To submit a session, please click here.
ATE Projects and Centers are invited to submit proposals to conduct sessions as part of the agenda for the 2025 ATE Conference. The ATE Conference will take place on October 29-31, 2025, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.
SESSION GUIDELINES & CRITERIA
Session proposals should follow the criteria and guidelines outlined below. Where applicable, submissions in all tracks should demonstrate how the ATE community has successfully broadened impact through partnerships and collaboration with key stakeholders. Including internal and external stakeholders (e.g. college leadership, industry representatives, secondary or four-year college representatives, etc.) as presenters is strongly encouraged.
Sessions will be selected based on the ability of session leaders to:
Note that submissions in response to this Call for Sessions should not be used as a venue to conduct a general report-out on grant activities. All Projects and Centers are expected to participate in “ATE Connects,” which is a featured component of the conference agenda. ATE Connects provides an opportunity for general sharing of information, resources, and materials related to ATE projects and programs; network with participants; and engage with the ATE community. Signing up to host a conversation hub in ATE Connects is separate from this Call for Sessions process. For more information on ATE Connects, please see the event website.
SESSION TRACKS
Individuals proposing sessions for the 2025 ATE Conference are encouraged to submit under one of the following six tracks.
SESSION FORMATS
Proposals submitted under the six conference tracks must follow one of the following formats.
Learning Labs
Session Length: 75 minutes
Maximum Number of Facilitators: 4
Scheduling: Proposals accepted will be scheduled as part of the pre-conference programming on Wednesday, October 29 between 9:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Learning Labs provide an opportunity for hands-on interactive training in a classroom-style setting. Session leaders will engage attendees in immersive learning to experience an activity, lesson, or exercise using real tools and solutions. Labs are intended to be structured as bring-your-own-device sessions to allow attendees to try out new ideas on their own equipment—and to walk away with new information and concrete takeaways that carry the learning into practice.
Spotlight Sessions
Session Length: 45 minutes
Maximum Number of Presenters: 4
Scheduling: Proposals accepted will be scheduled on Wednesday, October 29 between 2:00 – 3:45 p.m. or on Thursday, October 30 between 8:30 – 10:15 a.m. or 1:30 – 2:15 p.m.
A Spotlight session is a facilitated panel presentation designed to pose and answer thought-provoking questions that address proven practices and lessons. Preference will be given to proposals that involve presenters who represent different projects, centers, and/or grant partners. Spotlight session proposals that focus solely on a general report-out of a project or center’s activities will not be selected. Proposals should explain the overall context surrounding the anticipated panel discussion and identify the intended audience. Spotlight session proposals should also reflect the capacity to explore new ideas and questions as a means of making the session stimulating and meaningful for all participants.
Synergy Sessions
Session Length: 45 minutes
Maximum Number of Facilitators: 3 people
Scheduling: Proposals accepted will be scheduled on Wednesday, October 29 between 2:00 – 3:45 p.m. or on Thursday, October 30 between 8:30 – 10:15 a.m. or 1:30 – 2:15 p.m.
Synergy sessions are designed for participants that prefer a “Birds of a Feather”-style conversation to presentation, and offer a venue to network, share insights, and explore ways to collaborate around areas of similar interest. Synergy session leaders serve as facilitators of interactive, substantive discussions that share promising practices and lessons learned with members of the ATE community. Proposals should explain the overall context surrounding the anticipated discussion and clearly identify the intended audience. These sessions are best positioned for conversation versus presentation.
Innovation Demos
Session Length: 30 minutes
Maximum Number of Presenters: 2
Scheduling: Proposals accepted will be scheduled on Thursday, October 30 between 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.
Innovation Demos are formal presentations that show how to use or apply an innovative strategy, technology tool, or concept pertinent to strengthening STEM technician education. The proposal should describe how the presenter will walk attendees through a clear, step-by-step explanation of the strategy, concept, or tool; its strengths, and weaknesses; and how it can best be applied or implemented. Presenters should have proven practice on the strategies, concepts, or technology tools they are presenting and be able to share key take-aways.
ATE Connects Countdowns
Session Length: 10 minutes
Maximum Number of Presenters: 1
Scheduling: Proposals accepted will take place in the exhibit hall as part of the ATE Connects sessions on Thursday, October 30 between 10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. or 3:45 – 5:30 p.m.
ATE Connects Countdowns offer the opportunity to share information and count down your Top 10 (or less) best practices, technology trends, and/or lessons learned in advancing STEM technician education. Here is your chance to jump on a stage in the exhibit hall for these fun and fast-paced sessions. Each presenter is timed and has up to 10 minutes and 5 slides to share up to 10 trends, best practices, and/or lessons learned on topics that align with the conference tracks. Some examples could include (but are not limited to): Top 10 Ways to Use AI in the Classroom; Top 5 Strategies for Student Recruitment; Top 5 Lessons Learned for Partnering with Industry; Top 3 Emerging Technology Trends & How They Impact Your Students; Top 10 Lessons Learned with NSF Annual Reports, etc. A slide template will be provided, and presenters are required to upload their presentations prior to the conference.
Note: ATE Connects Countdowns are set in the exhibit hall and take place during the main ATE Connects sessions. All Projects and Centers are expected to participate in “ATE Connects,” which is a featured component of the conference agenda. Signing up to host a conversation hub in ATE Connects is a SEPARATE process from this Call for Sessions. For how to reserve a conversation hub in ATE Connects, see the event website.
Affinity Group Meetings
Session Length: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Scheduling: Affinity Group Meetings will be scheduled as post-conference offerings on Friday, October 31 from 10:15 a.m. – Noon.
The ATE Conference is accepting requests for meeting space for special interest groups that would like to convene following the ATE Conference. Affinity Group Meetings can be used to gather the people you have been working with on an ATE project, advisory board members, and/or to engage with potential new collaborators in your ATE work. Affinity Group Meeting organizers are responsible for notifying and coordinating directly with their prospective attendees.
Note: Affinity Group Meetings rooms will be equipped with a standard AV package to include a LCD projector and data package (AV cart with necessary power cords) will be provided. Meeting facilitators must bring their own laptops. If additional AV and/or catering are required, meeting organizers will be provided with a hotel contact to arrange for coordination and billing/payment of these services. Requests for Affinity Group Meeting space will be considered in the order they are received.
SESSION AUDIOVISUAL
For all sessions, a LCD data projector and data package (AV cart with necessary power cords) will be provided. Internet access is available upon request for Learning Labs and Innovation Demos. Session presenters for all sessions, with the exception of “ATE Connects Countdowns,” must bring their own laptops.
SESSION COLLABORATION
AACC provides information on its conference website to assist ATE Projects and Centers with identifying potential session collaborators and similar projects—such as searching through ATE Central or the NSF awards database. AACC reserves the right to identify similar session proposals and ask those submitting to work together on conducting a session, as well as to change the presentation type as needed to adhere to session guidelines.
HOW TO SUBMIT A SESSION PROPOSAL
Session proposals must be submitted by the deadline of August 1, 2025, through the conference website. To submit a session, click here.
Required information for all session proposals (except Affinity Group Meetings) includes:
Required information for Affinity Group Meeting space requests:
SESSION NOTIFICATION
AACC will notify all session submitters of the status of their proposals and those that have been accepted onto the conference program by early September.
QUESTIONS
Contact ate@aacc.nche.edu