27th International Seating Symposium
Call For Papers
Types of Presentation | Submission Guidelines and Information
The University of Pittsburgh, Department of Rehabilitation Science & Technology Continuing Education Program (RSTCE) now invites proposals to present at the 27th International Seating Symposium - Revolution / Evolution to be held from March 3-5, 2011.
The 2011 ISS has an exciting new venue at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN. http://www.gaylordhotels.com/opryland-home.html
Along with the great new venue, Al Condeluci, PhD, CEO of United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh - Author, Civic Leader, and Advocate has been secured as the Keynote Speaker. Renowned author, Lee Woodruff has also been confirmed to speak at the closing session.
The ISS will once again offer full-day pre-conference sessions that include the Fundamentals of Wheelchair Seating and Mobility on March 1st; Power Wheelchair Electronics, Pediatric Seating & Mobility, Funding & Policy, Ergonomic Seating, and Strategies for Setting Up a Clinical Service. These will be held on March 2nd.
Proposals are now being accepted for Paper and Poster presentations in addition to 1 hour and 2 hour Instructional Courses. For 2011 hands-on programs and advanced sessions are sought to take advantage of the resources in the exhibit hall that will be equipped with a large stage for presentations.
The 2011 ISS expects to host over 1000 registrants who primarily focus on seating and wheeled mobility. The Exhibit Hall has been greatly expanded under one roof to host manufacturers and other entities from North America and around the World. During the Symposium there will be ample time set aside to interact with an audience and exhibitors focused specifically on complex seating, positioning, and mobility issues.
The Interdisciplinary Audience Consists of:
• Assistive Technology Professionals (Practitioners & Suppliers)
• Occupational & Physical Therapists
• Advocates
• Educators
• Manufacturers
• Nurses
• Orthotists
• People with Disabilities
• Physicians
• Policy Makers
• Rehabilitation Engineers and Technologists
• Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
Proposal Topics
The symposium will include scientific and clinical papers, a research forum, in-depth workshops, panel sessions, and an extensive exhibit hall. Presentations should address the seating and wheeled mobility issues of people with disabilities across the lifespan such as neuromuscular disorders, spinal cord injury and diseases of the spinal cord, orthopedic conditions, systemic conditions, obesity, or polytrauma. Proposals that address service delivery issues including evidence-based practice, models of practice, policy and funding, documentation, and outcomes are also very much encouraged.
Types of Presentation
Instructional Course Sessions:
Sessions will be one or two hours in length and can provide a forum for presentation of a wide array of topics including (but not limited to) research findings, policy issues, new service delivery models, or clinical applications.
While the sessions should provide a structured learning experience, ample time should be allowed for audience participation and exchange. If accepted, a paper of no more than four pages is required for inclusion in the proceedings.
If a proposal is accepted, presenters and co-presenters are expected to register for the conference. In recognition of a one-hour instructional course, one complimentary conference registration and a $125.00 (US) honorarium will be provided. For a two-hour instructional course, one complimentary conference registration and a $250.00 (US) honorarium will be provided. There is only one complimentary conference registration and one honorarium per accepted session. Additional conference registrations and all travel and lodging expenses are the responsibility of the presenters.
The number of available time slots for 2 hour sessions is more limited than for 1 hour sessions. Remember, there are also new opportunities to deliver creative sessions on the stage in the exhibit hall.
Paper Sessions / Case Studies:
Paper presentations will be 10 minutes in length with an additional 5 minutes allotted for questions. This is an ideal format to present research findings or case studies. A written paper of no more than two pages is required for inclusion in the proceedings.
If a paper is accepted, the presenter(s) are expected to register for the conference and present the paper at the appointed session. Conference fees, travel, and lodging expenses are the responsibility of the paper presenters in attendance.
Poster Sessions:
There will be space available for poster presentations. The abstract submission should describe the research or clinical application. A paper of no more than two pages is required for inclusion in the proceedings.
The author(s) of an accepted poster who attend the Symposium are expected to register for the conference and present the poster at the appointed session. Conference fees, travel and lodging expenses are the responsibility of the poster presenters in attendance.
Submission Guidelines and Information
First time presenters
Assistance with abstract development is available by contacting the ISS staff.
Submissions
Abstract submissions will only be accepted via our web-interface.
General Content
Presentations must be educational in format and intent. They must not have the appearance of product promotion, commercial bias, or advertisement.
A minimum of three (3) clearly stated learning objectives must be included as well as two or more outside references supporting the content of the presentation such as peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, published documents from reputable sources, books or book chapters.
Deadline
Proposals must be received no later than May 30, 2010.
Acceptance and Understanding
If a proposal is accepted presenter(s) agree to appear in the designated session.
Proceedings Paper
Presenter(s) also agree to provide a required written submission for the ISS Proceedings. This is to be submitted electronically (Word document) via email or CD. Additional instructions will be provided upon acceptance. The submissions will be printed in the Proceedings and will be available online following the ISS. The authors are responsible for all copyright releases for materials included in their submissions.
Graphics
If a submission includes graphics:
Photographs, charts, graphs should be in EPS format or Tiff format
with at least 600 dpi
Graphics must be delivered as a separate image with placeholder
clearly indentified in the document.
Photo release forms MUST be provided when human subjects
are included in photographs.
Notification of acceptance will be sent to the primary contact person only. It is the primary contact person's responsibility to notify all contributors.
The electronic submission of a proposal acts as a signature acceptance and understanding of the above guidelines.
Contact Information for Call for Papers, Posters, and Instructional Courses
For program or content information, contact:
Mark R. Schmeler, Ph.D., OTR/L, ATP
University of Pittsburgh
School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
Department of Rehabilitation Science & Technology
E-mail: schmeler@pitt.edu
For conference information, contact:
Linda Szczepanski, CMP
Phone: 412-624-6366
E-mail: szczepan@pitt.edu
or
Cheryl Rohall
Phone: 412-624-6256
E-mail: crohall@pitt.edu
