SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS

The Conference Organizers are soliciting proposals from the community for sessions to address the Conference Themes and Integrative Topics. Guidance and instructions for submitting a proposal are listed below. The conference expects to convene 6-10 one-day concurrent sessions during the three-day Conference.

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Please visit this website to create a log-in and submit your session: http://files.abstractsonline.com/SUPT/416/3411/GOMR session submission.htm

Session Overview

In response to feedback on the 2013 conference, scientific sessions will be designed both to share the latest research findings and to allow dialog on research implications, applications, and synthesis.  Full-day sessions will be structured to produce specific outcomes (e.g. synthesis findings, recommendations for applications, identification of research gaps including gaps or new questions based on preliminary results integration, plans for future interdisciplinary collaboration) under the conference topics. Sessions are hereby solicited through proposals from the community. Priority and emphasis will be put on proposals that are truly interdisciplinary and integrative, results-oriented, and that capture the conference topics.

Session proposals should address the following Integrative Topics:

• Ecosystem assessment, vulnerability, and resilience: integrated cause and effect studies and trends across disciplines
• Ongoing science, technology, monitoring, and mitigation strategies with respect to the DWH Oil spill response: What is needed to prepare for, support, and manage future hydrocarbon exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico
• Valuing ecosystem services and quantifying effects of oil spills on ecosystem services through environmental, public health, and socioeconomic science
• Promoting scientific literacy, perception, and expectations about oil spill research among stakeholders

And incorporate the following disciplinary Themes:

• Understanding the dynamic physical processes of the Gulf of Mexico and related environment.
• Understanding the chemistry of the Gulf of Mexico system and the evolution and interactions of pollutants introduced by humans in the coastal, open-ocean, and deep-water ecosystems.
• Understanding the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, including the sea floor, water column, coastal waters, beach sediments, wetlands, marshes, and organisms.
• Technology developments for improved research and operations in the Gulf.
• Understanding the impact of environmental health and function on socioeconomic conditions and public health.
• Gulf of Mexico management and policy, including response, mitigation and restoration following environmental emergencies.
• Education and outreach

Session Proposal Guidance

Each session should include:

1. Scientific talks to present new science results that are ready for data integration, scientific synthesis and/or future response and restoration planning. There will be time for 10-14 scientific talks per session.

2. Dedicated discussion time leading to the development of the specific outcomes to guide future integrative collaborations and synthesis.

Recommended session structure (subject to modification):

*The Conference Organizers will provide coffee breaks/refreshment at appropriate times, and the sessions should not plan to fill the full time slot so that they may break when makes most sense within the timeframe of coffee availability.

Session Chair & Co-Chairs: Each session will have one Session Chair/Proposer and up to three Session Co-Chairs (for a maximum total of four Chairs). The Chair and Co-Chair responsibilities include helping to organize the session by reviewing and selecting talks for presentations and posters, running the session during the conference, ensuring that the morning talks run according to schedule, outlining / drafting and ensuring proposed outcome(s), and  reporting out during the Plenary Session on the final day of the Conference.

Scientific Talks: Session chairs will have the opportunity to invite 1-2 expert speakers important for meeting session goals. The remainder of scientific talks will be solicited through an open call to the community, but will have specific guidelines for format and require results-based presentations.  Session chairs will need to review and choose abstracts that promise new scientific results and technological innovations as well as contribute to the overall goal of developing recommendations for collaboration and synthesis, including transition of discoveries to applications and technologies to operations.  Note: Travel support is not available for this conference; however, conference registration fees can be paid for session chairs and 1-2 invited speakers.

Discussion: Session Chairs can provide their own Moderator (e.g., one of the co-Chairs or other known attendee), or one can be provided by the conference.  The role of the Moderator will be to ensure discussion is moving on schedule and toward conclusion in the afternoon of the session so that Chair(s) can focus on contributing to the discussion and developing the discussion outcomes. The conference will provide a note taker to support the session report. Note: The Session Chairs are responsible for reaching, drafting and reporting the final outcomes.

Session Outcomes:  Session chairs will be encouraged to develop strong drafts or straw man outlines of their proposed outcome(s)/output(s) (e.g. white paper, recommendations for applications, analysis, implementation plans) in advance of the conference to stimulate discussion and consensus and to facilitate reaching final outcome. The plan for this should be included in proposals for sessions. The conference organizers plan to include the session products in a post-conference publication.

Poster Sessions: Abstracts not selected for oral presentations will be considered for inclusion in evening poster sessions.  Evening poster session will provide time for individual expression and exchange of ideas around session specific concepts and further conversation.           

Submission Details

Session submission will open on May 20, 2013 and close on June 30, 2013.

Please visit this website to create a log-in and submit your session: http://files.abstractsonline.com/SUPT/416/3411/GOMR session submission.htm

Applicants will be notified of session acceptance/rejection by the end of July.

Submission Requirements:

1. Session Chair/Proposer & Contact Information

2. Session title

3. Session description

4. Integrative Topic(s) that will be addressed

5. Applicable conference theme(s)

6. Expected Workshop Outcomes (E.g. White paper, Recommendations or other)

7. Session Co-Chairs & Contact Information (up to 3 session chairs in addition to Session Proposer)
Note: Responsibilities of a session chair: review and determine which abstracts to accept as oral presentations, posters or to reject, determine session order, moderate the session during the conference.

8. Invited Speakers* & Contact Information (up to 2 speakers)
*Note: travel funds are not offered by the conference organizer. Speakers do not have to be confirmed at the time of submission.

9. Session Moderator & Contact Information
This person will moderate the discussion portion of the session. He/she could be a Co-chair or another person of your choosing. If you do not have a moderator, one will be assigned to you by the conference organizers. Please keep in mind that the Session Chair is responsible for pulling together and presenting the session outcomes during plenary on the final day of the conferences.

For technical issues submitting your session, please contact: support@abstractsonline.com or 217-398-1792
For programmatic questions about the Call for Sessions, please contact info@gulfresearchinitiative.org or 202-448-1244