Call for Symposia Proposals for TRI 2020
The 2020 Tinnitus Research Initiative Annual Meeting (#TRI2020) will be held for the first time in Canada, in the vibrant city of Vancouver, May 21-23, under the theme « From Science to Succour ».
We are inviting proposals for symposia on topics or themes relevant to tinnitus or hyperacusis. A symposium typically gathers between 4-6 speakers and provides a well-integrated synthesis of information on a given theme. It can be structured as a series of formal talks or a moderated panel discussion which can allow for greater audience participation. A series of symposia will be held concurrently with the regular podium sessions and will each be allocated a time of 1 or 2 hours
The key differences between a regular podium session and a symposium are:
- • the topics are proposed and organized by the participants rather than by the program committee
- • the talks are grouped by theme and not just a collection of presentations
- • A minimum of 5 talks related to the same topic are required to create a session, with some flexibility on the unfolding of the discussion within a symposium
- • To promote diversity, no more than two presentations from any one lab should be included in a session
We particularly invite Young Investigators to submit symposia proposals. The Young Investigator Symposia are restricted to junior investigators: Assistant Professors, Faculty < 5 years, and Post-docs. Time slots will be reserved for the Young Investigators symposia.
The abstracts submitted as part of a symposium will not differ from the abstracts normally submitted for the annual meeting. However, earlier submission will allow for designation of these presentations separate from the regular podium sessions. If your symposium is accepted you will still be required to submit your abstract through the TRI website by the regular deadline but we will specially designate these abstracts after submission so they are grouped together. If your symposium proposal is not accepted you will still be able to submit your individual abstracts through the normal TRI submission process.
Proposal Format: Information that will be needed for submitting a Symposium proposal
- • Title of the symposium (25 words max.)
- • Abstract – a brief overview of the objectives, topic to be covered, and relevance (250 words max.)
- • A one-sentence summary of the symposium (50 words max.)
- • Lead organizer (name, institutional affiliation, email address)
- • Two alternate contacts (name, institutional affiliation, email address)
- • A draft program for the symposium
- • A list of invited speakers including their affiliation and location, the title of their presentation, and an indication of whether their participation is confirmed
Evaluation Process and Criteria
All submitted proposals will be peer-reviewed by members of the Program Committee based on the following criteria:
- Scientific merit, with emphasis on new research results, cutting-edge developments, novel perspectives, and innovative or interdisciplinary approaches
- Clear relevance to the conference themes of Tinnitus or Hyperacusis
- Integrated treatment of the topic, such that presentations go beyond individual case studies and contribute to a cohesive, overarching synthesis
- Likelihood of a successful session, as indicated by a large proportion of confirmed speakers
- Submission of a complete and compelling proposal
Responsibilities as an Organizer
All symposia must have a lead organizer who serves as the primary point of contact for the Program Committee. We will also ask you to name two alternate contacts.
We will provide meeting space and onsite logistical support for all symposia. However, the conference is not able to provide any travel or accommodation assistance, registration subsidies or waivers, or any other forms of support for the organizers or individual speakers named in any of the proposals. All participants will be required to register and pay for the conference and to cover their own travel expenses.
Symposium organizers are responsible for serving as the primary point of contact with their invited speakers throughout the planning process. Organizers will need to help ensure that all of their speakers submit abstracts through the online submission form before the specified deadline, and that all of their speakers register for the conference before the deadline for presenter registration. Speakers who fail to register by this date may be excluded from the conference program. We encourage symposium organizers to proactively communicate with their speakers about any updates or changes affecting their session, such as scheduling details, cancellations, and other circumstances as they arise.