Two-Day Scientific Meetings

Applications for Scientific Meetings are assessed twice a year by the Scientific Conferences Committee. Deadlines for submitting Scientific Meetings proposals are 01 March and 01 September each year.

Acceptance by the Scientific Conferences Committee of a Scientific Meeting proposal means that the submitter (Scientific Programme Organisers) is responsible for the scientific content of the meeting.  The Physiological Society Events Team is responsible for the logistics, operations and budget. Scientific Programme Organisers are expected to liaise very closely with the Events Team to ensure the success of the event. The Society provides full secretariat support (including help with marketing and sponsorship) if the proposal is accepted.

This is not a grant and The Physiological Society will set a fixed budget for the event, taking into account anticipated attendance and sponsorship. Budgets will be set at breakeven, based on expected attendee numbers. The budget will allow for:

• Venue costs (including AV)
• Catering costs
• Social events (if applicable)
• Speaker expenses at the allowances below based on location
  – Local – £100
  – UK – £300
  – Europe – £350
  – RoW – £1,000
• ECR prizes

Please note that the number of speakers from RoW is capped at two, and the maximum permitted budget for speaker and organiser expenses is £5000.

This is intended to support speaker attendance and not cover all costs. Speakers will NOT be required to pay a registration fee, but will be required to pay for any social events if scheduled and they wish to attend. It is expected that the Scientific Programme Organisers will chair the meeting for the duration.

This scheme is available to individuals only and is not intended to be used by other cognate societies or commercial organisations, although they may provide additional funding or sponsor such events.

These are Society-owned and marketed events. Other sponsors will be termed as “in association with” or “supported by” and will not have influence over either the terms or conditions of the budget or the scientific programme.

All applications will be reviewed and selected on a competitive basis by members of the Scientific Conferences Committee and/or selected external reviewers. If awarded, the meeting will be agreed in principle, and formal acceptance will be agreed following a meeting with The Society Events Team where the roles and responsibilities will be discussed.

Our journals may invite special issue proposals or reviews at their discretion.

The Society is committed to increasing equality and diversity in the physiological sciences. Our work in this area permeates throughout all of our activities, organisers will be asked to commit to an aspirational target of 50% female representation of speakers, with a compulsory minimum of 33%. We will continue to work towards fair geographical balance as well as fair representation of both junior and senior research scientists.

1. Full meeting title – Please provide the working title for the Scientific Meeting.
2. Suggested date and duration – Scientific Programme Organisers are asked to suggest a date (outside of University term time) for the conference.  Please note that in-person Scientific Meetings are two-days maximum in duration.
3. Suggested venue – If you have suggestions for a venue, please ensure that it is spacious enough to accommodate a poster session and exhibition stands. This could be the institution of one of the Scientific Programme Organisers.  If you do not have a venue in mind, the Events Team will find suitable venues. The final choice of venue will rest with the Events Team.
4. Scientific Programme Organisers – Please provide full contact details. Please note that at least one of the Scientific Programme Organisers should be a member of The Physiological Society, and have been for more than a year. The number of organisers should not be more than three.
5. Keywords to help with promotion – Please include some keywords that will assist with targeting the conference for marketing and promotion.  Please see below for The Society’s keywords for abstract tagging:
   • Autonomic Function and Neuroscience
   • Blood Brain Barrier
   • Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Autonomic Control
   • Cellular Neurophysiology
   • Cellular Signalling
   • Comparative & Invertebrate Neuroscience
   • Comparative Physiology
   • Neural Development & Plasticity
   • Health & Wellbeing Physiology
   • Epithelia & Membrane Transport
   • GI Tract
   • Heart and Cardiac Muscle
   • Human Physiology
   • Ion Channels
   • Locomotion
   • Microvascular & Endothelial Physiology
   • Muscle Contraction
   • Molecular Physiology
   • Neuroendocrinology/Endocrinology
   • Placental & Perinatal Physiology
   • Renal Physiology
   • Respiratory Physiology
   • Sensorimotor Control
   • Sensory Functions
   • Smooth Muscle
   • Somatosensory Physiology
   • Teaching
6. Scientific Programme, and invited speakers – There is no prescribed invited speaker format, but for Scientific Meetings a maximum of 12 invited speakers per meeting with a cap of two from RoW.  The maximum level of reimbursement from the meeting budget is £5000 for speakers and organisers. Scientific Programme Organisers are encouraged to invite as many talks from submitted abstracts as the programme allows as oral communications.  No financial support is available for oral, flash talk and /or poster communication presenters and they will be required to pay a registration fee.  The Society will award travel allowances to organisers and invited speakers based on its geographical bandingss. These are:
   • • Local – £100
     • UK – £300
     • Europe – £350
     • RoW – £1,000

