Fulbrighters, alumni and friends of Fulbright are invited to submit proposals for conference sessions at the Fulbright Association’s Virtual 43rd Annual Conference, “Where Does the World Go from Here?” The conference theme has been inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s final book titled: “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?”  He reflected on racism and civil rights, and presented a hopeful agenda for America’s future, including the need for better jobs, higher wages, decent housing, and quality education.

We invite you to submit proposals, following the guidelines below, that will inspire and inform participants from around the world on Dr. King’s universal message of choosing community over chaos. The conference theme encompasses the global outlook and prospects for the future on topics such as public health and pandemics; social, economic, and environmental justice; racism and inequality; human rights; policing; immigration; and international exchange. Proposals on all topics are welcome, provided they resonate with the conference theme, and promote healthy 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 provocative.

We are currently accepting themed sessions, poster proposals, and the Selma Jeanne Cohen Fund Lecture. Please see below for information on each format.

Call for Proposals is Now Closed

Deadlines

Sessions – August 30

Posters – August 30

Selma Jeanne Cohen Dance Lecture – August 30

General Guidelines

General Guidelines

As global citizens and change-makers, we individually and collectively represent a force for peace. This conference offers a single opportunity each year for our Fulbright and the international community to celebrate the “Fulbright effect” by sharing our scholarship, contributions, and experiences. The conference committee actively seeks proposals for sessions that will give people something to think about.  The proposal should be creative, innovative, interactive, and perhaps provocative. We will consider any format that can be successfully presented virtually; it has to offer multiple presenters focused on a shared theme. We hope to engage many attendees in the program, so multiple presenters are preferred.

Here are some examples of ideas for themed sessions to address:

  • Inside insights: Global Health, the pandemic, and medical research – race for a vaccine.
  • Did you recently return from a Fulbright grant? How has the pandemic affected you post-Fulbright?
  • Can the Fulbright community work together to advance race relations, civil and human rights?
  • Is there a good example of a community making progress toward positive community/police relations?
  • How can we promote peace and justice through international education?
  • Economic outlook – will the world rebound from the pandemic recession?
  • The role of arts education and expression in racial equality.
  • Environmental sustainability – what did we learn to do without during the pandemic, and how can we keep up those habits to protect our environment and reduce our carbon footprint on climate change?
  • Other topics within our overall theme are welcome.

All proposals must be submitted through the online submission form 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, creativity and thematic cohesiveness will also be considered. Consider ways the virtual format can enhance your presentation.

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).

Themed Session (Deadline: August 30, 2020)

Share your presentation in a panel format. Multiple presenters are required. Due to the virtual platform and fewer sessions, each panel will have 4-5 presenters with 8-10 minutes to discuss their topic. There will be breakout rooms post session for further audience participation if more time is needed for Q&A.

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.
  • The panel session format allows for considerable coverage of a given topic within a unified theme. You may submit a proposal as a group, or you may submit as an individual that may be placed within a group representing a similar theme. Multiple presenters and an opportunity for audience participation are expected. Panels are approximately one hour in length, and each panelist should prepare to speak for 8-10 minutes.
  • 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.
  • The Zoom platform will be used, and presenters will be supported by FA staff with their presentations.
  • Selected presenters will appeal widely and thoughtfully to Fulbright Association members and help launch future work by session participants.

Poster Presentation (Deadline: August 30, 2020)

Share your Fulbright experience and/or research in a visual format with conference attendees.

Duration: 10 min

Posters will be presented virtually through screenshare via Zoom. You are welcome to engage conference attendees about your research post session via breakout rooms.

  • 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 presented on slides and should demonstrate the topic visually.

Selma Jeanne Cohen Lecture Award (Deadline: August 30, 2020)

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 August 30, 2020

Duration: 60 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 to the selected dance scholar.
  • The awardee must be able to present virtually at the Fulbright Association’s annual conference (October 21-23, 2020) and give his or her presentation on the date requested by the Association.

Logo Design Competition (Submission Deadline August 15, 2020)

The Fulbright Association is hosting a logo competition and invites submissions of compelling logos that visually represent our virtual 2020 annual conference theme: “Where Does the World Go from Here? Our conference will be held virtually via Zoom on October 21-23, 2020, and will feature a special focus on global health, civil rights, race relations and immigration. Competitive logo designs will encapsulate the conference theme and incorporate design elements from a global perspective.

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. (note: Google Sign-in Required)

Designs are due by August 15, 2020

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 by clicking here.

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 later 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 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: Once you complete the registration process, you will receive a confirmation e-mail within a few days of submission.

Q: If I am accepted, will the Fulbright Association waive my conference registration?

A: Unfortunately, the Fulbright Association cannot 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.