• Proposals are due by 11:59 PM ET (USA) on 27 January 2027.

• Notifications for decisions will be shared by 10 February 2027. 

• Confirmed session agenda details and speakers are due to the ISSCR by 24 March 2027.

• The lead organizer(s) of an ISSCR Science Spotlight Session must maintain a student or postdoc membership status with up-to-date payment of membership dues. Organizers from both academic and industrial backgrounds are welcome.  

• Sessions should be organized by individuals in their personal capacity, not on behalf of companies or institutions. However, the ISSCR retains the right to procure sponsoring companies or institutions for Science Spotlight sessions. If organizers have a potential sponsor in mind, please share the recommended company with the ISSCR at sdu@isscr.org.  

• Organizers are required to attend the ISSCR 2027 Annual Meeting in person and understand that it is their sole responsibility to manage the session and coordinate with speakers onsite.  

Session topics should complement and enrich the existing Annual Meeting program. Please explore the plenary or concurrent track topics to avoid duplication. A more focused exploration of topics covered in existing sessions is permitted. In addition to science-focused sessions, we invite proposals on ethical, political, and regulatory discussions, professional development workshops, or any topics of interest to the ISSCR community. 

• Sessions are intended to highlight early career scientists, though mid- to senior-level presenters may also be included.  

• Gender, geographic, and career stage diversity are required in all programs.   

• Programs centered around one lab, department, company, or institution are not permitted. 

• Speakers from companies are welcome, provided they present substantial scientific data without focusing on promoting a product or service.   

• All speakers must be able to present live during the designated program time.    

• Organizers are strongly encouraged to select speakers who are not already presenting in ISSCR-organized sessions (i.e., plenary and track concurrent sessions) at the Annual Meeting.  

• If speakers are presenting in other sessions, the presentations must be unique.  

• Speakers listed in the application should be informed and tentatively confirmed. Organizers must confirm the participation of all speakers after notification of an accepted application by 24 March 2027.  

• Speakers and organizers must pay for their own meeting registration and travel funds. The ISSCR will not reimburse these expenses. 

• Any changes to the program or speakers from the original submission must be reviewed and approved by ISSCR.   

• Organizers have the flexibility to structure the 60 or 90-minute session, including the number of speakers, talk lengths, and format, as long as the format adheres to the standard room setup for all ISSCR Annual Meeting sessions.  

• The standard room setup is: theater seating, projector and screen, lectern with one (1) microphone for presenters, one (1) head table with two (2) seats, one (1) wired microphone set at the head table, one (1) aisle microphone in stands for audience questions, confidence monitor, and speaker timer. 

• All presentations must be in person. Virtual presentations cannot be accommodated. The sessions will not be live-streamed but audio and slides will be recorded and made available on demand following the Annual Meeting.   

ISSCR staff will support the session by:    

• Marketing session information on the ISSCR Annual Meeting website, the online meeting agenda, and the event mobile app.   

• Providing the instructions for presentations (acceptable formats, Speaker Ready Room hours, etc.)   

• Confirming the date/time slot, assigned room, audio visual (AV) and room set in the venue (refer to Session Logistics section).