CitSciOz25 will feature an engaging program of thought-leaders and change-makers whose insights and experiences will inspire conversations around the conference’s central theme “A Catalyst for Change”.
The programming committee invites submissions for contributions in the following formats:
- Themed talks: 15-minute presentations (including Q&A) grouped with similar topics in concurrent sessions.
- Ignite talks: Brief 5-minute presentations delivered in speed sessions with a group discussion at the end of each session.
- Panel sessions: 60-minute discussions where you can lead a conversation on important topics with invited speakers.
- Workshops and Community forums: Interactive 2-hour sessions designed to spark conversation, share ideas and encourage collaboration.
- Posters: Visual presentations displayed during the conference with dedicated time for conversations with attendees.
Call for Contributions Key Dates
| Date Due | |
|---|---|
| Call for contributions open | Friday, 9 May 2025 |
| Call for contributions close | Friday, 20 June 2025 |
| Notification to authors | Friday, 18 July 2025 |
| Conference | 13 – 15 October 2025 |
Types of Contributions
The programming committee invites submissions for presentations in the following formats:
Themed talks will be grouped by the programming committee into related areas and presented in concurrent sessions. Each presenter will be given 10 minutes to share their work, and 5 minutes for Q&A, for a total of 15 minutes. Submissions submitted for consideration as long talks will be considered for ignite talks or poster displays if not accepted for the long talk format.
Ignite talks will be presented during dedicated speed concurrent sessions during the conference. Each speed talk will be 5 minutes long with a 1 minute changeover (to allow for the introduction of the next speaker). Speed talks will be presented in 60 minute blocks of 10 talks (max) followed by a 30 minute question/discussion period during which all presenters will be available for discussion with members of the audience. There is no limit to the number of slides you can use, only the presentation time.
Panel sessions will require an outline of the proposed event and what areas will be focussed on. The duration for each panel will be 60 minutes (1 hour). Presenters are responsible for leading the session, inviting presenters, and also coordinating PowerPoints if needed, timing, and facilitating the kind of participant involvement you would like.
Workshops and Community fora will require an outline of the proposed workshop/forum and what areas will be focused on. The duration for each event will be up to 120 minutes (2 hours) and should be interactive with an aim to stimulate discussion, foster collaboration and knowledge sharing between participants. Workshop presenters are responsible for leading the session, guiding participants through activities, and also coordinating PowerPoints if needed, timing, and facilitating the kind of participant involvement you would like.
Posters will be displayed in a poster gallery at the conference venue. We will have a dedicated poster viewing session in the conference program where delegates will be encouraged to visit the poster gallery and interact with presenters.
Selection Criteria
1. Relevance to the theme and overall objectives of citizen science
“A Catalyst for Change”
Sub-themes:
- Public Health
- Invasive Species and Biosecurity
- Citizen Science for Planetary Health
- Biodviersity and Environmental Change
- Climate Change and Extreme Events
- Waterways and Catchments
- Cultural and Place-Based Knowledge
- Designing and Implementing Effective Citizen Science Projects
- Ethics in Citizen Science
- Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
- Partnerships and Collaboration
- Volunteer Participation and Recruitment
- The Social Impacts of Citizen Science
- Science Communication and Education
- Citizens as Sensors
- Innovation in Citizen Science
2. Originality / Interest
3. Impact e.g., advancing knowledge, social outcomes, policy impact etc.
4. Compliance with the word count and format requirements for submissions
Guidelines for each Contribution Type
Submissions must be no longer than 300 words (not including the title, author names, author details or author biography and uploaded in .pdf format).
Click here to download a copy of the abstract template.
1. Themed talk requirements
- Submissions must be sent in PDF format and must be prepared using the appropriate template (pdf file).
- Submissions should summarise the important points and highlight the content to be communicated. It needs to be concise yet informative, containing an outline of the ojectives and approach, the results and conclusion of the work undertaken.
- Submissions should be no longer than 300 words.
- Please proofread the final document thoroughly before submitting it to the conference.
- Submissions matching the requirements must be submitted via the speaker portal no later than 5.00pm (AEST, UTC +10) on Friday, 13 June 2025.
- All presenters must register for the conference and pay the appropriate registration fee by the early bird cut-off date. If no author is registered by this date, the abstract will be withdrawn from the conference program.
2. Ignite talk requirements
- Submissions must be sent in PDF format and must be prepared using the appropriate template (pdf file).
- Submissions should summarise the important points and highlight the content to be communicated. It needs to be concise yet informative, containing an outline of the ojectives and approach, the results and conclusion of the work undertaken.
- Submissions should be no longer than 300 words.
- Please proofread the final document thoroughly before submitting it to the Conference.
- Submissions matching the requirements must be submitted via the speaker portal no later than 5.00pm (AEST, UTC +10) on Friday, 13 June 2025.
- All presenters must register for the conference and pay the appropriate registration fee by the early bird cut-off date. If no author is registered by this date, the abstract will be withdrawn from the conference program.
3. Panels, Workshop and Community Fora requirements
- Submissions must be sent in PDF format and must be prepared using the appropriate template (pdf file).
- Submissions should summarise the important points and highlight the content to be communicated. It needs to include the symposium / workshop objectives and expected outcomes, the session format and a statement of how the symposium / workshop can benefit delegates.
- Submissions should be no longer than 300 words.
- Please proofread the final document thoroughly before submitting it to the conference.
- Submissions matching the requirements must be submitted via the speaker portal no later than 5.00pm (AEST, UTC +10) on Friday, 13 June 2025.
- All presenters must register for the conference and pay the appropriate registration fee by the early bird cut-off date. If no author is registered by this date, the abstract will be withdrawn from the conference program.
4. Poster requirements
- Submissions must be sent in PDF format and must be prepared using the appropriate template (pdf file).
- Submissions should summarise the important points and highlight the content to be communicated. It needs to be concise yet informative, containing an outline of the objectives and approach, the results and conclusion of the work undertaken.
- Submissions should be no longer than 300 words.
- Please proofread the final document thoroughly before submitting it to the Conference.
- Submissions matching the requirements must be submitted via the speaker portal no later than 5.00pm (AEST, UTC +10) on Friday, 27 June 2025.
- All presenters must register for the conference and pay the appropriate registration fee by the early bird cut-off date. If no author is registered by this date, the abstract will be withdrawn from the conference program.
Terms and conditions
- The lodgement of an abstract does not indicate automatic inclusion in the conference program.
- Abstract receipt and acceptance will be acknowledged to the submitting author.
- Further communication will be with the submitting author only unless otherwise directed.
- Submissions must adhere to the abstract requirements and be submitted before the call for submissions close.
- Each abstract must have at least one author registered by the early bird closing date. If no author is registered by this date, the abstract will be withdrawn from the conference program.