Call for Sessions
We invite you to propose a session for IAGLR’s 70th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research
Deadline to submit: Friday, September 18, 2026
The conference will be held May 24-28, 2027 in Duluth, Minnesota and will bring together biophysical and social scientists, environmental engineers, resource managers, practitioners, decision makers, community members, and others to showcase collaborative efforts that address current and future research and management needs, and to share scientific advances across the world's great lake ecosystems. Session chairs should be prepared to facilitate a session that welcomes both in-person and virtual oral presentations and audience participation. We encourage chairs to involve students and early career researchers as co-chairs.
What kinds of session topics?
In keeping with our theme, Great Lakes, Global Impacts, we welcome diverse contributions exploring the environmental, economic, social, and cultural dimensions of interconnected freshwater systems. We also welcome new and interesting relevant topics, especially those that elevate collaborative communities involved in research and practice including equity-deserving groups, youth, elders, and knowledge carriers. You are invited to propose formats that would engage with diverse ways of expression and knowledge systems (in person and online). Sessions can include panel discussions or other interactive formats that promote knowledge exchange and discussions among participants.
View the Call for Sessions PDF for a list of suggested topics.
How to submit a session
Submit your session in the submission form. You’ll be asked to provide a short title (max 80 characters), brief description (max 250 words), the number of abstracts expected, and name(s) and contact information for the session chair(s) (up to four preferred). You’ll also be asked to identify a corresponding chair to receive all communications about the session. If you are interested in arranging a session that includes a panel discussion or a format other than our standard 20-minute presentations, please note your request in the designated area on the submission form and contact the program chair after submitting your proposal. This type of session must be approved ahead of time.
Session chair notification: Session chairs will be notified in mid-October about acceptance of their session. Chairs of confirmed sessions will also receive further instructions at that time. The Call for Abstracts will follow in November.
Session chair responsibilities
Once the sessions are established, chairs are asked to solicit at least six to eight abstracts to help form the session. A minimum of four abstracts are required for a session to be included in the final program. Sessions are most successful when the chairs recruit speakers well in advance of the December abstract submission deadline. All presenters must submit an abstract through the IAGLR 2027 Conference Portal once the Call for Abstracts is available. Session chairs will monitor the abstracts being submitted to their session and work with the authors to edit or modify as needed. Once abstracts have been accepted, session chairs are responsible for confirming acceptance and scheduling with each presenter.
If fewer than four presentations are received for a session, the program chair will consult with the session chair(s) either to combine the accepted abstracts with another session or to create a new session title to encompass similar abstracts included in other sessions. When all abstracts are assigned to a session, the session chairs will determine the order of presentations within their session and confirm scheduling with each presenter.
During the conference, session chairs are responsible for running their sessions. At least one chair must be present onsite to ensure the session runs smoothly and is successful for both the presenters and the audience. Session chairs are expected to introduce the session and each presenter, manage the time to ensure presentations adhere to the 20-minute time slots, and facilitate the question-and-answer period within the final five minutes of each time slot. Session chairs will also call attention to posters submitted to their session topic to help promote awareness of related presentations.
All speakers, including session chairs, are required to register and pay to attend the conference. In addition, if a session chair is presenting, an abstract fee will be required as part of the abstract submission. Conference organizers are exploring, and will announce, pathways of support for individuals and groups that do not have the financial means to attend.
Key Dates
August 10-September 18: Submit a session proposal
Mid-October: Chairs notified regarding acceptance of session
November-December: Solicit abstracts
January: Review abstract submissions
February: Schedule presentations
March-May: Register
May 24-28: Attend conference
A Note About Workshops
We plan to issue a separate Call for Workshops. What is the difference between a session and a workshop?
Included in Call for Abstracts to solicit abstracts for 20-minute presentation slots
Requires at least four abstracts to be included in program
Varies in length depending on number of abstracts
Runs concurrently in daily tracks Tuesday-Friday of conference week
Associated event, such as a training
Not included in Call for Abstracts
Likely scheduled for Wednesday afternoon of conference week
Generally runs for up to four hours
Takes place in a lab, meeting room, or outdoor location, depending on topic and goals of workshop
Check out IAGLR's IDEA+ Workshop Award for potential workshop support. The award aims to broaden participation in IAGLR by welcoming and involving people from historically marginalized communities.
Questions?
For questions about chairing a session or the conference program, contact the Program Co-Chairs, Liz Minor (eminor@d.umn.edu) and Molly Wick (molly.wick@wisc.edu).