CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSIONS
Links in this page: Session Proposals | Responsibilities of a Session Organizer
Financial Support | Review Process | Important Dates
The program chairs of the Great Lakes Bioinformatics (GLBIO) conference in 2021 invite proposals for special sessions. The topic and structure of the sessions can vary but should be of interest to a substantial component of the bioinformatics research community. Sessions can be of three main types:
- Focused workshops on specific research problems in computational biology and bioinformatics (e.g., cancer genomics, genome visualization tools, precision medicine, single cell omics, population genetics, regulatory genomics.)
- Software schools, aimed at providing training in new methods
- Activities focused on students and postdocs, or on non-academic career opportunities
Sessions can be organized around contributed talks, invited talks, or a combination of both types, or may not have any talks (e.g., software schools and activities involving students and postdocs in training activities).
Click Here to complete the form and upload your proposal in PDF format for a Special Session
Click Here to complete the form and upload your proposal in PDF format for a Workshop or Tutorial
Session Proposals
For sessions focusing on special research topics, the structure detailed below is required. Proposals for other types of sessions (e.g., software schools, or activities aimed at students) may have somewhat different formats, but should follow roughly the same guidelines. All proposals should be a minimum of 2 pages and no more than 6 pages in length. Research topic proposals should have the following structure:
- Theme: one to two paragraphs describing the session, its research theme, and expected type of participants (undergraduates, graduate students, non-academic professionals, etc.). This section should also present a compelling argument for the importance and timeliness of the proposed session in the context of the bioinformatics community.
- Organizer(s): provide a list of the organizers along with a brief biosketch, email address, and webpage for each.
- Special Activities: Will your Special Session contain any special activities (ie. workshop, tutorial, demonstration)?
- Contributed Talks (optional for non-research proposals): Provide a list of researchers you intend to solicit for papers who are likely to be interested in submitting papers.
- Confirmed Speakers (optional for non-research proposals): Each session proposal must provide a list of at least four speakers who have confirmed they will speak at the session if asked. This list can include the organizers. It is acceptable for the confirmed speakers to be replaced by contributed talks. However, it is also acceptable to plan the session to have at least four invited speakers. The objective of this requirement is to ensure that if the session does not receive a sufficient number of high quality contributed talks, then the session can still take place.
Session plan: Describe the structure of the session (e.g., number of contributed talks, invited talks, or other activities), and whether a half-day or full-day is needed.
Submission instructions:
Click Here to complete the Special Session form and upload your proposal in PDF format
Click Here to complete the form and upload your proposal in PDF format for a Workshop or Tutorial
Responsibilities of a Session Organizer
If your proposal is accepted, you will be responsible for most of the organization of your session, including: (1) creating and maintaining a webpage for your session, (2), deciding the session structure including length of time talks and chairing the session, (3) attending GLBIO 2021 and running the session, (4) if your session has invited talks or tutorials, communicating and coordinating with the speakers, (5) If your session has contributed papers, your responsibilities are to (a) solicit manuscripts, (b) obtain reviewers, assign papers to reviewers, and ensure timely return of reviews, (c) evaluate the reviews and make recommendations to the GLBIO program co-chairs regarding which papers should be accepted, (d) updating the webpage for your session with the list of accepted papers and providing the schedule of talks in your session. Final decisions regarding acceptance of submitted papers will be made by the GLBIO program co-chairs. Note that as a session organizer with contributed papers, you will be a member of the program committee for GLBIO 2021, and contributed papers will be submitted through EasyChair.
Financial Support
Accepted sessions will receive a complimentary GLBIO registration per 1/4 day (i.e., 2-hour) session; thus, a full-day (8 hour) session would receive 4 complimentary GLBIO registrations and a half-day session would receive 2 complimentary GLBIO registrations. Note that any additional expenses will need to be covered by the session organizers.
Review Process
Session proposals are due by September 14, 2020. These will be reviewed by the GLBIO steering committee and program co-chairs, and decisions will be announced by September 28, 2020. Workshop and Tutorial proposals are due by October 19, 2020. These will be reviewed by the GLBIO steering committee and program co-chairs and decisions will be announced by November 2.
Important Dates
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2020: Proposals due for Special Sessions
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2020: Notification regarding the Special Session Proposals
- OCTOBER 19, 2020: Proposals due for Workshops and Tutorials
- NOVEMBER 2, 2020: Notification regarding the Workshop and Tutorial Proposals
- OCTOBER 22, 2020: Webpage for session created (with list of organizers and confirmed speakers, and description of the goals of the session)
- OCTOBER 19 , 2020: Sessions announced on GLBIO 2021 website
- February 1, 2021: Full Paper Submission Deadline (Same as the main conference)
- March 1, 2021: Abstract Submission Deadline (Same as the main conference)
- One week after contributed paper decisions: Updated webpage with list of accepted papers
- Three weeks after contributed paper decisions: Updated webpage with schedule of talks
Click Here to complete the form and upload your proposal in PDF format
Questions? Please send email to:
Chad Myers (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Dan Knights (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)