ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
Abstract submissions open Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 12:00 PM (noon) Atlantic Time (GMT-4) and close Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon) Atlantic Time (GMT-4).
The conference theme, “One Ocean, One Future: Advancing Marine Mammal Science for Ecosystem Health,” will underscore our shared responsibility to advance marine mammal science amid growing human pressures. It calls for stronger global partnerships, innovative research, and timely, evidence-based action to ensure healthy oceans for all.
The scientific program will bring together ten dynamic sessions highlighting the breadth of marine mammal science—from acoustics, anatomy, and physiology to ecology, conservation, and evolution. New themes will spotlight cutting-edge tools and technologies, as well as the complex relationships between marine mammals and people, reflecting the field’s growing focus on innovation, collaboration, and real-world impact.
IMPORTANT DATES
Abstract Submissions Open
Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 12:00 PM (noon) Atlantic Time (GMT-4)
Abstract Submissions Deadline
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon) Atlantic Time (GMT-4)
Abstract Acceptance Response
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon) Atlantic Time (GMT-4)
Early Bird Registration Deadline
Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 11:59 PM Atlantic Time (GMT-4)
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
SUBMISSION AT-A-GLANCE
1) Abstract submission opens Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
2) You must login to the conference system via the SMM website. Click HERE to get started.
3) To begin a new abstract, choose “Abstract Submission” on the home page.
4) To view abstracts that are in progress or already submitted, choose the abstract from your list on your home page.
5) To ensure that your data are entered correctly, please follow all directions carefully.
6) Allow at least one hour for abstract submission and proceed through the system, carefully completing each section.
7) After submitting your abstract, a receipt of your submission will be emailed to you within 24 hours.
8) The abstract submission deadline is Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon) Atlantic Time (GMT-4).
9) Acceptance emails for new submissions will be sent in April 2026.
10) Authors will receive an email with their assigned date and time for presenting after confirming their participation. To confirm and hold your space, authors are required to complete registration by the early bird registration deadline of end of day Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 11:59 PM Atlantic Time.
GETTING STARTED
To submit an abstract or workshop proposal—or to register for the conference—you’ll need to access the conference software. Hover over “Login” in the main menu above and select one of the following options: Member/Non-Member Login, Join/Renew Membership, or Create New Non-Member Account. These options will redirect you to the main SMM website to complete your login or account setup.
Attendees may submit and register as either members or non-members; however, please note that member registration rates are significantly lower.
Registration is NOT required at the time of submission. If your abstract is accepted for presentation in any format, you must register and pay by the early bird deadline—end of day June 24, 2026—to confirm your presentation slot.
The abstract submission deadline is Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon) Atlantic Time (GMT-4).
ABSTRACT LIMIT
Each person may submit only one abstract as the “Primary Presenter”—regardless of presentation type (long, short, poster, or video) or position on the author list. There is no limit to the number of abstracts on which a person can be listed as a co-author.
TITLE
The title character limit is 255. Please use Title Case with no unnecessary capitalization and no full stop (period) at the end to enter your title. DO NOT USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS for your Abstract Title. Abstracts that do not conform will not be accepted.
ABSTRACT BODY
The word limit for abstracts is 300 words. This abstract word limit does not include the abstract title, author names or affiliations.
You may italicize text, make your text bold, add super and subscripts and special characters by selecting the smart formatting tool at the top of the abstract entry text box.
PRESENTATION FORMATS
Long presentations are allotted 12 minutes in total: 9 minutes for your talk, 2 minutes for audience questions, and 1 minute for transition between speakers.
Short presentations are four-minute talks designed to highlight your key findings, ideas, and their broader implications. We recommend using no more than three slides to clearly and effectively convey your message.
A video presentation matches the duration of a short talk (four minutes) but allows the use of varied media such as high-resolution video, animation, and narration. Presenters are encouraged to use these tools creatively to communicate the study’s purpose, results, and implications in a way that is accessible to both scientific peers and a broader audience.
Posters serve as extended abstracts that present key findings through clear text and engaging visuals. A well-designed poster typically includes a title, author list, background, methods, one to three main results, conclusions, and acknowledgements.
CONFERENCE TOPICS
When submitting your abstract, you’ll be asked to select a topic that best reflects the focus of your research. Each topic includes a short description to help you determine the most appropriate fit. There are ten major topics to choose from, covering the broad range of disciplines within marine mammal science. We recognize that many research areas overlap and may fit under more than one category—please select the topic that you feel most closely represents the primary theme of your work. This helps ensure your abstract is reviewed by the most relevant experts and grouped appropriately within the scientific program.
