All proposals must be submitted using the ASPET online submission form.

Membership

At least one chair must be a member of ASPET. Join ASPET. Be sure your membership is up to date before starting your proposal.

Review the Sample Form

Preview the form to see what data is needed in the proposal so that your proposal is complete by the deadline.

Get Tips for a Strong Proposal

Review the Tips section to learn what the Program Committee looks for in a strong proposal and how your proposal will be evaluated.

Discuss your ideas with division representatives through ASPETConnect and attend our new Open House Zoom Hours for Q&A with the Program Committee and staff on August 18th and September 12th at 11:00 am ET to informally run your ideas by program committee members and ask staff questions about the process.

Be Inspired by Suggested Topics

Review the list of topics suggested by our 2023 meeting attendees. However, please don’t limit yourself to this list. We are looking for your ideas!

The following questions will be asked in the proposal form:

Session Title (75-character limit)

Session Objectives/Description (250-word limit)

Provide a brief description that could be used in promotional materials. It should identify who will benefit from the session (ideally demonstrating broad appeal), state clear learning objectives, and give accurate expectations for the audience.

Topic Areas - Select the topical areas that best fit your proposed session content.

Proposals appealing to multiple topic areas are strongly encouraged; however, be sure you only select topics applicable to your session content so that it can be assigned to the most appropriate reviewers.  Selecting non-relevant topics can hurt a proposal.   Topic Area Descriptions for Session Proposals.

Session Format - Select from drop-down list of session types:

• Case-based Lecture – max 4 speakers
• Competition – max 4 speakers
• Debate – max 2 speakers
• Lecture – max 4 speakers
• Panel Discussion – max 4 panel speakers
• Round Table Discussion – max 10 round table speakers
• Short Talks on 1 Topic – max 6 speakers
• Workshop – max 4 speakers

Session Format Descriptions

The maximum numbers of speakers above indicate the maximum number the proposal form is designed to accommodate. We strongly encourage leaving space in your program for abstract-based speakers. If your proposal is for an innovative format that does not fit into the above categories, please contact meetings@aspet.org.

Session Format Description (250-word limit)

Describe how you will achieve the objectives of your session with your chosen session format and presentation style of the speakers, and describe any technical tools or special room set-ups you may need.

Preferred Session Length - select 60-minutes, 90-minutes, or no preference.

Speaker Information - For each speaker, fill in:

• Name
• Company / Institution
• Email
• Phone
• Talk title (60-character limit)
  
• Presentation duration to include talk time and Q&A (in minutes)
• Has the speaker participated as a speaker within the last two years at the ASPET Annual Meeting? (if yes, fill in the meeting and session title)

If you plan to select an abstract-based speaker, use the Search feature to search for “Speaker” and select "Abstract-Based Speaker" from the directory. Enter TBD in any required fields for speaker contact info and staff will provide options in December after abstract submissions close.

Answers to the following DEIA questions:

• Does the proposal include gender balance? (Yes/No)
• Does the proposal include participants who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color? (Yes/No)
• Does the proposal include any participants who need accommodation for their mental or physical abilities? (Yes/No)
• Check all the career stages represented by your speakers: student, postdoc, early career, mid-career, senior scientist
• Check all the work settings represented by your speakers: academia, industry, government, other (fill-in)

Chair Information - For each chair (max of 2), provide:

• Name
• Company / Institution
• Email
• Phone
• Has the chair participated as a chair within the last two years at the ASPET Annual Meeting? (if yes, fill-in meeting and session title)

Financial Assistance

Will any of your speakers require financial assistance above and beyond what is outlined here: Financial Assistance from ASPET

More Information: (Answer not required.)

We realize that online forms don't always capture everything you may want to say about a proposal. If you have any other comments for the Program Committee that have not been covered elsewhere, there will be a comment box available.

Link to Screenshots of Session Proposal Form (PDF)

No need to wonder what the Program Committee is looking for in a strong proposal!

Topics

The Program Committee is looking for:

• Hot topics that appeal across multiple ASPET division areas or related disciplines
• Sessions that represent excellence in science, promote cross-disciplinary and translational research, and are of value to our divisions
• Content that has a broad approach incorporating multiple areas of pharmacology and how it is connected.
• Ideas that showcase ASPET as a place of innovation and the home of pharmacology
• Sessions of interest to educators
• Sessions that represent a diversity of voices
• Career development sessions
• Sessions appealing to a variety of careers in science

The number of sessions approved will be limited. We discourage proposals on topics too similar to ones presented at other recent scientific meetings.

Format

Based on feedback from the pharmacology community, in addition to showcasing innovative science and education, participants place value on this information being delivered through interactive, innovative, and hands-on experiences that encourage exploration. It marries the novel and cutting-edge science with a format that is participatory.

The Program Committee will be specifically looking to program some non-traditional session formats that educate, inform, and energize participants and will also look for interactive elements within traditional format sessions.

