Entomology 2026 will feature only live, in-person sessions and content. Virtual or pre-recorded presentation options will not be available. Learn more about symposia and workshop submissions, guidelines, and organizer and speaker limits below.
What are the differences between Program, Section, and Member Symposia and other session types?
| Session Type | Description | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Program Symposia | ESA’s top tier symposia category. Submissions should be broad in scope, reflect the meeting theme, and feature speakers from a variety of backgrounds reflecting the diversity of ESA’s membership. Historically, approximately 10% of all symposia submissions are accepted as Program Symposia. Submissions not accepted as Program Symposia will automatically be considered for Section and/or Member Symposia. | March 1 |
| Section Symposia | Submissions to this category should serve the interest of one of ESA’s Sections and fit the criteria set forth by that Section. Historically, approximately 50% of submissions considered for Section Symposia are accepted. Submissions not accepted as Section Symposia will automatically be considered for Member Symposia. Submissions not accepted as Section Symposia will automatically be considered for Member Symposia. | March 1 |
| Member Symposia | These submissions welcome a wide range of topics and subject areas. Proposals may take a more focused approach than those in other categories, as long as they are thoughtfully developed and reflect the subjects of interest to the ESA community. Historically, approximately 67% of submissions considered for Member Symposia are accepted. | March 1 |
| Workshops | Workshops are designed as interactive educational sessions for attendees. While submissions on a wide range of topics are welcome, the Program Committee particularly encourages proposals on innovative technologies (e.g., machine learning, AI), grantsmanship, manuscript review, and strategies for writing peer-reviewed papers. All workshops should be structured to actively engage participants. | March 1 |
| Mini Workshops | These 1-hour sessions should be interactive and highly engaging. Submissions for this category open in early April. | May 31 |
| Meetings & Events (formerly Functions/Events/Meetings) | Working groups, committee meetings, business meetings, mixers, receptions, or invitation-only events or events/sessions hosted by a specialty group (i.e., Overseas Chinese Entomologist Association, Taiwanese Entomologist Association, etc.) should submit to this category. Submissions for this category open in early April. *A late fee of $175 will be charged for any Meetings & Events submitted after May 31. | May 31* |
Still unsure which category is appropriate? Check out the session submission infographic.
What are the submission criteria for Program, Section, and/or Member Symposia?
What information is required for submissions?
Submissions for symposia require the following:
- Session title
- Organizer(s) contact and affiliation information
- Summary Statement of Goal or Concept and Objectives
- This statement will be used by the Program Committee to evaluate the submission. A strong summary statement should include:
- Topic being addressed
- Scope and relevance of topic
- Goal or objectives
- Plans for audience & speaker engagement before, during, and after the symposium
- Whether you anticipate a product resulting from this session (i.e.; co-authoring journal articles, developing future meeting or collaborations, preparing grant proposals, hosting webinars, or producing white papers)
- This statement will be used by the Program Committee to evaluate the submission. A strong summary statement should include:
- Explanation of how the symposium reflects the theme of the meeting, “Connect Your Science. Expand Your Net.” (Program Symposia submissions only)
- Explanation of how the symposium reflects the interests of the ESA Section, if applicable. (Required for any submission that wants to be considered for Section Symposia)
- If the organizer has previously hosted a symposium on the same topic, explain how this symposium will be different than those previously held.
- Description on how the organizer(s) explored opportunities to collaborate with others working on similar topics in support of building a strong ESA and insect science community.
- List of speakers you plan to include/invite to participate in your symposium.
- Strong proposals will demonstrate:
- Inclusivity and diversity, including representation across entomological subfields, speaker geography, career paths (research, education, industry, extension, government, etc.), career stages (undergraduate, graduate, early-career, mid-career, established), and demographic backgrounds.
- Where possible, include the topic you would like each speaker to address (or title of talk), speaker’s career-level, area of expertise, ESA Section (or nonmember status), and whether the speaker’s participation has been confirmed.
