These sessions are topically focused with a combination of invited and volunteered papers. The sessions are designed to promote the exchange of timely or state-of-the-art information and to allow scheduling of interdisciplinary talks that bear on a specific topic. To ensure a successful and excellent session, advocates may invite up to four specific speakers. Volunteered abstracts will be solicited in GSA Today for all approved topical sessions.

Topical Sessions may be submitted by any member of GSA, it’s affiliated societies, or anyone else. Sponsorship by an organization is not necessary. However, if your session does include a sponsorship, please be sure to have received prior approval from that sponsor.

Topical Sessions must:

1. Include volunteered abstracts, and may include up to three invited abstracts. All volunteered talks are 15 minutes in length. Invited talks may be assigned up to 20 minutes for presentation.
2. Advocates are encouraged to submit proposals for poster sessions to help accommodate the growth in GSA Technical Sessions.
3. A topical session must receive a minimum of 12 abstracts in order to be considered for the program. Abstracts from failed sessions will be moved to the general pool of abstracts. Those abstracts will be considered for a session based on the discipline selected by the submitter.
4. Advocates MUST mention to all invited talks that if the session is cancelled or combined with another session, the "invited" status will go away. If that presenter is presenting another paper at the annual meeting, they must select one of those papers to present.

Proposals must include:

1. Full title of the session for publication (limited to approximately 30 words).
2. Brief description of the session for publication in GSA Today (limited to approximately 35 words).
3. Rationale for the session.
4. The names of prospective invited speakers may be included.
5. Program format or relationship to other potential sessions. All scheduling conflicts should be brought to the attention of the Technical Program Chair.
6. Selection of three scientific discipline categories. The first category selected by the advocate will determine which JTPC representative is responsible for the session.
7. Advocates must be available for the scheduling process beginning 5 June 2008.

Deadline for submittal: 11:59 PM, Tuesday, 4 December 2007, (Pacific Standard Time).

This is a firm deadline.

NO proposals will be accepted after this date.

Web submission is required.

Review. The Technical Program Chairs (TPC) will review proposals. Two JTPC representatives will also review proposals with more than four invited speakers with the final decision made by the Technical Program Chair and the Annual Program Committee.

What Happens After Acceptance:

• Advocates formally invite the speakers approved by the Technical Program Chair and are encouraged to solicit additional volunteered contributions.
• The "Call for Papers" in GSA Today and other GSA mailings will request volunteered abstracts for both the Topical and General Sessions.
• Final scheduling of abstracts is the responsibility of the advocate and appropriate JTPC representative. As a topical session advocate, you MUST be available and have web access 5-11 June.

-- Advocates must be a session chair for their topical session during the annual meeting.

TOPICAL SESSION PROPOSAL FORM -- CLOSED