2026 Outreach and Engaged Scholarship Symposium - Call for Proposals

Thank you for your interest in submitting a proposal for the 2026 Outreach and Engaged Scholarship Symposium. The theme for this year's symposium is "Passion and Purpose: The Power of Partnerships. This year’s symposium aims to accomplish the following objectives:

• Advance Transformational Partnerships for Public Good - Emphasize the catalytic role of partnerships—across academia, community, and industry—in driving impactful, ethical, and sustainable solutions for the public good. Highlight best practices and the “togetherness” that makes outreach and engagement possible.
• Elevate Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Innovation - Encourage interdisciplinary teams to co-create, share, and implement innovative outreach and engaged scholarship initiatives.
• Promote Inclusive and Respectful Engagement - Address challenges that inhibit the promotion a culture of respect, integrity, and empowerment within and beyond the university.
• Showcase and Celebrate Partnership Impact - Recognize and celebrate the achievements of community partners, staff, students, and faculty scholars. Highlight measurable outcomes, acknowledge the contributions of long-term partners, and share compelling stories of partnership-driven success at local, regional, and global levels.
• Strengthen Assessment and Continuous Improvement – Encourage all symposium projects and presentations to include discussion about mechanisms for assessing partnership effectiveness and impact. Encourage the use of institutional IRB protocols and post-event evaluations to inform future outreach strategies.

Registration will open on March 2, 2026 the call for proposals will be available through June 1, 2025. Finalized information for accepted proposals will be shared in the weeks following the deadline for proposals. All presenters with accepted proposals must register to attend the symposium. The symposium is to be held on Wednesday, August 26 and Thursday, August 27. The anticipated location is the Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. A complete 2025 OESS presentation proposal includes the following.

2026 Outreach and Engaged Scholarship Symposium Presentation Formats:

Podium Talks (20 minutes, including Q&A): A formal presentation where speakers share detailed insights or research findings, often followed by a brief audience Q&A.

Roundtable Presentations (45 minutes): A facilitated, interactive discussion focused on sharing ideas and perspectives on a specific topic in a small group setting.

Engaged Scholars Poster Session: A visual presentation format where faculty, student and community researchers showcase their work on posters and engage in one-on-one or small-group discussions with attendees.

• Presenter information
• Presentation Type and timeslot availability
• Proposal Information
• Presentation title
• 300-word limit Abstract
• 150-word limit Project description

If you are a graduate student submitting a proposal for the Outreach and Engaged Scholarship Poster Session on Wednesday, August 26, you will be required to provide your faculty advisor's name, email address, college, and department.