When: Sunday, July 25, 2027 – Friday, July 30, 2027

Where: Metro Toronto Convention Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Non-Paper Sessions Proposal Deadline: October 15th, 2026, 2 PM PDT

Event Website

The call for invited paper proposals for the 2027 ESA Annual Meeting is officially open, and we want to hear from you.

This year’s theme, “Natural Resources, Natural Systems: Ecology in Action,” is a call to explore how ecological science informs the way we manage, understand, and act on the systems we depend on. If your work touches this theme, whether directly or in ways you haven’t fully connected yet, we’d love for you to help shape the conversation in Toronto.

INVITED PAPER SESSIONS

This first call for session proposals is your chance to organize and lead a session, not just present your own research. Here’s what that can look like:

Organized Oral Sessions

Is there emerging work in your area of ecology that deserves a spotlight? This format is ideal for showcasing a series of case studies around a shared theme. LEARN MORE

Symposium

Have a big idea that could use more synthesis? From new direction to an older idea worth revisiting, symposia bring together longer talks and discussion to dig deep. LEARN MORE

Inspire Sessions

Got a topic that doesn’t quite fit the mold? Inspire sessions feature quick, auto-advancing 5-minute talks that are fast, fun, and great for sparking discussion. LEARN MORE

All career stages are welcome to propose a session, and we especially encourage early-career researchers and graduate students to consider stepping into this role. Organizing a session is a great way to build your CV, and inviting and working with speakers throughout the process is a genuinely great way to grow your professional network and build momentum around a research area you care about.

Submissions

You must submit your proposal using the online submission form. Proposals sent by email will not be considered. Proposals that are incomplete will not be considered.

All ESA Annual Meeting proposal and abstract deadlines are 5:00 PM Eastern (2:00 PM Pacific Time) so that technical support and ESA staff assistance will be immediately available when submitters need it. If you begin your submission very close to the deadline, you are choosing to take a risk, and we will not make an exception if you are unable to complete your submission in time. The form automatically closes at 5:00 Eastern Time (2:00 Pacific Time) whether you have completed your submission or not.

You will receive an automatic email when you complete your submission. Every speaker listed in the proposal will receive a similar email. You will be able to return to the proposal to edit it until the submission deadline has passed.

To submit a proposal, you will need to log in using an ESA member account. If you have not been an ESA member or registered for an ESA meeting in recent years, you will need to create an ESA member account before you can submit. You do not need to pay membership dues to create an ESA member account or submit for the meeting.

Abstract Fee

There is no fee to submit a session proposal. All speakers who submit an abstract for an accepted invited session will be asked to pay an abstract fee at the time of abstract submission. This fee is $35 for students and $60 for non-students and is non-refundable. Speakers are unable to pay this fee due to a lack of funding will be able to opt out during the payment step of abstract submission. The abstract fee covers technical costs associated with abstract submission.

FUTURE CALLS

None of these session types quite fit your idea? No worries! This is just the first call of the cycle with more opportunities on the way. Take a look at the list below to see what’s coming and keep an eye on your inbox for details as each new call opens.

Important Note 

ESA meetings, open to ESA members and those interested in ecology, are among the most respected meetings of ecologists in the science community. ESA is committed to providing a safe, productive and welcoming environment. All participants including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, ESA staff, service providers and others are expected to abide by the Code of Conduct for ESA Events. This Code of Conduct applies to all ESA meeting-related events including those sponsored by organizations other than ESA but held in conjunction with ESA events, in public or private facilities. ESA members and authors of ESA publications must also adhere to the ESA Code of Ethics.