Connecting Minds and Hearts for Global Change
“Our future is not in the stars but in our own minds and hearts.” J. William Fulbright
The Fulbright Program may be a flagship program for U.S. public diplomacy, but the empiricism on its execution and impact, here and abroad, is often anecdotal. We want to complement powerful Fulbright stories—which we welcome to this conference—with rigorous frameworks for analysis and data-rich evidence. We invite proposals from researchers at all levels, who need not be Fulbright alumni, to share their findings on public diplomacy, broadly defined and not limited to the Fulbright Program.
General Guidelines
We welcome proposals from current grantees, alumni (U.S. or non-U.S.) and anyone who supports the ideals of the Fulbright program. The Association includes a one-time annual membership ($70 value) as part of the conference registration fee for non-members; you must be or become a member to present.
Presentations of original research must meet professional and/or academic standards with additional consideration given to on-going projects that resulted from a Fulbright grant or other international exchange opportunity.
Presenters may submit up to one proposal for each format: 1) themed session 2) roundtable presentation or 3) poster presentation. The program committee will likely not select more than one of the proposals to allow for the widest possible participation of students and scholars. Please note that if we cannot accommodate your preferred format, as space is limited, we will ask if you would be willing to present in another format.
These are some questions we wish to debate and explore:
- What are some consequences of people-to-people exchange? How is that impact measured?
- What current quantitative and qualitative research supports or refutes the essential role of public diplomacy? (Literature reviews are welcome.)
- What direction/s should this literature take? What data should be gathered and how?
- In what ways have Fulbright communities affected global change?
- Are there systematic ways to explain the variance in how effective Fulbright and/or other public diplomacy efforts are?
- How has technology and social media impacted public diplomacy?
The Fulbright program champions the arts as a vehicle for global change and public diplomacy, and proposals incorporating the performing and visual arts are encouraged. Proposals on other topics are welcome, provided that it resonates with the conference theme and promotes good dialogue.
Our conferences strive to build community by encouraging intelligent and informed conversations, and to motivate the Fulbright community to work together to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. To that end, we seek proposals that are creative, innovative, interactive and perhaps provocative. We will consider any format that can be successfully presented in a conference room; it may offer a single presenter or multiple presenters focused on a shared theme. However, since we hope to engage many attendees in the program, proposals including multiple presenters are preferred.
All proposals must be submitted by the deadlines indicated below and will be peer reviewed by the conference program sub-committee. Each proposal will be evaluated based on its thoroughness, clarity, and adherence to session guidelines. Research design, innovation, interactivity, creativity, and thematic cohesiveness will also be considered.
Please review the guidelines below. Questions should be directed to conference@fulbright.org or may be answered by going to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Fulbright Talks Plenary (Deadline: June 30, 2019)
Fulbright Talks, a TEDx-style presentation opportunity, returns to the 2019 conference. This short speeches should relate to the conference theme of “Connecting Minds and Hearts for Global Change”, but within this parameter, we invite speakers representing a wide range of topics and disciplines.
Proposals are due by JUNE 30, 2019
Duration: five minutes
- Proposal should relate to the conference theme and be organized around a topic that will have wide appeal to the Fulbright community.
- WiFi and projectors will be available for these sessions.
Themed Session (Deadline: June 10, 2019)
Share your presentation in a panel format. Multiple presenters are encouraged 
(but not required) and an opportunity for audience participation is expected.
Proposals are due by JUNE 10, 2019
Duration: approximately one hour and fifteen minutes
- Proposal should relate to the conference theme and be organized around a topic that will have wide appeal to the Fulbright community and potentially inspire future research or service. Research should be professional-level, with additional consideration given to projects that resulted from a Fulbright grant.
- Session chairs should complete the proposal and provide short bios on the additional co-presenters. Complete information must be provided with the proposal submission.
- Panel leaders should clearly identify their proposed session theme and their presentation’s role within it in their submission, and should be prepared to suggest additional panelists whose work will fit within the scope of their session.
- WiFi and projectors will be available for panel sessions.
Roundtable Discussion (Deadline: June 30, 2019)
Presenters will share their research in a seated author-led round table discussion format with other presenters.
Proposals are due by JULY 1, 2019
Duration: 10-15 minutes
- Research should be professional-level, with additional consideration given to projects that resulted from a Fulbright grant.
- The roundtable format is a seated, author-led discussion that provides scholars with an opportunity to share their work in a brief presentation with a small, engaged audience. Presenters will be assigned a table and a timeslot for their presentation, and table assignments will include a variety of topics and themes.
- There will be 2-3 presenters per roundtable, and the full session will run for approximately 90 minutes. Each presenter will be allotted 10-15 minutes for their presentation and discussion and can choose how to divide their time. Time will be monitored for each presentation.
- You may submit a proposal as a group, but your proposal’s slot will still be only 10-15 minutes total. You may divide this time among multiple group members.
- Participants will be able to move from table to table between individual roundtables; presenters may also move between tables following their presentations.
