The Call for Abstracts is now open and will close on Friday 12 July 2024.
Please note that ESA 2024 is an in-person conference. Presenters are required to attend the conference in Melbourne. Read the Information and Guidelines below before submitting your abstract.
Submit your abstract
Information and Guidelines
Presentation Types
The following presentation types will be featured. All are equally valued contributions, and different presentation formats may be best suited to different kinds of content. Delegates are encouraged to select the presentation format that best suits the material to be presented.
Speed talk (5 minutes including 4 minute talk with a 1 minute changeover)
Speed talks allow you to present your research in a short, concise, and energetic format. This format will enable you to showcase your science in addition to showcasing your presentation and communication skills – an increasingly important ability for modern ecologist. Speed talks are the best choice for research with one main idea or result.
Poster
Because they are on show for the entire conference, poster presentations allow you to showcase your work to a broader audience and provide opportunities for discussion with your peers one-on-one or in small groups. Traditionally, poster presenters have used the opportunity to present works in progress, preliminary results, new methods and techniques, or detailed proposals for future research.
Poster AND Speed talk
To combine the best of both worlds, presenters may elect to present a speed talk as well as a poster.
Oral Presentation (15 minutes including 10 minute talk with 5 minutes for Q&A and change over)
Oral presentations are ideal for presenting research projects that are close to completion, with emerging conclusions. This style of performance allows the author to place their work in a broader ecological context, and to discuss hypotheses, study design, and outcomes in detail. Oral presentations may be part of an open forum or a symposium.
One Presentation Rule
Delegates may submit only one abstract as the presenting author – regardless of presentation format (i.e. poster, speed talk or oral presentation) or whether the presentation is part of a symposium or open forum. Delegates are free to serve as a non-presenting author on multiple abstracts. Delegates are encouraged to present recent research (this is typically work that has not been published in print or electronic media at the time of abstract submission).
Abstract Selection Criteria
The criteria used to assess abstracts may include:
- relevance to the objectives of the ESA
- scientific merit, originality and interest
- compliance with the word count (250 words) and format requirements for abstracts
The Scientific Committee will attempt to accommodate the preferred presentation type for all delegates, but inevitably the number of oral presentations (15 min) or speed talks (5 minutes) that can be accommodated in the program is limited. In some recent years, the number of delegates requesting oral presentations has exceeded the places available, and this trend may continue.
Abstracts for 15 minute oral presentations may be submitted before all analyses and interpretations of the results have been finalised, but authors MUST report some specific preliminary results. Vague statements such as ‘results will be discussed’ are not acceptable.
Abstract Submission
When submitting an abstract, you will be required to provide the following information:
- Abstract title: a brief, interesting and explicit description of the presentation
- An indication of the selected symposium, or open forum
- Name and contact details of lead presenting author
- Preferred presentation type (oral presentation, speed talk, poster)
- Author names (the lead author would normally present the material)
- Author affiliations
- Abstract text (do not exceed 250 words)
- Biography of presenting author
- Acknowledgement that you intend registering and participating in ESA 2023 if your abstract is accepted
Early submission of abstracts is encouraged. You will need time to collate your information, navigate the submission portal and complete all the required fields, so please submit your abstract well before the closing date of Friday 12 July 2024 to avoid frustration
Abstract Notification
Abstract notifications will be sent to submitting authors in late August 2024.
Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners
It is a requirement of ESA 2024 that presenters acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land the field research was done on or place based research was undertaken. Please include this information, including the name of the Traditional Lands, on presentation slides (such as your sponsorship slide).
Submit your abstract