We welcome proposals for panel sessions during the conference. Review the guidelines below and contact the SMS Executive Office with any additional questions.
 

Panel Session Overview
A panel session consists of a conversation between 3-6 panelists with different perspectives to exchange views on a relevant and current topic, often with one of the panelists serving as facilitator of the discussion and session chair. Audience members can be involved in the discussion as well.
 

 Panel Requirements

• Panels must be no less than 70% discussion-based (including discussant-moderator Q&A, conversation between panelists, or audience Q&A). Proposal submitters must demonstrate this by including a proposed panel agenda in their submission document.
• Track Chairs will give preference in the selection process to panel submissions which demonstrate practice relevance, feature practitioner panelists, and/or will include key take-aways for the business community, where applicable.
   

Panel Authorship

• As it relates to panels, the “author” is the panel organizer and the “panelist” is a participant who sits on the panel.
• A panel proposal will count against the limit of two proposals for those listed as authors on the proposal.
• For those listed as potential panelists, who are not also authors/organizers, the submission will not count against the limit of two proposals.

Review Process

• Panel Submissions do not go through the double-blind review process, as authorship and panelists are important factors for the quality of the submission.
• The Track Directors will make decisions on these submissions and notify authors around the same time as notifications for research proposals are shared.

If Accepted

• If accepted for the conference, authors will be responsible for confirming all panelists’ in-person attendance and ensuring all panelists register for the conference. Single-day complimentary guest speaker registration is available on a case-by-case basis only to local practitioners or local invited speakers with no SMS membership or attendance history.
• Should the composition of the panel change from the listed participants on the proposal, the Conference Committee reserves the right to withdraw the panel from the program.