Our member research showed that participants prefer shorter format content. ASPET will have both 60-minute and 90-minute sessions. We encourage you not to cram too many invited speakers into one session, especially if it’s at the expense of short-changing Q&A with speakers or eliminating an abstract-based speaker in the session.

Chair(s)

• At least one session chair must be an ASPET member.
• Co-chairs should be from different companies/institutions as each other.

Speakers

The Program Committee prefers:

• Speakers who represent a diversity of voices
• No more than one speaker from the same company/institution. (Chairs can be speakers and that won’t count as the same institution.)
• Speakers who have not participated at ASPET Annual Meetings within the last two years.
• Speakers who have already been approached by the chairs and given their provisional agreement to speak should the proposal be accepted.
• Speakers from a variety of work settings (academia, industry, government, etc.)

ASPET supports providing growth opportunities to young scientists. We encourage the involvement of student/postdoc abstract-based speakers if appropriate to your session topic and format. 

ASPET is strongly committed to providing opportunities to all in the pharmacology community regardless of race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or ability/disability.  Inclusion of speakers and co-chairs from marginalized and underrepresented communities in science is greatly encouraged. The Program Committee will be assessing proposals based on the inclusion of diverse speakers and co-chairs.

Tentative or Incomplete Proposals are Discouraged

Proposals that need extensive revision after the program committee’s review may be deferred for consideration for the following year. You are encouraged to work with the division representatives in advance to refine your concepts and proposals. Attend our new Open Zoom Hours for Q&A with the Program Committee and staff on August 18th and September 12th at 11:00 am ET to informally run your ideas by program committee members and ask staff about the process.

Reviewer Evaluation

Each division assigns a team of reviewers to evaluate proposals for sessions that the proposal submitter has indicated may be of interest to their division.

Career development and Other Topic proposals are reviewed by the Program Committee’s at-large members and other volunteers added for their expertise in the areas proposed.

Reviewers evaluate proposals based on:

1. Do the speaker presentations support the goals identified in the session description?
2. Do the speakers represent a balanced perspective on the topic?
3. Do the proposed speakers and chairs reflect diversity in terms of career level and employment type (e.g. academia, government, industry)?
4. To what extent do the proposed speakers and chairs reflect diversity in terms of gender and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)?
5. To what extent does the session format deliver the content in a way that is interactive for the audience?
6. To what extent do they consider this session NOVEL OR INNOVATIVE (e.g. breaking science, innovative presentation format, new ways to look at professional development, policy, education, etc.)?
7. To what extent does this session represent EXCELLENCE in science (or excellence in professional development, policy, education)
8. To what extent would this session appeal to members of the division for whom they are reviewing (appeal can be scientifically or professionally such as in career development, policy topics, etc.)?
9. To what extent would this session appeal to ASPET members across more than one division?

Based on feedback from the pharmacology community, in addition to showcasing innovative science and education, participants place value on this information being delivered through interactive, innovative, and hands-on experiences that encourage exploration. It marries the novel and cutting-edge science with a format that is participatory.

The Program Committee will be specifically looking to program some non-traditional session formats that educate, inform, and energize participants and will also look for interactive elements within traditional format sessions.

Our member research showed that participants prefer shorter format content. ASPET will have both 60-minute and 90-minute sessions. We encourage you not to cram too many invited speakers into one session, especially if it’s at the expense of short-changing Q&A with speakers or eliminating an abstract-based speaker in the session. We strongly encourage leaving space in your program for abstract-based speakers.

The session proposal form includes a question where you’ll be asked to select your session format from the below list:

• Case-based Lecture
• Competition
• Debate
• Lecture Style with Q&A
• Panel Discussion
• Round Table Discussion
• Short Talks
• Workshop

Session Format Descriptions

As proposals are submitted, ASPET staff review them for completeness.

After the submission deadline, proposals are assigned to multiple division review teams based on the topical areas selected on the form by the submitter. The reviewers individually review the proposals using the evaluation criteria listed under Tips for a Strong Proposal.

Evaluations are compiled and provided to the full program committee who looks at the top proposals to identify any overlap of topics and speakers among them and flags for discussion proposals that inspire enthusiasm or draw concerns based on the items that are outlined under Tips for a Strong Proposal.

The full Program Committee meets in late-October to make final decisions. They are given copies of all proposals; however, typically there is only time to discuss the top proposals from each topic area. At this meeting, they make the final selection of sessions.

By early- to mid-November notifications are sent to inform all submitters about the status of their proposals.

ASPET divisions play a vital role in 1) providing the highest quality, innovative science that is critical to the specialists within their field and 2) sharing the advances in their field that have a broad impact with scientists in other ASPET divisions.

Proposal submitters are encouraged to discuss proposal ideas in advance with division representatives to help refine them and avoid potentially duplicative proposals. Crowd-sourcing ideas on ASPETConnect is also encouraged.