   This is intended to support speaker attendance and not cover all costs. Speakers will NOT be required to pay a registration fee, but will be required to pay for any social events if scheduled and they wish to attend.

7. Rationale for the scientific programme (500 words maximum)
   Please provide a clear justification for the proposed programme. In your response, please consider the following:
   Importance:
   Outline the significance of the programme and its anticipated contribution to the field. (150 words)
   Timeliness: Explain why the proposed content is particularly relevant at this point in time. (150 words)
   Topicality: The relevance of the programme to current developments, debates, or priorities within the field. (150 words)
8. Why would someone choose to attend this meeting? (500 words maximum)
   Please describe the distinctive value of the proposed meeting for participants. In your response, please consider the following:
   Scientific relevance: What new knowledge, perspectives, or collaborations will the meeting provide? (150 words)
   Practical value: How will participants benefit in terms of professional development, networking, or skills? (150 words)
   Uniqueness: What sets this meeting apart from other events in the field? (150 words)
9. Details of the Anticipated Audience (300 words maximum)
   Please provide a concise overview of the expected audience for your proposed programme. In your response, please consider the following:
   Predicted attendance: Indicate the anticipated number of paying participants.
   Geographic distribution: Identify the main locations or regions of the research groups likely to attend.
   Audience profile: Describe the professional background, career stage, and disciplinary focus of the expected participants.
10. Is this meeting part of a series, or a repeat meeting which has previously been supported by The Physiological Society? – If yes, please highlight why this meeting is timely now given the date this meeting was last organised, how the speaker panel differs from the meeting previously, and any areas of ‘hot’ topics within this field
11. Is this a repeat meeting?
    If so, please explain why it is timely now, note changes in the speaker panel, and highlight any current hot topics in the field.
12. Sponsorship and partner organisations
    We welcome the support of sponsorship to cover costs and keep registration fees down, and partner organisations to extend the reach of the meeting. If you have any existing contacts, please list them
13. Journal Special Issue
    Would you like to propose a special issue for one of the Society’s journals in association with this meeting? Please indicate below. The final decision lies with the Publications Team.
14. Diversity guidelines statement – The Society is committed to increasing equality and diversity in the physiological sciences. Our work in this area permeates throughout all of our activities, organisers will be asked to commit to an aspirational target of 50% female representation of speakers, with a compulsory minimum of 33%. We will continue to work towards fair geographical balance as well as fair representation of both junior and senior research scientists.

The Society will:

• Work with the Scientific Programme Organisers to select the venue.
• Formally book the venue, AV and additional facilities.
• Market and promote the event to the membership.
• Prepare and manage the budget.
• Manage all income and expenditure.
• Provide online registration services.
• Provide advice on local accommodation.
• Formally invite the speakers.
• Liaise with invited speakers.
• Manage online abstract submission.
• Collate abstracts for scientific review.
• Conduct ethical review of abstracts.
• Issue invoices for any additional sponsorship secured.
• Provide a printed programme booklet.
• Prepare badges for all participants.
• Order all refreshments.
• Process all speaker reimbursements (to agreed budgets).
• Provide on the day logistical and event management.
• Provide all conference materials (programme booklets, lanyards).

The Scientific Programme Organisers will

• Compile the draft programme.
• Review the general communications.
• Produce the final order of abstracts.
• Select oral communications.
• Assist with marketing and promotion.
• Secure additional sponsorship.