ATE Principal Investigators Conference

Call for Sessions

Submissions Deadline: Friday, August 1, 2025
Download the Call for Sessions

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:

  • Share case studies, experiences, promising strategies, and lessons learned that demonstrate evidence-based project or center impact in one of the topic areas identified by the session tracks provided below.
  • Focus on learning experiences and promising strategies that are common or relevant across disciplines and different project areas.
  • Engage participants in interactive learning activities and provide take-away resources that can be used and/or implemented in their own work.
  • Demonstrate collaboration among ATE Projects or Centers with preference given to session proposals that involve more than one project or center in a presenting role.

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.

  • Track 1. Advancing ATE for Innovation and Impact
    Examples of topics include: new, emerging, and converging technologies; curriculum and materials development and/or improvement; addressing instrumentation needs/usage; innovative teaching and pedagogical strategies; competency-based learning; industry-based credentials; and adaptation of noncredit to credit-bearing courses/modules.
  • Track 2. Engaging STEM Students for Success
    Examples of topics include: student recruitment and retention, dual enrollment, career awareness/career pathways, career coaching, entrepreneurial skills development, work-based learning, internships, apprenticeships, undergraduate research, and bridge programs.
  • Track 3. Developing STEM Leaders in Innovation
    Examples of topics include: methods and models for professional and faculty development; teacher preparation; faculty externships; leadership development; PI succession planning; and mentoring programs.
  • Track 4. Initiating & Maintaining Partnerships
    Examples of topics include: creating, maintaining, and leveraging partnerships with business and industry, secondary schools, four-year institutions, funders, local/state government, and/or the community; articulation agreements; and outreach to external constituents.
  • Track 5. Conducting STEM Research & Evaluation
    Examples of topics include: strategies for conducting institutional and educational research, student learning outcomes, strategies for assessment, strategies for capturing reliable impact data, and evaluation.
  • Track 6. Sharing Proven Practices in Grant & Project Management
    Examples of topics in this category include: project and fiscal management, working with college administration, sustaining and scaling programs, project dissemination, preparing annual reports, and dealing effectively with unforeseen and/or unavoidable project changes.

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:

    • Submitting project or center7-digit NSF ATE grant award number
    • Conference Track Selection
    • Session Organizer Contact Information
    • Speakers/Facilitators Contact Information
    • Session Title – limited to 70 characters
    • Session Description/Program Abstract – limited to 600 characters
    • Learning Objectives/Discussion Questions – Provide 2-3 learning objectives and/or discussion questions that your session will address.
    • Session Outline – Provide an outline that includes a session agenda, session activities, and a list of any materials to be shared.
    • Target Audience – Describe your target audience for this session (i.e. new ATE PIs, those working in specific STEM disciplines, etc.)
    • Key Areas of Session Focus – Indicate up to two key areas of focus

Required information for Affinity Group Meeting space requests:

  • Sponsoring Project or Center
  • Meeting Organizer Contact Information
  • Meeting Title – limited to 70 characters
  • Meeting Description – limited to 600 characters
  • Anticipated Audience – Describe your anticipated audience for this meeting (i.e. advisory board members, team members, special interest group participants, etc.)
  • Expected Number of Attendees
  • Room Set Preference

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