Concurrent Symposium Description
Please provide a ~150-word description of the proposed concurrent session and a bullet point list of objectives (~100 words). Describe the overall topic and the five speakers that will participate in 20-minute talks (including Q&A) of a 1 hour and 45-minute in-person (or virtual) scientific symposium. Be sure to address all points described in the concurrent session rubric. If selected, this description will appear in promotional material and on the event website.Rubric for Concurrent Sessions
- Scientific Quality
- Novelty
- Interest for a wide range of ASPB/CSPB attendees
- Cohesive session
- Attendees will benefit from information
- Gender balance
- Career-stage balance
- Under-resourced research participation (examples include first generation in family to attend a university, veteran, indigenous, rural, student contributors)
Each category scored on 5-point scale
- Rankings will be based on total score as well as discussion among Program Committee members.
- The Program Committee has a wide variety of experience, both academic and industrial, at many career stages. Each committee member may have slightly different rationales for scoring, and these differences strengthen the evaluation.
- Each Program Committee member will aim for consistency in their rankings.
- Depending on time constraints of the conference, please indicate if the proposed concurrent session could be presented virtually as part of Plant Biology Global.
Deadline
October 31, 2025
How-To Guide
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FAQs
The program committee is seeking content across the following topic areas:
Abiotic: Light & Temperature
Abiotic: Salt and Minerals
Abiotic: Water
Biochemistry and Metabolism
Biochemistry: Photosynthesis and BioEnergy
Biochemistry: Specialized Metabolites
Biotic Interactions: Plant-Animal
Biotic Interactions: Plant-Microbe Beneficial
Biotic Interactions: Plant-Microbe Immunity
Biotic Interactions: Plant-Microbe Pathogenesis
Cell Biology: Cell Walls
Cell Biology: General
Cell Biology: Plastids and Organelles
Computational Biology & Bioinformatics
Development: Vegetative
Development: Reproduction
Education and Outreach
Genes & Genomes: Biotechnology, Molecular Breeding
Genes & Genomes: Gene Regulation and Transcriptional Networks
Genes & Genomes: Genetics
Genes & Genomes: Genome Editing
Phenomics
Professional Development
Signal Transduction & Hormone Biology
Technical Development and Innovation
Whole-Plant: Environmental and Ecophysiological
Each concurrent symposia are 1 hour and 45 minutes and includes five (5) presentations. So, we need a total of 5 speakers. The session chair can be one of the 5 speakers or just chair the session.
Yes. Please advise proposed speakers that you have included them in your proposal as they will receive an email from ASPB notifying them of their inclusion in your proposal and requesting them to provide demographic information. This is NEW for 2025, and the change was made based on feedback from 2024.
Unfortunately, no. Speakers from 2023 and 2024 would be eligible to speak again in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
PUIs are US institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees and award fewer than 10 PhD degrees per year in all NSF-supported disciplines. For instance, while Penn State has more undergraduate students than grad students, it is not a PUI as it does not meet the criteria.
Great question! At this stage, simply enter your PI (as the session chair)
No. In 2022 and 2023 ASPB recorded sessions for post-event review. ASPB discontinued this practice in 2024 based on low view rates and high execution costs.
Concurrent Symposia presenters and one session chair are eligible for the speaker rate. Please note that by Internal Revenue Service tax rules, ASPB must report the difference between the Non-member or Member rate and speaker rate as income and all speakers must provide ASPB with a W-9 or W-8 BEN to receive the speaker rate. Once accepted as a speaker AND forms received, ASPB will code the speaker profile, and the speaker rate will be visible. Speakers can opt-out of the speaker rate if they wish.
ASPB offers a limited number of travel grants to attend the annual meeting. Apply here.