Annual Meeting Session Types
- Albert and Ellen Grass Lecture
- Animals in Research Panel
- Basic-Translational-Clinical Roundtables
- Celebration of Women in Neuroscience Luncheon
- David Kopf Lecture on Neuroethics
- Dialogues Between Neuroscience and Society Lecture
- Dual Perspectives
- History of Neuroscience Lecture
- Meet-the-Expert and Meet-the-Clinician-Expert Series
- Minisymposia
- Nanosymposia
- Peter and Patricia Gruber Lecture
- Presidential Special Lecture
- Professional Development Workshops
- Public Advocacy Forum
- Satellite Events
- Scientific and Theme J Poster Sessions
- SfN-Sponsored Socials
- Short Courses
- Social Issues Roundtable
- Special Lectures
- Storytelling Session
- Symposia
Albert and Ellen Grass Lecture
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: The Grass Lecture is delivered by scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of neuroscience. The speaker addresses educationally significant topics and groundbreaking, clinically relevant research.
Format: 50-minute talk followed by an informal Q&A; the lecture is preceded by the presentation of several high profile awards.
How Many: One lecture per year as selected by members of the Program Committee. The type of science represented by the speaker varies from year to year.
Animals in Research Panel
Audience: Open to the public.
Topic Focus: The Animals in Research Panel aims to raise public support for the responsible use of animals in research through education and advocacy. The panel highlights the importance of animal research to continually advance the field of neuroscience and provide meaningful health outcomes for people and animals around the world.
Format: 90-minute panel presentation followed by an informal Q&A.
How Many: One panel per year as selected by the chair of SfN’s Committee on Animals in Research.
Basic-Translational-Clinical Roundtables
Audience: Clinician-scientists at all levels. Students in MD-PhD programs and PhD programs involved in disease-oriented research.
Topic Focus: The roundtables integrate basic, translational, and clinical aspects of a disease or disorder with particular emphasis on new developments, controversies, or updates. The program is designed to stimulate debate.
Format: Short introductory talks from a panel of four speakers (20 minutes total), followed by a panel discussion.
How Many: Three to four, as selected by the Program Committee.
Celebration of Women in Neuroscience Luncheon
Audience: All annual meeting attendees are encouraged to register to attend this complimentary event.
Topic Focus: The Celebration of Women in Neuroscience Luncheon is an event that champions and celebrates the role of women in neuroscience and aims to generate valuable discussion about ways to make even greater strides for women in the field.
Format: The Luncheon begins with the presentation of several achievement awards recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of women in neuroscience. After, there is a presentation featuring accomplished women in the field. A boxed lunch is served to attendees.
How Many: The Luncheon is organized annually by the Professional Development Committee’s Diversity and Inclusion Programs Subcommittee.
David Kopf Lecture on Neuroethics
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: The Lecture on Neuroethics is delivered by esteemed speakers who have made contributions in promoting ethics in neuroscience.
Format: 50-minute talk followed by an informal Q&A.
How Many: One lecture per year as selected by members of the Program Committee.
Dialogues Between Neuroscience and Society Lecture
Audience: Open to the public.
Topic Focus: The Dialogues Lecture integrates neuroscience with a popular societal issue or interest.
Format: Past presentations have explored the relationship between neuroscience and creativity, financial behaviors, and improvisation. This two-hour lecture marks the official start of the meeting's scientific sessions.
How Many: The SfN President selects speaker(s) and works with the presenter(s) to determine the structure of the talk.
Dual Perspectives
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: The Dual Perspectives session serves as a platform for annual meeting attendees to learn about the history of as well as various arguments, research, and viewpoints surrounding a particular hot topic in neuroscience.
Format: Two to three key figures in neuroscience who participate in a friendly discussion for a one-hour session. They present differing but complementary views on a particular topic. A moderator knowledgeable on the subject matter asks pointed questions and ensures that the session provides information on how the field developed over time to arrive at the current understanding.
How Many: One session, planned by the Innovative Learning Working Group of the Program Committee.
History of Neuroscience Lecture
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: The History of Neuroscience Lecture is delivered by esteemed speakers who have made a considerable contribution to the field of neuroscience and can speak to changes in the field over time.
Format: 50-minute talk followed by an informal Q&A.
How Many: One lecture per year as selected by members of the Program Committee. The speaker is generally senior in his or her field.
Meet-the-Expert and Meet-the-Clinician-Expert Series
Audience: Students and postdoctoral researchers.
Topic Focus: Experts describe their research techniques and accomplishments in a personal context that offers participants a behind-the-scenes look at factors influencing the expert's work. Meet-the-Clinician-Expert sessions highlight clinical interests.
Format: 90-minute preconference sessions that present an opportunity for an informal dialogue with an expert.
How Many: 9 Meet-the-Expert participants and 1 Meet-the-Clinician-Expert participant are selected by the Program Committee.
Minisymposia
Audience: Researchers at all career levels are encouraged to attend. Speakers are typically junior investigators.
Topic Focus: Minisymposia focus on advances or present conflicting views in rapidly developing areas of neuroscience. Topics fall under one of SfN's scientific themes A–I.
Format: A minisymposium accommodates six speakers who give 20-minute talks over a 2.5-hour session.
How Many: A combined total of 54 symposia and minisymposia are selected by the Program Committee from proposals submitted by researchers. Proposals are accepted for a submission period November–January.
Nanosymposia
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: Nanosymposia offer abstract submitters an innovative way to create and propose a slide-based oral presentation. Topics fall under one of SfN's scientific themes A–I.
Format: A nanosymposium consists of abstracts from multiple labs with a common topical focus. Each speaker is allotted 15 minutes during the one- to four-hour session.
