Symposia
A mini-symposium includes 3 or 4 presentations which are brought together within one theme. The session is chaired by the person responsible for organising the symposium. It should be planned to include time for discussion, and may include a discussant. Symposia last 60 or 90 minutes (please indicate your preference).
Symposia offer an opportunity for those with a particular interest to submit a coherent set of papers for presentation in a single session. They also allow some flexibility over how the time is organised. We are particularly keen to include symposia that speak to the conference themes and key areas of focus. We encourage organisers of symposia to ensure that the rationale for bringing their particular presenters and papers together is very clear.
The Scientific Committee is keen to encourage symposia which include collaborations that extend across multiple institutions, and is especially keen to showcase symposia that include international representation amongst the presenters.
How to make a submission for a mini-symposium
The symposium chair must complete the submission form after discussion of the symposium content and organisation with all included presenters.
Contents of the symposium session
There is flexibility about how you organise your symposium but we suggest that it includes a brief introduction by the chair explaining the background to the topic, and explaining the rationale for bringing these particular presentations and presenters together.
Organisers can decide how they would like to handle questions, but we suggest that there is plenty of time allowed for discussion of the presentations as a coherent whole, rather than just as individual papers.
The length of presentations may vary.
We suggest a maximum of 3 presentations within a 60 minute symposium or 4 presentations within a 90 minute symposium, unless a good case is made for taking a different approach.
We suggest that the symposium includes a facilitated discussion, and you may wish to include a discussant in your symposium team.
Criteria influencing selection:
- Clear description of the overall aims and purpose of the symposium
- Clear explanation of the value of bringing these particular presentations and presenters together within one session (why is the whole better than the sum of the parts?)
- Scientific merit of the brief abstracts presented
- A team which includes representation from multiple institutions
- A team which includes international representation
Things you will need to include in your submission form
Name / contact details of chair / organiser
Length of symposium 60 /90 minutes
Symposium title
Summary of the symposium (350 words) Please summarise your aims, the symposium content and format and the rationale for bringing these presenters/presentations together
Presentation 1 – name of presenter
Title
Brief abstract (100 words per abstract)
[Repeat for presentation 2, 3 and 4] There will only be four if it is a 90 minutes symposium
Name of discussant (optional)