- A well-considered speaker lineup—with as many confirmed speakers as possible—will further strengthen your proposal and increase the likelihood of its acceptance.
- As you contemplate your speaker line-up, keep in mind that presenters are limited to one oral presentation and one poster display presentation. This includes contributed, student, and invited presentations part of symposia.
- Strong proposals will demonstrate:
- Explanation on how you sourced diverse speakers for your symposium.
- Strong symposium proposals will demonstrate inclusivity and diversity, including representation across entomological subfields, speaker geography, career paths (research, education, industry, extension, government, etc.), career stages (undergraduate, graduate, early-career, mid-career, established), and demographic backgrounds. View the recommended considerations compiled by ESA's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee.
- Brief Session Description
- Provide a short (3-4 sentences) session overview describing what the attendees will take away from your session. Think marketing and edu-tainment. This will be posted in the online program to aid attendees in selecting the sessions that they wish to attend. Must be 50 words or less.
- Symposium Presentations Format
- You have the option to organize a symposium consisting of invited oral presentations only, invited poster display presentations only, or a combination of invited oral and poster display presentations.
- Total Time Requested
- 2 hour symposia may feature up to a maximum of six 20-minute presentations or up to eight 15-minute presentations.
- 3 hour symposia may feature up to a maximum of eight 20-minute presentations or up to eleven 15-minute presentations, inclusive of a break.
- 4 hour symposia may feature up to a maximum of eleven 20-minute presentations or up to fourteen 15-minute presentations, inclusive of two breaks.
- Anticipated Attendance
Submissions for Workshops and Mini Workshops require the following:
- Session title
- Organizer(s) contact and affiliation information
- Summary Statement of Goal or Concept and Objectives
- This statement will be used by the Program Committee to evaluate the submission. A strong summary statement should include:
- Topic being addressed
- Goal or objectives
- Target audience
- Plans for attendee engagement
- This statement will be used by the Program Committee to evaluate the submission. A strong summary statement should include:
- Explain how the workshop meets a perceived need for attendees.
- While submissions on a wide range of topics are welcome, the Program Committee particularly encourages proposals on innovative technologies (e.g., machine learning, AI), grantsmanship, manuscript review, and strategies for writing peer-reviewed papers.
- If the organizer has previously hosted a workshop on the same topic, explain how this session will be different than those previously held.
- List any panelists, facilitators, or guest speakers you plan to include/invite to participate in your workshop.
- Comprehensive submissions are expected to have a well-thought-out panelist, facilitator, and/or guest speaker line-up which is inclusive and diverse. Where possible, include whether the individual's participation has been confirmed.
- As you contemplate your speaker/panelist line-up, keep in mind that all presenters are limited to one oral presentation and one poster display presentation. This includes contributed, student, and invited presentations part of symposia; no exceptions.
- Explanation on how you sourced diverse panelists, facilitators, and/or guest speakers for your workshop.
- Strong proposals will demonstrate inclusivity and diversity, including representation across entomological subfields, speaker geography, career paths (research, education, industry, extension, government, etc.), career stages (undergraduate, graduate, early-career, mid-career, established), and demographic backgrounds. View the recommended considerations compiled by ESA's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee.
- Brief Session Description
- Provide a short (3-4 sentences) session overview describing what the attendees will take away from your session. Think marketing and edu-tainment. This will be posted in the online program to aid attendees in selecting the sessions that they wish to attend. Must be 50 words or less.
- Total Time Requested
- 2, 3, or 4 hours
- Anticipated Attendance
- Audiovisual (AV) Needs
- As a standard, ESA provides the same AV as our scientific sessions. If you need additional equipment, please list it below.
- Room Setup
- Workshops are typically set in Banquet Rounds to maximize attendee engagement. View the diagram of ESA recommended room setups.
What are best practices for submitting a symposium proposal? How does the Program Committee evaluate submissions?
Below are some primary attributes of a strong symposium proposal. Generally speaking, submitters should make every effort to submit as complete a proposal as possible.
