American Society for Microbiology

ASM Microbe brings together exceptional scientific program content into 1 creative learning environment. There are several opportunities for you to participate in the planning of the ASM Microbe 2023 scientific program content. 

Deadline: Aug. 3, 2022, 12 p.m. ET 
Submit a Session Proposal
Questions? Contact the ASM Microbe Programming Team.

• More than 1 proposal per submitter is welcomed for consideration. 
• Session formats, including number of speakers and length of program, may not be modified from the description noted below.
• ASM Microbe encourages and expects speaker diversity in the sessions at its meeting, including but not limited to gender, race, career level, geography, institution, etc.
• All proposals must be submitted online via the link provided on this page.
• Conveners will be assigned a member of the program committee to provide oversight of the session.

In addition to basic personal information about who you are (name, institution, email address), the following information is required on the submission form:

• Type of session you are proposing. 
• Session title (should clearly identify the topic).
• If you are submitting on behalf of an organization, the name of the organization. 
• Content level of your session: novice, intermediate or advanced.
• Programming track that best aligns with your proposed session:
  • Cross-track Symposium: choose up to 3 tracks.
  • In-depth Symposium, Track Hub and Mini-Conference: choose a primary track (required) and as many sub-tracks as relevant.
• Session description (4-5 sentences describing what the speakers will present).
• Three learning objectives (use active verbs).
• Key takeaway points (5-6 bullets listing what the attendee will learn in the session).
• Key takeaway points’ references (cite the specific references used to support your key takeaway point for the attendee). Only applies for submission to Clinical tracks with CME/CE.
• Explanation of why your proposed topic is particularly important to present in 2023.
• Name, degree, institution, email for each convener and speaker (convener may speak in session).

Review the Criteria

The ASM Microbe Program Committee develops the meeting, in part, from submitted session proposals. Proposals are reviewed and considered using the following criteria:

1. Completed submission form, including all conveners and speakers.
2. Session title that accurately reflects the topic.
3. Appropriate session format for the session proposed (occasionally, the program committee may suggest an alternate session type for your topic).
4. Well-written session description, learning objectives and key takeaways (with references) that provide a clear picture of the session and what attendees will learn through their participation.
   1. Meets the needs of the community.
   2. Has not been presented recently (or if it has, merits an update).
5. Current topic(s) that present the latest science.
6. Convener and speaker diversity (gender, race, career level, geography, etc.).

Two-Year Speaker Rule

ASM Microbe has a “2-year speaker rule” to encourage new and diverse content. To verify speakers have not spoken in the past 2 years, please refer to the past speakers list available in the Session Resource located in the submission portal.

Speaker Diversity

ASM Microbe encourages and expects speaker diversity across the spectrum in the sessions at its meeting, including but not limited to: gender, race, career level, geography, institution etc.

Cross-Track Symposium  

This type of session focuses on interdisciplinary topics of broad interest and showcases transcendent science. Cross-Track Symposia provide an opportunity to expand scientific knowledge and better understand new trends in the field of microbiology. The format is 2-hours in length and includes 1 convener with 3 invited speakers, followed by a panel discussion or Q&A segment. Please provide your Cross-Track Symposium session details below.

Debate (NEW for 2023)

This type of session presents opposing views about a topic in a debate-style format. The convener acts as the moderator and 2 debate teams represent each side of a controversial topic. This is an interactive session type, and the audience will vote on which team wins points and the overall debate. The format is 1-hour in length and includes 1 convener and 2 debate teams with three panelists each. This session type does not have invited speakers as debate teams do not prepare formal presentations. Please provide your Debate session details below.

In-Depth Symposium Information

This type of session addresses an important issue and/or research on a particular subject, with a diversity of knowledge and/or points of view presented by leading experts. Appropriate oral abstract presentations are selected by the session convener from accepted abstracts in February and scheduled in the session. The format is 2-hours in length and includes 1 convener with 2 invited speakers and 3 or 4 oral abstracts. Please provide your In-Depth Symposium session details below.

Panel Discussion (NEW for 2023) 

This type of session generates spontaneous interaction among panelists and between panelists and the audience in response to questions posed by the session convener. Conveners play a very active role, serving as the moderator who facilitates discussion between panelists and the audience. The format is 1-hour in length and includes 1 convener with 3 panelists. This session type does not have invited speakers as panelists do not prepare formal presentations. Please provide your Panel Discussion session details below. 

Track Hub 

This type of session features a short, highly interactive presentation on a track-specific topic held in informal, open-space Track Hubs on the Exhibit and Poster Hall floor. The format is 45-minutes in length and includes 1 speaker. Please provide your Track-Hub session details below. 

Mini-Conference

This session type is an extended format focusing on a specific topic area in the microbial sciences.  Mini-Conferences will be scheduled on Thursday, June 15. The program is 3.5 hours in length, and the submitter designs the format to include 1 convener and up to 4 speakers. Please provide your Mini-Conference session details below.

Submit a Session Proposal
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Helpful Resources 

• Review ASM Microbe Tracks/Subtracks.

Convener and Speaker Travel Support

ASM Microbe will offer reduced registration and limited travel support to speakers presenting in cross-track symposia, in-depth symposia and track hubs. Conveners who do not have a speaking role will be offered reduced registration. Mini-conference conveners and speakers will be offered reduced registration. 

Proposal Review and Notification

After proposal submissions close, all proposals will be reviewed by the program committee. The committee will meet in late-Aug. 2022 to develop the program, including review and selection of submitted session proposals.
 
Please note, ASM often receives multiple proposals on the same topic and the program committee may choose to combine proposals into a single session. Program committee members may also collaborate with session submitters to build from ideas provided in a session proposal, and develop the submission into a new session with a different focus than what was proposed. If your session is selected for merging, modification or collaboration, a member of the program committee will contact you in Aug. 2022.
 
Notification (dispositions) of the status of your proposal will be sent by Aug. 31, 2022. Speaker invitations will go out on Sept. 29, 2022. If your proposal is selected for ASM Microbe 2023, all session details must be finalized (i.e., convener and speaker invitations accepted) by Oct. 14, 2022.

Please direct questions to the ASM Microbe Program Team.