Call for Presentations
Submission Deadline: April 10, 2026
Imagine If...
23rd Annual NAAEE Research Symposium
October 6–7, 2026 ● Portland, Oregon
In times of change, imagination matters. Imagine If… invites us to pause, look beyond current constraints, and consider what becomes possible when education drives connection, action, and positive change.
The North American Association for Environmental Education seeks compelling proposals for our 23rd Annual Research Symposium that speak to the overall conference theme, Imagine If... . We welcome submissions that promote dialogue as we confront myriad social and environmental challenges. Presenters are invited to address topics in environmental education research that may include theory, methods, pedagogy, and policy.
We strongly encourage proposals about in-progress research projects and discussion topics related to the research process that highlight the ways in which environmental education informs, inspires, and motivates action on behalf of the planet and our communities.
We also welcome submissions about completed research and evaluation projects in selected formats for the Research Symposium or for the general NAAEE conference to help link research and practice.
New and established researchers from North America and beyond, and especially graduate students, are encouraged to submit proposals in one of the formats below.
Download PDF Version of Call for Presentations >
Session Formats
Please read the following format descriptions and select the most appropriate session format for your proposal. Note that NAAEE may accept your proposal but shift it to an alternative format.
Research Panel
(60 minutes) In research panels, three or four presenters focus on a question or challenge related to theory, methods, pedagogy or policy and explore it from various perspectives. These sessions include short presentations by each panelist, reserving at least 15 minutes for discussion with attendees. Proposals should identify complete panels with multiple speakers representing different viewpoints or organizations. A/V equipment is provided.
Research Presentation
(15 minutes) Research presentations are individual presentations on ongoing research projects and any related questions or challenges encountered during their implementation. The Research Symposium program committee will pair compatible presentations, which will be presented as a single 40-minute session, reserving at least 10 minutes for discussion with attendees. A/V equipment is provided.
Research Poster
Research posters offer an opportunity to share and discuss completed studies on a range of topics, methodologies, approaches, and challenges in environmental education research. They are two-dimensional printed presentations most often created using Adobe InDesign or Illustrator, Microsoft Publisher or PowerPoint, Canva, and similar applications. Posters may be up to 36 x 48 inches and displayed on portable bulletin boards for attendees to review at leisure throughout the symposium. Presenters will have a chance to pitch their posters and stand beside them to answer questions during a scheduled poster session. No A/V equipment or electricity is provided, but presenters may use their own laptops or tablets during the poster session.
Research Roundtable
(40 minutes) Research roundtables center on reviews, questions, and challenges related to environmental education research. Selected sessions may be combined into multi-presenter discussions on similar topics. Presenters are each given 10 minutes to share their perspectives, followed by spirited group discussion. Several roundtables are held simultaneously in a large room. No A/V is provided. You may use your own laptop or tablet if desired; however, this format does not lend itself to formal PowerPoint presentations.
Research Workshops
(90 minutes) Research workshops are skill-building sessions intended to help develop critical competencies related to environmental education research. These sessions should have multiple presenters/facilitators and be as interactive as possible. Workshops jointly proposed by teams of graduate students and researchers from more than one institution are encouraged.
Review Criteria
A peer review team will evaluate and rate all session proposals. The Research Symposium co-chairs will select proposals based on reviewer scores, balancing a range of topics and paying particular attention to sessions that help advance environmental education for all audiences and contribute to a more just and accessible field.
Reviewers will apply the criteria below when evaluating proposals. Please address each bullet in your proposal(s), providing enough detail for reviewers to fully understand your plans.
Proposals will be assessed and selected by how well they:
- Summarize the content of the session, including goals or learning outcomes
- Identify theoretical frameworks and cite relevant literature related to the topic
- Explain how the session will inform and advance environmental education research and/or practice
- Explain why the session is appropriate for the selected format (e.g., completed projects should be proposed only as posters)
- If a workshop, explain how participants will benefit from their involvement, including learning goals and opportunities for active engagement
How to Submit a Proposal
Proposals must be submitted online by 11:59 PM PDT on Friday, April 10, 2026. You may find it helpful to download a blank form from the NAAEE website and use it to draft your proposal before entering the information online.
Each individual or team of individuals is limited to three proposals to maximize the number and diversity of presenters and perspectives on the conference program.
Important: Please use the same email address for submitting your proposal and registering for the conference.
- Proposals must be submitted online through All Academic, our proposal management system.
- Click here to enter All Academic or find the link on the conference or research symposium home page or from the menu on NAAEE’s conference website.
- If you’ve been part of a proposal in the past, you likely already have an All Academic account. Log in with your email as your username and your most recent password.
- If you need to reset your password, click on the appropriate link in All Academic. You will receive an email message from Do_Not_Reply@AllAcademic.com with further instructions.
- If you do not have an All Academic account, create one by clicking on the new user link. Use your email address as your username. You will immediately receive an email message from Do_Not_Reply@AllAcademic.com with further instructions.
- Check your filters if you do not receive the message. You will continue to receive messages from this email address; make sure it is in your safe senders list.
- On your home page in All Academic, click "Submit a Proposal." Select "Research Symposium" and complete the online submission form.
- Click the “Accept and Continue” button on each page until you reach the final confirmation page.
- When your proposal is successfully submitted, you will receive a confirmation email from Do_Not_Reply@AllAcademic.com. This email address is often caught by sensitive filters. If you haven't received it, check your junk folder and make sure the “@allacademic.com” domain is in your safe senders list so you receive future mailings.
- You can edit any information in your proposal until the April 10 submission deadline by logging in to your All Academic account and selecting the proposal from the list on your All Academic home page.
Audiovisual Equipment
Rooms for all panels and workshops are equipped with a PC laptop (with Office Suite loaded), LCD projector, and screen. We do not provide audio-visual equipment for roundtable discussions and posters, but presenters in these sessions may use their own battery-powered laptops or tablets. NAAEE strongly recommends bringing PowerPoint and other audiovisual materials on portable drives and using the equipment provided. Internet access is available in all meeting rooms.
Important Notes About Registration
All presenters and co-presenters are required to register and pay published fees for the conference.
NAAEE depends on registration fees to cover symposium expenses and cannot provide waivers or discounts to presenters.
NAAEE has not yet finalized fees, and these rates are estimates. We expect full research symposium registration to be about $350 for NAAEE members, $420 for nonmembers, and $225 for students and retirees. We are currently fundraising so we can also provide lower-cost options for those with limited funding. There is a separate registration fee for the NAAEE Annual Conference.
All presenters must confirm their participation by registering for the conference by the August 21, 2026 early bird deadline.
If your proposal is accepted, you will have an additional opportunity to finalize session information after receiving your acceptance notice.
Questions
As a first step, please check the Frequently Asked Questions on the NAAEE website for assistance with submitting your proposals. If you need additional help, please contact us at conference@naaee.org.
If you have questions about the content of your proposal, contact Research Symposium co-chair Dr. Bill Finnegan, Oxford University.