Proposal submission guidelines

Individuals or groups involved in natural and cultural resource management or conservation science or practice are encouraged to submit proposals for symposia, workshops, short courses, or field trips. Proposals must demonstrate an alignment with the conference’s interest areas, including (1) management of natural and cultural resources, (2) regional research, (3) policy, (4) education, and (5) conservation science and management.

Proposals for symposia, workshops, short courses, and field trips for this year’s conference will be accepted until March 28, 2025. Decisions will be announced no later than April 14, 2025.

Symposia

Proposals will be accepted for two-hour (up to 8 presentations) or four-hour (up to 16 presentations) symposia to be scheduled during the three primary days of the conference.

Presentation length is 15 minutes, so that the timing of symposium presentations can be coordinated with contributed paper sessions. The last 15 minutes of the symposium may be left open for discussion, thereby reducing the number of presentations by one.

The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1,200 words. Please provide the following information:

Symposium title
Length (two or four hours)
Alignment with conference theme
Expected outcomes and, if appropriate, plans for communicating the results
Whether any necessary funding for organizer and speaker expenses has been secured
A tentative list of speakers, presentation titles, and whether each speaker has agreed to participate
Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address

Workshops

Proposals will be accepted for workshops, which can include discussion groups, to be scheduled on Clients’ Day (Monday, September 8, 2025) or during lunchtime breaks during the three primary days of the conference. Workshops scheduled to take place on Clients’ Day may be proposed for up to 8 hours. Lunch sessions may be a proposed for a maximum of 1.5 hours.

The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1,200 words. Please provide the following information:

Workshop title (please specify whether workshop or discussion group)
Maximum number of participants that can be accommodated
Length and preferred position in program (Clients’ Day or lunch)
Format of workshop or discussion and any special requirements (e.g., audiovisual equipment)
Alignment with conference theme
Expected outcomes and, if appropriate, plans for communicating the results
Method of selecting attendees (invited, open registration, or a combination)
Cost, if any
Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address

Short Courses

Proposals will be accepted for short courses of up to 8 hours to be scheduled on Clients’ Day (Monday, September 8, 2025). Short courses should be designed to develop professional skills in relevant areas.

The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1,200 words. Please provide the following information:

Short course title
Whether any special instructional or audiovisual equipment beyond that which the instructor(s) will provide is needed
Description of the course content and explanation of how it relates to the conference’s theme or topics
Expected outcomes
Space requirements
Minimum and maximum number of students that can be accommodated
Cost, if any
Instructor(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address

Field Trips

Proposals will be accepted for full-day or half-day field trips to take place on Monday, September 8 (Client’s Day), or Thursday, September 11.

The total length of the proposal may not exceed 1,200 words. Please provide the following information:

Field trip title
Description of the field trip and explanation of how it relates to the conference’s theme or topics
Special requirements (e.g., will box lunches be needed, 4-wheel drive vehicles)
Transportation requirements
Minimum and maximum number of participants that can be accommodated
Cost
Organizer(s) name, affiliation, and complete contact information, including email address

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by at least two reviewers. To increase the probability that your proposal will be selected for presentation, please consider the following criteria carefully:

Relevance to the conference’s interest areas
Relevance to the Southwest
Scientific merit or contribution to the field
Financial support for speaker attendance at the meeting (external support or self-funded participants)
Novelty of the topic (not covered at the past three biennial conferences)

Registration Deadline

All organizers of accepted proposals and their invited speakers and attendees must register by the early deadline, August 1, 2025. Registering on or before the deadline allows organizers to confirm your participation and finalize the program. Thank you!

Financial Support

It is the responsibility of organizers of symposia, workshops, and short courses to obtain funding for their own expenses and those of their invited speakers.