you as quickly as feasible, hopefully in a few days. If a proposal has to go to the Executive Committee, then you will hear back after the next meeting a proposal goes to. The dates of the executive committee meetings are online.

If my proposal is approved, how are the funds disbursed?

CIRMMT wants to avoid people paying out of pocket as much as possible, but sometimes it’s unavoidable: e.g., alcohol purchases, some catering depending on who you want to use, and definitely items purchased from a grocery store, which is often something we ask people to do for things like snacks, milk, cream etc., as mentioned above.

For other things like travel and accommodation we try to organize that directly with the visitor to avoid all parties being out of pocket.

All our members can send emails to the member and student mailings lists, although they are moderated as we try and make sure they are appropriate.

However, for events that you want to organize with CIRMMT, the Events Coordinator will get it on the website, put it in the newsletter that goes to members, students and external people, create a Facebook event, etc.

You can also share our events through your own channels, to increase the reach!

Other things, such as awards or funding granted outside of CIRMMT, can also be put up as a news item on our website.

You will need to arrange an alcohol permit. The information on how to go about this can be found here: https://www.mcgill.ca/eventsbookings/apply. CIRMMT can always help you with this.

You will need to go and purchase your own alcohol and, if funding from CIRMMT has been approved, be reimbursed.

Other than what is mentioned above under the questions regarding proposing an event, you can always ask the CIRMMT staff for help with administration and technical/equipment questions.

If you need some guidance on dealing with the catering side of an event, please review the Instructions for catering volunteers for CIRMMT workshops which are found on our website.

You should submit a proposal in writing to the Research Centre Administrator that should include:

• What you are proposing with a detailed description.
• The objectives of your proposal and who it will benefit.
• The budget required, if any, to make the proposal work.
• If it is for a funding opportunity, please note who is eligible to apply and what the application process could be.

It will be reviewed by the Executive Committee and feedback will be provided as to whether the proposal is ready to proceed or to be further worked on.

When the proposal is approved and ready to move forward, CIRMMT will help you proceed as necessary.

We have standard slides that any of our members are welcome to use to present the centre to students, other centres, colleagues or other external entities. 

A PDF version is available to download.

You can download the PowerPoint slides from a McGill MSOneDrive: Slides for members_2024-10_EN.pptx

You can review our user guide and bylaws, available online.

Yes! We have a policy that you can review, and when you are ready to make a request, please complete this MS Form and submit any additionally requested materials.

The form will be reviewed by CIRMMT’s Executive Committee at its monthly meetings and you will then be informed of the decision.

Please review the Research Axis Administrative Guidelines for Leaders & Student Coordinators found on our website.

For all additional questions, please contact the Research Centre Administrator or Events Coordinator.

It is expected that when CIRMMT labs or equipment are used in a research project, CIRMMT will be listed as part of the institutional affiliation in any publication. Example: “CIRMMT, Department X, University Y.” As this is not possible for certain journals, which only list the university, use of CIRMMT labs should be recognized in the acknowledgements section with the following:

• ENG: We would like to thank the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT) for their support.
• FR : Nous tenons à remercier le Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en musique, médias et technologie (CIRMMT) pour son soutien.

The CIRMMT logo (available from our Media page) should be attached to documentation when possible.

If would like to find out if you can rent one of our labs, please contact info[AT]cirmmt.org with an explanation of what you are looking for.

You can find more information on CIRMMT’s laboratories on our website, including about the Multimedia Room (MMR) and/or the Performance Research Laboratory (PeRL).