Submit Your Abstract in a Nano or Poster Session
Abstract submission is now open for Neuroscience 2013! Before you submit, consider the many ways to highlight your science and connect it with others in the field. These could include linking your abstract with other similarly themed submissions to increase the thematic cohesion of your session or applying to be one of a growing number of “dynamic posters” to be presented this year in San Diego.
Poster Sessions and Nanosymposia
By joining with other scientists in your field, you can group your abstracts and propose your own poster session or nanosymposium. To link your abstract with others and propose being placed in the same session, use the "Linking Groups" page in your abstract submission form.
“The Program Committee values member input, especially when we are sessioning topics,” said incoming Program Committee Chair Serena Dudek. “Linked abstracts that are self-organized help us to identify emerging topics and common themes that might not be readily apparent from the abstracts.” Poster sessions and nanosymposia in a given theme are highlighted separately in the Neuroscience 2013 program. The grouping of abstracts is particularly important in nano selection because there is a high demand for a limited number of nano spots, and the Program Committee prefers well-organized, member-assembled nanos. “Reminder: this is your meeting,” said Dudek. “Each proposed nanosymposium is given serious consideration.”
To get started, go to the Abstract Topic Matching Forum on NeurOnLine to find other scientists working in your area of neuroscience. Start the conversation by providing information about your research topic. It may be helpful to include suggestions of other science that would support or complement your work. Nanosymposia may include up to 14 abstracts submitted under the same theme, subtheme, and topic. “Members benefit from self-organizing nanosymposia by getting to know others in their field,” said Dudek. “This is especially the case for junior members who will benefit by getting their names 'out there' when contacting the more senior investigators for their labs' participation.”
Keep in mind that more than 16,000 abstracts are usually submitted to SfN’s annual meeting, with several thousand seeking nano placement. Dudek points out some things members can do to increase their chances of being sessioned into a nano:
- Strike a balance between tight focus and broad appeal.
- Avoid proposing more than two abstracts from the same lab or institution.
- Reach out to people who you know have a history of high quality presentations and publications.
Dynamic Posters
Interested in a poster presentation instead? You may want to request that your submission be considered for selection as one of a limited number of dynamic poster presentations. A demonstration of dynamic posters was unveiled at Neuroscience 2012. Presentations may include digital content such as videos, animations, and slides that presenters control. They are displayed on large screens on the poster floor that allow for interactivity beyond static images. To indicate your interest in a dynamic poster presentation, look for the drop-down selection in the Special Requests step of the abstract submission form.
You must be a current Society for Neuroscience member to submit or sponsor an abstract. Become a member or renew your membership on the Member Center section of SfN.org.
