Meeting Format

We are excited to welcome our participants for the first in-person SETAC North America annual meeting since 2019! We want to make this experience as welcoming and inclusive as possible, with the health and safety of meeting participants being our utmost concern.

Onsite participants will be able to benefit from five days packed with presentations, plenaries, topical mixers, exhibitor and networking events. Onsite participants will also enjoy our welcome reception and closing.

All onsite participants will have to follow the latest COVID policies and guidelines. Please visit our COVID policies and FAQ page for more information.

We are delighted to offer a rich and exciting program for our virtual audience. Poster presentations will be available on demand, and platform presentations will be live streamed and recorded onsite and made available for on-demand viewing shortly after recording. Virtual participants can chat with session chairs, presenters, exhibitors and other meeting participants.

All presentations will be made available to registrants for three months after the meeting.

Sessions

The program will consist of platform and poster sessions as well as virtual only sessions. Accepted presentation types include in-person platforms, in-person posters and strictly virtual presentations. All in-person posters are required to provide a virtual component (either a PDF poster, video or enhanced poster [e-poster]) as well. Platform sessions include a series of curated presentations as well as time for lively discussions. Platform sessions will be streamed and recorded for virtual accessibility. Presetnation in virtual-only sessions can take the form of PDFs, videos or e-posters.

Platform sessions will occur as 160 minute blocks that can include six to eight 12-minute talks, followed by a moderated conversation based on a few discussion points to allow for an overarching dialogue about the topic.

All presenters can take advantage of asynchronous interaction with all meeting participants. Participants will have access to all recordings and uploaded materials for three months.

Special Sessions

Special sessions are organized in collaboration with, if not entirely by, the program committee and in full cooperation with the SETAC office. Their format can vary significantly and include presentations, panel discussions, debates, and tool demos. Session chairs are expected to secure a balanced speaker roster and for corresponding with presenters and liaising between them and SETAC to ensure a high-quality session.

Plenaries

The meeting will include thought-provoking and informative plenary presentations, which will be live streamed via Zoom through the meeting platform at a scheduled time and recorded for later consumption.

Please complete this form to plan side events and business meetings at the annual meeting.

Mini-workshops*

Mini-workshops are planned the day before the meeting to help participants develop their soft career skills. They are planned by members, and topics may include science communication, interviewing skills, resume writing, project management, etc. They are proposed by the end of the first half of the calendar year to allow sufficient time for planning.

Seminars*

These are semi-formal events where SETAC members plan for a guest speaker to address attendees. The “SETAC Student Noontime Seminar” and “Women in SETAC” have been popular for years. These are proposed by SETAC North America Committees the end of the first half of the calendar year to allow sufficient time for planning.

Topical Discussions

These are one hour semi-formal meetings for participants who share an interest in a particular scientific topic. The goal of the topical discussions is to present an overarching perspective and summarize the state of the science from the research presented at multiple regular scientific sessions and prioritize research questions that need to be addressed.

They are planned by members and SETAC Interest Groups in collaboration with the office and have included topics such as metals and microplastics in the environment.

Group Meetups

The meeting will include many in-formal group meetups and networking events aimed at gathering people with similar interests for engagement opportunities. They are typically planned in collaboration with members from SETAC Affinity Groups (e.g., Senior Resource Group or Government Employees Group).

Administrative Business Meetings

SETAC supports its members (e.g., regional chapters and interest groups) and hosts some organizations (e.g., UNEP) by allowing them to book rooms at the venue for administrative meetings for SETAC business or otherwise.

*Requests due earlier to accommodate additional planning requirements