Call for Topical Session Proposal Submissions

Submission Deadline: August 18, 2024

Please carefully read these instructions in entirety PRIOR to completing and submitting your proposed topical session within the online form at the end of this Call.

The AWRA Alaska Section is excited to co-host the AWRA 2025 Spring Conference on “Development Risks and Challenges Changing Climate Conditions” in Anchorage, Alaska. We are requesting topical session proposals addressing scientific and technical climate change session topics related to water resource uses and management.

• What are the current and projected problems and challenges to water resources and uses associated with climate changes?
• What are the current and future solutions to help address the risks and uncertainties to water resources and uses associated with climate changes?
• How does your session proposal inform and answer these questions for the conference attendees?

The multidisciplinary variety of conference topics provide presenters the opportunity to develop sessions to satisfy interests in a variety of water-related climate-change risks and challenges. The successful outcome will satisfy the interests of seasoned and young professionals, academics, students, non-profit groups, native communities and the general public.

Session presentations should focus on interdisciplinary causes, options and solutions to help mitigate climate-change impacts related to water uses and management. Sessions addressing the science, legal, institutional and public perspectives should also include integration of overarching socioeconomic and cultural considerations when applicable.

Key questions to consider when developing your session proposals relevant to water-related climate change topics and issues are:

• What is climate change (both short and long term)?
• How is climate change defined from science, legal, institutional and public perspectives?
• What are the impacts (short and long-term) of climate change?
• What are the solutions (short and long-term) to mitigate impacts of climate change?
• How do we reduce the risks and uncertainties with development and maintenance for water supplies, transportation, energy, housing and other infrastructure?
• How do we engage and empower the public to participate in climate change issues?

Come to our conference, make connections, and contribute to these important conversations!

The below examples list some water-related climate change topics relating to our conference themes:

• How to mitigate climate impacts on existing water related anthropogenic uses, management and structures?
  • How to plan for future water infrastructures and uses?
• How to mitigate climate impacts on existing water related environmental conditions and uses?
  • How to plan for future changes to the environment?
  • How to plan for and mitigate extreme hydrologic flood, drought, hurricane, ice, glacial, etc. events?
• How to maintain sustainable water supplies addressing the need for balancing anthropogenic and ecological water management and uses?

Examples related to the above climate change water-related themes

• Challenges for Coastal Communities –Rising tidal levels, frequent floods, changing groundwater supplies, changing coastal dynamics, saltwater intrusion
• Planning Hydroelectric Infrastructure (Dams) – Planning for 50 to 100 years
• Land Hazards and Risks – Mitigating landslides, subsidence and other risks
• Winter Snow and Ice Processes –Changes in timing, magnitude, avalanches, ice breakup
• Housing, Transportation, Communications, and Energy Infrastructure
• Technology Innovations –to improve understanding and mitigating changing climate and hydrologic conditions
• Community Perspectives and Indigenous Approaches – Observations of changes mitigation practices used with respect to housing, local infrastructure, fishing, hunting and gathering, etc.
• Research Needs – Recent and projected changes
• Energy and Water Supplies impacts and mitigation
• Agriculture and Farming impacts and mitigation
• Land Hazards and Risks – Landslides, avalanches, subsidence and other risks and mitigation
• Extreme Precipitation and Flooding to Drought – Mitigation options and solutions
• Water Quality – impacts to water quality and mitigation to maintain water quality
• Intersecting water laws and aquatic habitat conservation and development
• Hydrologic impacts related to increased permafrost thawing

AWRA's commitment to community, conversation, and connection guides our efforts in putting this specialty conference together. Compelling presentations are the foundation of any conference, and the AWRA Spring 2025 Specialty Conference is no exception. We look forward to your proposed sessions, which will help provide insights and inputs to stimulate informative conversation.

Topical Session Proposals on Conference Themes (90-minutes) Should

• Focus on a novel topic that embodies the essence of the conference themes or is multi- or transdisciplinary in nature.
• Have flexible formats: They could be a panel, roundtable, interview, or another format of your choosing. For example, two or three authors may cover related topics, each preparing a separate manuscript for journal submission and presenting on that manuscript.
• Have an additional presenter, who is not an author but may be giving a related presentation, could be a discussant reacting to the presented papers or a moderator.

Required Information to Submit a Topical Session Proposal

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The deadline to submit a topical session proposal is August 18, 2024 and submissions must be made via AWRA's online portal. Up to three submissions are permitted. Before submitting your topical session proposal, please have all of the following information with you:

• The organizer(s)/moderator name(s), affiliation(s), and email addresses.
• Topical session title.
• Type of presentation. Please download a PDF of the types of a topical session: panel, technical, and/or workshop.
• A brief description (c. 150 words) of the session (session abstract): what it will cover; why you feel it is significant, and how it relates to the conference theme.
• Presenter’s name(s), company(s) affiliation(s), email address(es), and tentative oral presentation title(s). There is NOT a limit of presenters per topical session. Please note that all presenters DO NOT have to be confirmed. Confirming your speakers will guarantee they are placed in your session once they submit an abstract. All presenters are expected to register for the conference.

Topical Session Proposal Submission Process

1. There is no fee to submit a topical session proposal.
2. Complete this form and click submit. The submission deadline is August 18, 2024.
3. If your Topical Session is selected, all of your proposed presenters must submit to the “Call for Abstracts” with the Topical Session Code. That list will be posted on the website prior to the Call for Abstracts. Submissions that are accepted will be posted to the conference app as submitted and changes will not be made after submission.
4. If you would like to submit another proposal, you may click on the link on the Thank You page.

Submit a Topical Session Proposal

Questions?

Questions about topical session proposals should be directed to [email protected]. Questions about submitting your proposal, registering for the conference and/or AWRA membership, please contact [email protected].