The World Sleep congress regularly schedules one of the largest, most diverse scientific programs in the sleep and circadian field – but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s simple to secure a room in the symposium schedule.
To get some advice on submitting symposia to World Sleep, we spoke with Dr. Charles Morin, chair of the World Sleep 2023 Program Committee.
Dr. Morin is also past-president of World Sleep Society, past program committee member and chair for multiple meetings, and has – in his rough estimation – reviewed “many thousands” of conference proposals! Read on to see what Dr. Morin has to say in our brief interview.
In your view, what makes a symposium submission an easy “yes”?
Program Committee Chair, World Sleep 2023
Dr. Morin: The topic must be of interest and, if possible, novel. Even if it isn’t a new topic, some content must address a new angle of that topic. The abstract must be evidence-based and well crafted to draw attention from the review committee.
Do you see any common pitfalls when reviewing submissions?
Dr. Morin: Poorly integrated abstract or write-up; the rationale is not convincing and it is not clear what new stuff the attendant will learn. All speakers from the same group/institution/country.
What makes a symposium submission for World Sleep different from other meetings?
Dr. Morin: The global or international perspective should always be addressed as much as possible, particularly for such topics as clinical practices, sleep health and adversity, digital therapeutics, etc. This is a wonderful platform to gain international visibility on one’s research.
Why should someone choose to submit and present at World Sleep?
Dr. Morin: World Sleep is a great way to gain international visibility and to develop a new network or strengthen an existing network of potential collaborators for the future.
How does an effective Program Committee resolve differences of opinion regarding a submission?
Dr. Morin: This is a democratic process and we use well-defined criteria to evaluate all proposals; sometimes, we may select a topic that is novel, even if the science is not as strong. We have expertise in all areas, so we would rely on content area experts.
Do you have any other thoughts to share with submitters?
Dr. Morin: I would encourage young and new investigators to the field to be proactive and put together proposals by inviting a mix of junior and more senior people.
Submit to World Sleep 2023 in Rio de Janeiro
Thank you for Dr. Morin for sharing his thoughts on symposium submission to World Sleep. Join us in Rio de Janeiro for one of the largest scientific programs in the sleep and circadian field!
Questions about science submission? Contact the World Sleep Society administrative office at [email protected].