- Handouts and laptop files are encouraged, but please note that WiFi and projectors will not be available for roundtable sessions.
Poster Presentation (Deadline: June 30, 2019)
Share your Fulbright experience and/or research in a visual format with conference attendees.
Proposals are due by JULY 1, 2019
Duration: The poster presentation period will be approximately one hour, however, posters may remain hanging for the duration of the conference for attendees to see. You are welcome to engage visitors about your research at any time.
- Eligible presenters include individual and institutional Fulbright Association members as well as prospective members. Returning Fulbright grantees, students, and teachers should feel welcome to submit proposals in this category.
- Posters can reflect participants’ Fulbright grant experience/research or other work that they are engaged in. This can take many forms: research findings, best practices for teaching, overview of a project, photos from a key experience, or examples of outreach efforts either in country or in the U.S. Past posters have reflected research findings, overview of a project, best practices for teaching, photo journals, and outreach efforts both in the U.S. and abroad.
- Posters should be 4′ H x 3′ W and should demonstrate your topic visually.
- Electrical outlets will not be available, but presenters are welcome to use laptops or tablets as necessary.
- The Fulbright Association cannot print your poster for you. Please plan to bring your poster with you to the conference.
- A one-time slot on the program will be dedicated solely to the poster fair so that presenters may stand by their work and dialogue with conference attendees.
- The Fulbright Association will provide either a trifold display, bulletin board, or other means by which you can display your poster. Details will accompany notification of acceptance of the proposal for the poster session.
Selma Jeanne Cohen Lecture Award (Deadline: June 30, 2019)
The Selma Jeanne Cohen Fund for International Scholarship on Dance provides a dance researcher or practitioner the opportunity to present a major paper or interdisciplinary presentation, based on research or a body of accomplished work, at the Fulbright Association’s annual conference.
Proposals are due by JUNE 30, 2019
Duration: 15-20 minutes
- The competition is open to all dance researchers or practitioners in any field of dance.
- Applicants may be residents of any country.
- Lectures could be based on previously unpublished or published research, or on a body of accomplished work, though ideally this research or work would not have been presented at other conferences.
- Selection will be based on the quality of your narrative, originality, the impact of your research/work on other disciplines and international perspectives, interaction with audience during demonstration, appeal to a wider audience, and references.
- The Selma Jeanne Cohen Fund provides an honorarium, round-trip travel, and per diem to the selected dance scholar.
- The awardee must be able to attend the Fulbright Association’s annual conference (October 24-26, 2019) and give his or her presentation on the date requested by the Association. The recipient will be expected to have his or her own health, travel, and other necessary insurance and documents in order.
Click here to review the full call for applications for the Selma Jeanne Cohen Lecture Award
Logo Design Competition
The Fulbright Association is hosting a logo competition and invites submissions of compelling logos that visually represent our 2019 annual conference theme: “Connecting Minds and Hearts for Global Change.” Competitive logo designs will encapsulate the conference theme and incorporate design elements relevant to the mission of the Fulbright Program.
This is a pro bono opportunity to expand your portfolio and elevate visibility for the work of the Fulbright Association. The winner will receive special recognition on our channels and in conference materials as the logo creator and a free conference registration. If unable to attend the conference, the winner will receive a $200 gift card.
For full submission guidelines, please visit this page.
Proposals are due by MAY 15, 2019
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I submit my proposal?
A: Please submit your proposal through the online submission page by clicking here. Please do not e-mail or mail us your submission. Only proposals submitted through the online submission form will be considered. If you experience any technical difficulties, please contact us at conference@fulbright.org.
Q: I am not a Fulbrighter. May I still submit a proposal?
A: Yes, however, all presenters must join the Fulbright Association as a member. If you are not a Fulbright grantee, you may join the Fulbright Association as a Friend of Fulbright.
Q: I haven’t decided on a title yet. Can I change it later?
A: Yes. While we require a “working title” for all submissions, if your proposal is accepted, you may change the title at a later date by a given deadline.
Q: I don’t have any co-presenters. Can I submit a proposal for a themed session?
A: Yes, though if you are accepted, it is likely that you will be combined with another group presenting on a thematically similar topic.
Q: I don’t have any co-presenters. Can I submit a proposal for a roundtable or poster?
A: Yes.
Q: May I submit multiple proposals?
A: Yes, however, due to limited slot availability, you may only present one time at the conference. If multiple proposals are approved, you may be asked to select one.
Q: I submitted my proposal through the online submission form. How do I know if it went through?
A: If you completed the form, we have received your registration. You may not automatically receive a confirmation e-mail, but please be assured that it has been received.
Q: If I am accepted, will the Fulbright Association pay my travel expenses or waive my conference registration?
A: Unfortunately, the Fulbright Association cannot pay travel expenses or waive conference registrations for presenters at this time.
Q: If I (or my co-presenters) only intend to present at the conference, without attending any other sessions, do I still need to register?
A: Yes. All presenters must register, however, you might consider purchasing a one-day registration instead of a full conference registration.