- Summary Statement of Goal or Concept and Objectives
- Provide a well-thought-out explanation of the symposium topic and what you hope to achieve during your session. A strong summary statement should include:
- Topic being addressed
- Scope and relevance of topic
- Goal or objectives
- Target audience
- Plans for attendee engagement before, during, and after the symposium
- Whether you anticipate a product resulting from this session (i.e.; white paper, journal article, future meetings/collaborations, proposal writing)
- Provide a well-thought-out explanation of the symposium topic and what you hope to achieve during your session. A strong summary statement should include:
- Description on how the organizer(s) explored opportunities to collaborate with others working on similar topics in support of building a strong ESA and insect science community.
- List of Potential Speakers
- Strong symposium proposals will demonstrate:
- Inclusivity and diversity, including representation across entomological subfields, speaker geography, career paths (research, education, industry, extension, government, etc.), career stages (undergraduate, graduate, early-career, mid-career, established), and demographic backgrounds.
- Where possible, include the topic you would like each speaker to address (or title of talk), speaker’s career-level, area of expertise, ESA Section (or nonmember status), and whether the speaker’s participation has been confirmed.
- A well-considered speaker lineup—with as many confirmed speakers as possible—will further strengthen your proposal and increase the likelihood of its acceptance.
- As you contemplate your speaker line-up, keep in mind that all presenters are limited to one oral presentation and one poster display presentation. This includes contributed, student, and invited presentations part of symposia.
- Strong symposium proposals will demonstrate:
- What steps did you take to source diverse speakers?
- Explain the process behind inviting the speakers listed
Do I have to be an ESA member to submit a symposium, Workshop, or Mini Workshop proposal?
Yes and no. A minimum of one organizer of the session must be an active ESA member. If you are the sole organizer of the session, you will need to have an active ESA membership.
Is there a limit on the number of sessions I can organize?
Yes. Individuals are limited to a maximum of 2 sessions on which they are listed as an Organizer. This includes Program, Section, and Member Symposia, Workshops, and Mini Workshops.
When will I learn whether my submission has been accepted?
Decisions will be announced to all submitters by:
- Program, Section and Member Symposia and Workshops: April 15
- Organizers of accepted sessions will be provided with instructions and access to add presentation titles and speakers to their sessions through May 31.
- Mini Workshops: July 31
- Meetings & Events: July 31
If I submit a Program Symposia proposal but it is not accepted, do I have to resubmit the symposium proposal to the Section and/or Member Symposia program?
No, if your Program Symposia submission is not accepted, you do not need to resubmit the proposal to a different category. It will automatically be routed for consideration as a Section and/or Member Symposium.
If I submit a Section Symposia proposal but it is not accepted, do I have to resubmit the symposium proposal to the Member Symposia program?
No, if your Section Symposia submission is not accepted, you do not need to resubmit the proposal to a different category. It will automatically be routed for consideration as a Member Symposium.
Is there a limit on the number of presentations speakers may make at Entomology 2025?
Yes. Entomology 2026 presenters are limited to one oral presentation and one poster display presentation. This includes contributed, student competition, and invited presentations part of symposia; no exceptions. Please note that, unlike previous years, participants in Workshops and Mini Workshops are no longer automatically provided an additional oral presentation.
Is it necessary to contact and confirm participation of each speaker before submitting a proposal?
No, a confirmed list of speakers is not required for submission. However, a list of invited speakers who have committed to your session makes the proposal stronger.
Strong symposium proposals will demonstrate:
- Inclusivity and diversity, including representation across entomological subfields, speaker geography, career paths (research, education, industry, extension, government, etc.), career stages (undergraduate, graduate, early-career, mid-career, established), and demographic backgrounds.
- Where possible, include the topic you would like each speaker to address (or title of talk), speaker’s career-level, area of expertise, ESA Section (or nonmember status), and whether the speaker’s participation has been confirmed.
- A well-considered speaker lineup—with as many confirmed speakers as possible—will further strengthen your proposal and increase the likelihood of its acceptance.