Explores the diverse ways marine mammals use sound for communication, navigation, and foraging. This theme includes studies on vocal repertoires, echolocation, acoustic ecology, and the effects of anthropogenic noise on marine mammal behavior and survival.
Highlights research on the form and function of marine mammal systems, including adaptations to aquatic life, thermoregulation, diving physiology, and sensory function.
Showcases advances in understanding marine mammal cognition, learning, social structure, and culture. Submissions may highlight long-term behavioral studies, tool use, and the transmission of behaviors across generations.
Highlights the role of public participation and education in advancing marine mammal science and conservation. Topics may include community science initiatives, educational programs, and collaborations with local and Indigenous communities.
Addresses applied science and policy aimed at safeguarding marine mammal populations. Topics include population monitoring, threat mitigation, recovery planning, and evaluation of conservation strategies at local, regional, and global scales, encompassing both in situ and ex situ conservation.
Covers the relationships between marine mammals and their environments, including habitat use, foraging ecology, prey dynamics, migration, and ecosystem roles from rivers to the open ocean.
Presents innovative tools and approaches that advance marine mammal research, including the use of drones, passive acoustics, biologging, artificial intelligence, and other novel analytical frameworks.
Focuses on evolutionary history, phylogenetics, genomics, and molecular ecology. Contributions may address population genetics, adaptations to changing environments, and the identification of new lineages or cryptic species.
Examines the interconnected health of marine mammals, humans, and ecosystems. This theme encompasses disease ecology, toxicology, zoonotic diseases, and the role of marine mammals as sentinels of ocean health.
Explores the complex relationships between people and marine mammals, from bycatch and vessel interactions to ecotourism and traditional knowledge. This theme considers both the challenges and opportunities for coexistence.
SUBMITTING YOUR ABSTRACT
All sections must be completed before submitting your abstract. If any sections are missing or incomplete, you will be prompted to provide the necessary information. Once all required fields are filled, click the “SUBMIT ABSTRACT” button. You will receive an email confirmation within 24 hours. You may log in at any time before the submission deadline to review or update your abstract.
AUTHORS
Once you submit your abstract, you will then be directed to add your Co-Authors. Each Co-Author will also receive a confirmation email with your contact information and their login information if they are not already in the conference system. All Co-Authors have Read only access, unless you assign a Co-Author to be a presenter. Presenters have Read/Write access.
There is NO limit on how many abstracts a co-author can be listed on.
REVIEW PROCESS
Each submitted abstract will be peer reviewed and scored by a minimum of two independent reviewers who have expertise in the specific subject area. The abstract review process will be conducted blind, i.e. all authors’ names will be removed before the abstract is reviewed.
Reviewers apply the following four criteria to evaluate abstract submissions:
- Originality (1 to 5)
Abstracts containing significant new findings or presenting new approaches will be given higher scores than those that describe updates, modifications to older findings, or routine applications of well-established research methods. - Quality (1 to 5)
Abstracts should demonstrate that robust and appropriate research methods were used, and include a scientifically robust study design. The outcome of the research should provide clear answers to the main research questions posed. The methods and results should be described in sufficient detail and the conclusions supported by the data. - Importance (1 to 5)
This criterion addresses the importance of the research in terms of advancing the field of marine mammal science, or the conservation and management of marine mammals. - Presentation (1 to 5)
Abstracts that are clearly written and concise will receive higher scores. This criterion addresses how well the specific research question(s) and objectives, methods used, primary results, etc are explained, rather than the quality of the study itself. A clearly written abstract follows a logical order (e.g. aims, methods, results, followed by a clear interpretation of the results and any conservation management implications).
After adjusting for differences in scoring among individual reviewers, abstracts will be ranked on the basis of their overall score, and available slots for presentations will be allocated according to merit using all submissions combined, taking into account presentation preferences.
ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATIONS
Abstract acceptance notifications will be sent on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon) Atlantic Time (GMT-4). Authors will have until Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM Atlantic Time (GMT-4) to confirm their participation.
WITHDRAWAL
If you need to withdrawal your abstract for any reason, authors are responsible for notifying the Scientific Program Committee immediately at abstracts@marinemammalscience.org. Please include the title of the abstract along with your submission ID in your notification.
SPEAKER AND PRESENTATION PRIVACY POLICY
Accepted conference abstracts may be shared online and, in some cases, made publicly viewable after the conference. Images of conference posters may also be made available to participants online and could be accessible to the public following the event.
All presentations will be recorded on-site and shared within the conference app for registered attendees. These recordings will not be made publicly accessible to anyone who is not registered for the conference.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
If you have any technical difficulties submitting your abstract, please click on the red “Support” button on submission page (bottom right corner).
If you have general questions about the abstract submission process, please contact abstracts@marinemammalscience.org.