Call for Proposals
Proposals for Symposia, Interactive Sessions, Short Courses, and Workshops will be invited starting August, 31 2017 for the 4th North American Congress for Conservation Biology meeting, the theme of which is, Conservation Science, Policy, and Practice: Connecting the Urban to the Wild. The conference will be held in Toronto, Ontario July 23-25, 2018, with associated short courses, workshops, and events occurring on July 21, 22, & 26. You will be updated on the status of your proposal by early winter 2017. The Call for Proposals will close at 17:00pm MT on November 3rd, 2017.
Choosing a Category for your Proposal
Please think carefully about the category that best meets your goals. Your proposal will only be considered for the category you choose. When you have chosen a category, click on the corresponding linked description below to learn more about the submission process.
Categories
Symposia consist of a series of formal presentations on a common theme, often followed by a panel discussion. Symposia are included in the three primary days of the meeting (main scientific program, July 23-25, 2018) and are scheduled concurrent with contributed papers.
Interactive Sessions do not conform to any single structure, and may for example include a series of brief presentations, break-out groups, film, open-ended or facilitated discussion, or any combination of these. They may span a variety of topics, and are designed to give organizers flexibility to craft a unique session that will provide meaningful results, and carry forward work beyond the conference. They emphasize shared learning among facilitators, speakers, and attendees, and take place during the main scientific program. July 23-25, 2018.
Whether geared toward students or professionals, workshops are more interactive than symposia and often have an educational component. To minimize conflict with symposia and contributed paper sessions, workshops will be usually scheduled for the days before or after the main scientific program, July 21, 22, & 26, 2018
Short courses offer training in topics of key relevance to the practice of conservation for students or any other professionals. Preference will be given to proposals that address tools or concepts that course participants can easily share with others. Short Courses will be scheduled for the days before or after the main scientific program, July 21, 22, & 26, 2018
Criteria for Selection
We encourage proposals that prioritize diversity among invited speakers and organizers, from individuals or groups involved in cutting edge conservation science or practice. Proposals should demonstrate concordance with the goals of the Society for Conservation Biology, which are:
Conservation Science – The scientific research and knowledge needed to understand and conserve biological diversity is identified, funded, completed, disseminated and applied to research, management and policy.
Conservation Management – Conservation practitioners and managers are provided the scientific information and recommendations needed to conserve biological diversity at all scales.
Policy – Policy decisions of major international conventions, governments, organizations, and foundations, are effectively informed and improved by the highest quality scientific counsel, analysis, and recommendations so as to advance the conservation of biological diversity.
Education – Education, training, and capacity-building programs, including but not restricted to content focused on communications & behavior change are identified, strengthened, and developed to inform the public, education leaders, and support current and future generations of conservation scientists and practitioners.
To increase the probability that your proposal will be selected, please consider the following criteria carefully:
• Scientific merit of the proposal: cutting edge conservation science and quality of science
• Application to conservation
• Overall coherence of the session and logical linkage between the individual presentations
• Clear focus on any of the following; science, management, policy, education, or a coherent linkage among these 4 areas
• Broad or specific relevance to the meeting theme, Conservation Science, Policy, and Practice: Connecting the Urban to the Wild
• Relevance to North American conservation issues
• Novelty of the topic
• Diversity among invited speakers and organizers