Call for Abstracts

To ensure the smooth processing of abstract submissions, it is essential to follow guidelines provided by AWWA:

Complete your submission by the deadline: Abstracts received after the deadline will not be considered, so it is advisable to submit early to avoid any last-minute issues.

Do not submit on behalf of others: The primary author should only make abstract submissions themselves.

Avoid duplicate submissions: Abstracts with the same title and/or content submitted under various categories will not be accepted. You may submit abstracts to multiple conferences’ open calls.

Provide all required information: The online submission form requires data in all fields marked as “Required” for successful processing.

Follow the abstract size limitation: The abstract text should not exceed 3,000 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

Text-only: Abstracts should be submitted as text only without any graphics, attachments, or other material.

Review submission confirmation messages: After submitting an abstract, it is important to review the confirmation messages for details related to the submission. You will get additional follow-up communications from our Presenter Services team. Please add service@awwa.org to your safe-senders list in anticipation of this outreach.

Explore our Session Structures (below) to classify your submission in the best light for evaluation.

A standard 90-minute educational session at an AWWA conference is typically comprised of three 22 to 25-minute individual presentations on a similar topic, with time for moderated Q&A. We are also open to evaluating other session formats:

Special Topic Sessions

Special Topic Sessions (STS) are in depth sessions (one to three hours), in alignment with our Educational Program focus, submitted by a single facilitator and representing a single topic. These are often panels or Q&A driven.

STS facilitators are required to obtain and submit presentation agenda/length, presentation titles, and presenter names during the submission process. If a special topic session is accepted, each presenter will receive an acceptance notification. Facilitators should make sure all presenters are aware of your submission in advance.

Preconference Workshops

Preconference Workshops (PCW) are an interactive meeting, hosted by a facilitator, in which a small group goes through a series of educational activities or modules. These occur prior to an event’s opening general session and typically have added registration fees.

PCW facilitators are required to outline presentation agenda/lengths, presentation titles, and presenter names during the submission process. PCWs can be half-day or full day. As the facilitator, please select which possibility works best for the workshop but note this may be amended in the submission process. If your PCW is accepted, each presenter will receive an accepted notification. Facilitators should make sure all presenters are aware of your submission in advance.

PCW facilitators are required to supply materials for the electronic attendee notebook. These materials are due three to four weeks prior to the conference date. These should consist of all the presenter biographies, presentations, articles, worksheets, and notes. Note: PCW attendee notebook materials are not included in the conference proceedings.

The conference planning committee evaluates abstracts based on specific rating criteria. These criteria include:

Quality of the abstract: The quality of work, project design, and its relevance to the conference theme will be considered.

Originality of the work: New information or concepts, or substantial improvements to existing theories.

Usefulness of the work: Abstracts that report actual benefits and widespread applications are highly valued. The committee considers if the work is useful to the water industry and if it concludes anything new that would otherwise be ignored.

Presentation: The presentation’s relevance, speaker’s dynamic skills, and local connection to the conference site will be considered. Obvious sales pitches will not be ranked well.

Abstract aspects are rated on a scale of one to five, with the best receiving a rating of five, and averaged. The rating will determine the acceptance and presentation format of the abstract.