How Many: Abstracts accepted for nanosymposia presentations are assigned to sessions, each of 7–14 abstracts, by the Program Committee. Abstract submissions are accepted for a three-week period April—May.
Peter and Patricia Gruber Lecture
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: Scientists speak on major discoveries that have advanced the understanding of the nervous system. Scientists selected to speak have produced groundbreaking work that has inspired and enabled fundamental shifts in knowledge and culture, producing a profound impact on our lives.
Format: 50-minute talk followed by an informal Q&A; the lecture is preceded by the presentation of several high-profile awards.
How Many: The Peter and Patricia Gruber lecture is delivered by the winner(s) of the Gruber Neuroscience Prize as selected by the Gruber Foundation.
Presidential Special Lecture
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: The Presidential Special Lecture Series is developed by the SfN President, with lectures stemming from his or her area of study.
Format: 50-minute talk followed by an informal Q&A; the lecture is preceded by the presentation of several high-profile awards.
How Many: Four lectures are chosen by the SfN President each year to close out the scientific sessions each day of the meeting Saturday–Tuesday.
Professional Development Workshops
Audience: Scientists at all career stages. Some workshops in particular will be helpful for students or early-career scientists.
Topic Focus: Professional Development Workshops feature a panel of expert speakers and provide invaluable networking and career development opportunities.
Format: Two hours featuring a panel of speakers discussing topics such as funding, career skills, networking, and education.
How Many: 12–14 workshops selected from proposals submitted to the Professional Development Committee.
Public Advocacy Forum
Audience: Open to the public.
Topic Focus: The Public Advocacy Forum aims to highlight neuroscience advocacy efforts in a variety of contexts, to advance general knowledge and support of the field.
Format: 90-minute panel presentation followed by an informal Q&A.
How Many: One panel per year as selected by the chair of SfN’s Government and Public Affairs Committee.
Satellite Events
Audience: Open to all.
Topic Focus: Satellite events are scheduled in conjunction with the annual meeting. These events are not sponsored by the Society for Neuroscience. The events must have some neuroscience content or relevance.
Format: Can be symposia, social events, or meetings; length varies depending on the satellite organizer.
How Many: Approximately 100 events each year; events must be submitted through SfN.org and events approved by SfN's Program Committee.
Scientific and Theme J Poster Sessions
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: Poster sessions at SfN's annual meeting allow for the casual exchange of key scientific breakthroughs and emerging innovations within the neuroscience field. During each poster session, presenters and attendees have the opportunity to connect with leading researchers from around the world. Poster sessions cover topics from SfN's scientific themes A–I as well as nonscientific Theme J, History, Education, and Society.
Format: Abstracts from similar themes and topics are grouped together into four-hour poster sessions, with each poster presentation lasting one hour. A limited number of dynamic poster sessions are held each year and are designed to encourage both face-to-face interaction between viewer and presenter and casual viewing through the development of a digital poster presentation.
How Many: Abstracts accepted are sessioned into 10–30 posters per session by the Program Committee. One hundred thirty five abstracts are invited to present using the dynamic poster format. Abstract submissions are accepted for a three-week period April–May. Accepted abstracts are placed into poster or nanosymposia sessions.
SfN-Sponsored Socials
Audience: Researchers at all career levels; students and junior scientists are especially encouraged to attend for networking opportunities.
Topic Focus: SfN-Sponsored Socials are designed to provide an opportunity for all annual meeting attendees to meet informally with others who share common scientific interests. They are intended as social and networking occasions around neuroscience topics or issues.
Format: Two hours of a purely social gathering or social gathering with a brief presentation; designed to encourage networking between junior and senior scientists.
How Many: Approximately 30 SfN-Sponsored Socials are held each year, selected from proposals sent to the Program Committee. Proposals are accepted for a submission period November–January.
Short Courses
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: The pre-conference Short Courses provide an immersive learning experience from leaders in the field on various trending topics in neuroscience.
Format: Full-day and half-day courses provided prior to the start of the annual meeting. These courses take place at the annual meeting venue, and you must register to attend.
How Many: Two full-day courses and one half-day course are chosen by members of SfN’s Neuroscience Training Committee.
Social Issues Roundtable
Audience: Any person attending the meeting who has an interest in how neuroscience research interfaces with society, especially in the area of focus for that given year’s topic.
Topic Focus: The intersection of neuroscience research and society and how our understanding of these issues may impact the public at large.
Format: Panel that runs for two hours and includes a Q&A.
How Many: Proposals are submitted by membership and one is selected by SfN’s Public Education and Communication Committee to be held each year.
Special Lectures
Audience: Researchers at all career levels.
Topic Focus: The special lectures focus on educationally significant topics and groundbreaking, clinically relevant research.
Format: 50-minute talk, followed by an informal Q&A.
How Many: Nine lecturers are selected each year, representing each of SfN's scientific themes A–I; an additional six are selected as cross-cutting lecturers whose subject matter spans multiple themes.
Storytelling Session
Topic Focus: The storytelling session invites a panel of speakers to tell inspiring stories about their personal experiences, the impact that such experiences have had on their career in neuroscience, and how to communicate stories within and beyond the scientific community.
Format: In a 2.5-hour session, a panel of speakers give presentations demonstrating the role of storytelling in the scientific community.
Symposia
Audience: Researchers at all career levels are welcome to attend; top researchers are typically selected as speakers.
Topic Focus: Symposia focus on advances or present conflicting views in rapidly developing areas or neuroscience. Topics fall under one of SfN's scientific themes A–I.
Format: Each symposium comprises four speakers, who present for 35 minutes each during the 2.5-hour session.
How Many: A combined total of 54 symposia and minisymposia are selected by the Program Committee from proposals submitted by researchers. Proposals are accepted for a submission period November–January.
