Plenary and Legacy
If accepted, all presenters will be expected to attend the Conference and pay the reduced registration fee
offered to authors and co-authors. Submissions without a registered presenter by March 24, 2026, are subject to removal from the event. For more information, contact: conferences@ussdams.org
Please read all the information below before starting a submission.
General Guidelines
Abstracts should not exceed 300 words. Please do not include tables, figures, photographs, or logos in your abstract. Please note the July 24, 2025 deadline for submissions. All submissions for the Legacy Lecture and Plenary Sessions should be submitted through the form here.
Legacy Lecture
What qualities make a candidate suitable for the Legacy Lecture at the 2026 conference?
We are seeking someone who is an excellent storyteller, capable of sharing an intriguing narrative. We are particularly interested in individuals whose careers are having a profound impact on those around them, have promoted values important to our industry, and have lived those values in their everyday interactions. The Legacy Lecturer does not necessarily have to be someone nearing the end of their career. They might offer a distinctive perspective on the legacy they are forging, and they may have other individuals who can co-lecture with them.
It is essential that the chosen candidate is physically present at the conference, as virtual or pre-recorded presentations will not be accepted.
Plenary Session
The planning committee is excited to invite Keynote Speaker nominations for the Opening Plenary at the upcoming USSD 2026 Annual Conference. We are looking for a keynote speaker capable of delivering an inspiring and thought-provoking address.
To stimulate your thinking, this individual:
- Has created a personal legacy within their industry.
- Inspires and motivates the next generation of leaders.
- Exemplifies core values and beliefs essential to their field.
- Guides our future leaders and creates compelling succession plans.
We encourage nominations from areas outside of traditional engineering, such as sports, journalism, or politics. Please submit a brief summary of the proposed keynote topic and its relevance to the conference theme.
Acceptance Notification
Abstracts will be reviewed and selected based on relevance and overall quality. You are reminded that, due to time and space constraints for the event, that not all submissions will be selected for the conference.
Notification of acceptance will be sent by August 21, 2025. At that time:
- Once accepted, presenters must complete a form confirming their intention to participate in the conference and granting USSD permission to publish and distribute their presentation.
- All presenters must submit PowerPoint presentations no later than April 13, 2026.
- You must receive copyright approval on any publicly accessed photos contained in your presentation.