Proposals

INTERESTED IN SUBMITTING TO ABS? 

The 2019 American Bison Society (ABS) Conference & Workshop will focus on “Bison on the Edge.” This theme will allow us to explore the ways in which bison exist on the periphery of wildlife conservation: the challenge of conserving a wide-ranging species like bison at the edges of their historic range, how to integrate and amplify diverse voices in the bison restoration movement, and the cutting-edge analyses that will lead to genetic metapopulation management. ABS will also serve as a platform for honoring the Buffalo Treaty and National Bison Day with field visits, storytelling, and cultural celebrations.

ABS attendees are encouraged to submit proposals for organized sessions, individual presentations and posters, or special sessions. Proposals should focus on the overall conference themes. Please adhere to the guidelines found on this website when preparing your submission.

Conference attendees are invited to present in one of four ways: 

1. Organized Sessions (panels or roundtable discussions): Organized Sessions will have a duration of 1.5 hours and include 3-5 presenters/participants, a moderator, and a minimum of 15 minutes Q&A. Panels should include a series of formal presentations focused on a specific topic. Roundtable discussions will be guided conversations amongst the participants.
2. Individual Presentations: 12-minute presentations followed by 3 minutes Q&A.
3. Poster Presentations: Posters will be displayed during the event, with a dedicated evening cocktail hour for ABS attendees to browse and ask questions.
4. Special Event: Special events may include a suggested side event, cultural session, film event, or book discussion, and may be held as a session during the conference or as an evening event.

If you are submitting, here is the list of potential themes and topics for 2019 ABS:

• Ecological research & restoration
• Behavior & management
• Genetic research & applications to conservation/management
• Stories about unique partnerships
• Role of ranching in bison conservation/restoration
• Social dimensions of bison restoration – building support, managing stakeholder engagement, and policy impacts on bison
• Sport hunting & bison
• Managing human-bison conflict
• Cultural aspects of bison restoration
• Storytelling, communication, and film

TIMELINE

Please follow the instructions carefully and include all requested information. All submissions must be in English.

May 15 —Submissions open

July 5— Proposal submission deadline for all proposal types

July 22 —Acceptance emails sent out

August 30—All accepted authors must confirm their attendance by registering for the event

September 15 —Preliminary program released on website

October 21—Deadline to register for ABS

October 28–November 2—ABS 2019 Conference

Submission sections

1. Type of submission (select one): Organized Session, Individual Presentation, Poster Presentation, or Special Event
2. Enter the title: ≤25 words
3. Abstracts must be ≤500 words or less
   1. Each abstract should include a clear statement of the problem or objectives, briefly describe methods and substantive results, and end with a clear conclusion.
4. Social media abstract: to be used in promoting ABS; no more than 140 characters
5. Enter all authors and their affiliations.
   1. All co-author’s email addresses must be included.
   2. You must also designate “corresponding authors” and “presenting authors.”
   3. If you are submitting for a panel, no more than 5 people are allowed to present.
   4. Select if you are a student
6. Choose up to 3 topics that accurately categorize your abstract.
7. Provide any additional supporting documents or background

Please send all submissions to absconference@wcs.org.

If your abstract is selected, you will be notified with an acceptance e-mail as soon as possible. All accepted submissions will be notified by June 30, 2019. Those who are selected to present will be required to submit their PowerPoint files no later than October 25th, 2019.