Please note, proposals cannot be submitted directly to division representatives. The online portal must be used for all final submissions.

Keep in mind that proposals that are of interest to multiple divisions are given preference. Members across multiple divisions are encouraged to collaborate on proposals.

The below representatives can be reached via ASPETConnect.

Division Representatives

• Behavioral Pharmacology: Greg Collins
• Cancer Pharmacology: Larry Boise
• Cardiovascular Pharmacology: Brad McConnell
• Drug Discovery and Development: Harshini Neelakantan
• Drug Metabolism and Disposition: Joanne Wang
• Molecular Pharmacology: Vladen Slepak
• Neuropharmacology: Kelly Standifer
• Pharmacology Education: Khalil Eldeeb
• Toxicology: Qing Ma
• Translational and Clinical Pharmacology: Pam Hornby / Diane Peters

Topics not noted above can be coordinated with our at-large program committee members: Khalid Garman, Becky Roof, and Carol Paronis.

Below is the timeline for submitting session proposals for the ASPET 2024 Annual Meeting.

By August 9, 2023 

Online submission portal expected to open for collection of session proposals

August 18 (11am ET) & September 12 (11am ET)

Join the Program Committee and staff for an open house Q&A about session proposals on Zoom. Informally run your ideas by program committee members in 1:1 or group discussions and ask staff questions about the process.
Click here to register for the August 18th open session.
Click here to register for the Sept. 12th open session.

September 29, 2023

**Deadline to submit a session proposal

October 2 – 13, 2023

Topic-based review teams evaluate submitted proposals using the ASPET online submission portal.

Late October 2023

Program Committee meets to determine which session proposals will be accepted to the Program.

Early November 2023

Proposal submitters will be notified if their proposal has been selected for presentation at the ASPET Annual Meeting

If your proposal is accepted for presentation, your responsibilities as chair and co-chair include:

• To contact and secure the participation of all proposed speakers
• To promote abstract submissions in topic areas related to your session to your existing network of colleagues
• To personally reach out to any non-member co-chairs or speakers within your session to invite them to join ASPET
• To encourage any speakers, if applicable, to submit their papers to an ASPET Journal
• To mentor any young scientists (students/postdocs) among your speakers on their presentations
• To hold conference calls as appropriate leading up to the conference to ensure speakers understand the objectives of the session, the flow of the material, what areas each will cover, confirm they have been receiving logistical information from ASPET staff, and other session details
• To arrive at least 30 minutes in advance of your session and to stay for the entire session
• To introduce each speaker by name and/or bio and to moderate any Q&A
• To keep the session on time and to the speaker order published in the program

As part of ASPET's initiatives to be inclusive, we want to be sure no speaker is prevented from participation at our meeting due to a lack of their own or their company/institution's financial resources. However, our travel funding policies also reflect ASPET’s not-for-profit status and mission. We are aware that our speaker funding levels will not fully cover all travel expenses. The purpose is to help offset a speaker’s costs of travel where other funding is not available for them. If after reviewing the costs of travel from your destination and any ASPET and non-ASPET funding sources available, it prevents your participation as a speaker, please contact the ASPET Meetings Director no later than December 1 to discuss solutions.

To help make the meeting affordable, ASPET selected a hotel with a rate 20% lower than the host hotel at the last EB meeting and 45% lower than the published rates at the Hyatt Crystal City. The meeting is adjusted so that the majority of travelers will only need a 3-night stay. The location is within a half-day’s drive for over 20% of our membership. In addition, many meals will be provided by the conference.

Available Speaker Funding for 2024 Annual Meeting

Each funded speaker will receive a conference registration rate that is discounted by over 75%. The speaker registration rate is $100. For student speakers, the registration rate is $25.

If needed, each funded speaker can also receive up to two nights complimentary hotel accommodation in the official ASPET hotel block. Requests must be made by securing a reservation through ASPET’s registration system using the speaker booking code before February 1, 2024. The speaker will need to give a credit card to guarantee the room but upon check-out, the expenses for those two nights will be paid by ASPET so that the speaker will not need to pay those costs upfront and await reimbursement after the meeting. We encourage speakers to stay for all nights of the meeting and they can book additional nights at the ASPET rate while making their reservation. These additional nights will be billed directly to the speaker. Rooms booked outside of the official ASPET speaker room block cannot be reimbursed.

If the speaker is local, in lieu of hotel accommodations, ASPET can validate hotel parking for up to 4 days. If the speaker is based outside of North America, ASPET can cover up to 4 nights of hotel accommodation in the official ASPET hotel block.

General session keynote speakers, award winners, and speakers in certain division-funded sessions may have different funding arrangements. Please check your speaker confirmation letter issued by ASPET staff for clarification.

A funded speaker is defined as someone who has prepared a podium talk or will be leading a unique small group table activity that they designed that relies on their expertise.