WORKSHOP SUBMISSION

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).

Workshop leaders (i.e., those who submit the proposal and organize the workshop) must be current members of the Society for Marine Mammalogy. In recognition of their contribution, up to two workshop leaders per workshop will have their workshop registration fees waived. (If they choose to attend another workshop, they will still be required to pay the fee for that additional workshop.)

Workshop presenters (e.g., speakers or panelists) are required to pay the appropriate workshop registration fee. Presenters who are not registered for, and do not plan to register for, the full conference may select the “Workshop Only” registration option prior to choosing their workshop(s). Workshop leaders may also request participation by invited contributors who will only attend for their presentation; these requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

All workshop fee payments will be processed through the SMM2026 conference software website. Workshop organizers will not be responsible for managing payments, arranging audiovisual equipment, or coordinating coffee breaks.

Unless a workshop requires specialized audiovisual equipment beyond standard offerings, there are no additional hosting fees. Standard costs are assumed to be fully covered by participant workshop registration fees.

When submitting a workshop proposal, organizers will be asked to provide the following information:

• Workshop Leader Information
  Contact details and affiliation for the primary organizer(s).

• Title of Proposed Workshop
  A concise and descriptive title.

• Topic
  Select the topic area that best fits your workshop (see list below).

• Summary of Proposed Workshop
  A brief overview outlining the workshop’s purpose, structure, and key content.

• Relevance
  A description of why this workshop is important and how it supports the goals of the SMM community.

• Primary Audience
  The target group(s) expected to benefit from attending the workshop.

• Dissemination of Workshop Results
  How outcomes, resources, or materials from the workshop will be shared with participants or the broader community.

• Format
  Details on the workshop activities (e.g., presentations, discussions, hands-on components).

• Minimum and Maximum Number of Participants
  Capacity guidelines to support scheduling and room assignments.

• Virtual Participation
  Indication of whether the workshop will offer a virtual attendance option. Workshop leaders are responsible for coordinating and covering all costs associated with offering virtual attendance and participation, should they choose to include this option.

All sections must be completed before submitting your workshop. 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 WORKSHOP” 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 workshop.

Workshop proposals will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers appointed by the SMM2026 Conference Committee and the Scientific Program Committee Chairs. Proposals will be assessed using standardized criteria, and those with the highest review scores will be selected to fill the available workshop slots.

Proposals that are not initially selected will be placed on a waiting list. If additional space becomes available, workshops will be added to the schedule in rank order based on their review scores. The committee may also consider thematic balance and overall program diversity when finalizing selections.

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.

If you need to withdrawal your workshop for any reason, authors are responsible for notifying the Scientific Program Committee immediately at workshops@marinemammalscience.org. Please include the title of the workshop along with your submission ID in your notification.

If financial support from sponsors or agencies is obtained to offset workshop expenses, the reduced cost will be reflected on the registration page, and participants will only be responsible for the remaining amount.

Tea and coffee breaks are included for all workshops. Lunch will not be provided. For full-day workshops, we recommend scheduling at least a 1.5-hour lunch break so participants have time to visit nearby dining options off-site.

Individual conference attendees may choose to take advantage of having colleagues onsite by organizing their own non-SMM2026-affiliated workshops or meetings. However, organizers of these independent events are fully responsible for all logistics, including securing their own venue and covering any associated costs (e.g., space rental, equipment, and refreshments).

The SMM2026 organizing committee will not provide support for these activities other than sharing a list of potential meeting locations and contacts upon request (email: workshops@marinemammalscience.org). Provision of this information does not imply endorsement of the meeting by the SMM2026 organizing committee or conference sponsors.

If you have any technical difficulties submitting your workshop, please click on the red “Support” button on submission page (bottom right corner).

If you have general questions about the workshop submission process, please contact workshops@marinemammalscience.org.