- As you contemplate your speaker line-up, keep in mind that all presenters are limited to one oral presentation and one poster display presentation. This includes contributed, student, and invited presentations part of symposia.
Additionally, strong proposals will demonstrate inclusivity and diversity, including representation across entomological subfields, speaker geography, career paths (research, education, industry, extension, government, etc.), career stages (undergraduate, graduate, early-career, mid-career, established), and demographic backgrounds. View the recommended considerations compiled by ESA's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee.
When will I need to confirm the speakers in my symposium?
Once acceptance decisions have been made by the Program Committee, organizers will be requested to confirm their speakers and upload talk titles to their sessions by May 31.
Is there a required format for symposia?
There is not a required format for symposia and organizers are encouraged to be creative in how they assemble their sessions.
Traditional symposia sessions typically include, but are not limited to, the following features:
- Introductory remarks
- 15-20 minute presentations
- 15-minute break (in the middle of the symposium for sessions 3 hours or longer)
- Discussion/Panel discussion, if desired
- Poster session, if desired
- Other elements that create interaction with audience members
- Concluding remarks
In 2026, organizers are encouraged to design sessions that extend engagement beyond the Annual Meeting itself. Possible avenues include co-authoring journal articles, developing future meetings or collaborations, preparing grant proposals, hosting webinars, or producing white papers.
How long can symposia presentations be and how many presentations can be in a symposium?
Symposia presentations are recommended to be 15-20 minutes in length. This includes time for Q&A. When planning your symposium schedule, be sure to factor in time for introductory and closing remarks. For example:
- 2 hour symposia may feature:
- Up to six (6) 20-minute presentations without breaks, panel discussions or introductory/closing remarks
- Up to eight (8) 15-minute presentations without breaks, panel discussions or introductory/closing remarks
- Up to (5) 20-minute presentations, plus a 15-minute panel discussion and 5 minutes for introductory or closing
- 3 hour symposia may feature:
- Up to eight (8) 20-minute presentations, plus a 10-minute break and 5 minutes for introductory or closing remarks
- Up to eleven (11) 15-minute presentations, plus a 10-minute break and 5 minutes for introductory or closing remarks
- Up to seven (7) 20-minute presentations, plus a 10-minute break, 10 minutes total for introductory and closing remarks, and a 20-minute group discussion
- 4 hour symposia may feature:
- Up to eleven (11) 20-minute presentations, plus two (2) 10-minute breaks
- Up to fourteen (14) 15-minutes presentations, plus two (2) 10-minute breaks, and 10 minutes total for introductory and closing remarks
- Up to ten (10) 20-minute presentations, plus two (2) 10-minute breaks, 5 minutes for introductory or closing remarks, and a 15-minute group discussion
- If your symposium is 3 hours in duration, plan to include a break approximately halfway through your session. If your symposium is 4 hours in duration, plan to include two (2) breaks.
Is funding available for speakers?
ESA provides limited funding for invited speakers in Program, Section, and Member Symposia. Learn more about ESA's Program Enhancement Funds program.
Registrants may also apply for a Caregiver Grant to assist in offsetting extra expenses incurred by attending the Annual Meeting.
What type of room setup is most appropriate for my Workshop, Mini Workshop, or Meetings & Events?
Workshops and Mini Workshops are typically set in Banquet Rounds to maximize attendee engagement.
Meetings & Events setup vary by function type. Meetings are typically set in Conference, U-Shape, or Hollow Square. Mixers are typically set Reception style.
View the diagram of recommended room setups for your session.
If one of my invited speakers needs to cancel their presentation and/or registration, what do I do?
To cancel an invited presentation, please contact Becky Anthony on the ESA Meetings Team. We kindly ask that all cancellations be received by September 15 so that the program can be finalized for presenters and attendees participating in the meeting.
To cancel an invited presenter's registration, please have them contact the ESA Meetings Team. Cancellations received by October 1 can cancel with no penalty. Cancellations received from October 2-October 31 will receive an 80% refund. No refunds will be processed for cancellations beginning November 1. View our registration policies.