[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.25)” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#0a0909″ background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” background_color_gradient_direction=”177deg” background_image=”https:\/\/www.csteconference.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/BC6_0326-X3.jpg” background_blend=”overlay” custom_padding=”99px||95px|||” locked=”off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_margin=”|||” custom_margin_tablet=”||0px|” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|50px|50px|50px” custom_padding_last_edited=”off|desktop” padding_tablet=”0px|50px|50px|50px” padding_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ text_font=”Open Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”Open Sans|600|||||||” header_line_height=”1.3em” header_2_font=”||||||||” background_layout=”dark” max_width=”750px” custom_margin=”||38px|||” custom_margin_tablet=”0px|50px||50px” custom_margin_phone=”|20px||” custom_margin_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_padding=”|||” text_line_height_tablet=”1.8em” text_line_height_phone=”1.8em” text_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”off|desktop” custom_css_main_element=”margin: auto” text_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ header_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ locked=”off”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_text=”Speaker Guidelines” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” button_alignment=”center” custom_button=”on” button_bg_color=”#4F688E” button_bg_enable_color=”on” button_border_width=”2px” button_border_radius=”5px” button_url=”https:\/\/www.csteconference.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AC26_BreakoutGuides_FINAL_508.pdf” url_new_window=”on” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”General Information ” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_color=”#D6E6ED” custom_padding=”18px||4px|||” locked=”off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1px||4px|||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”17px” custom_css_main_element=”margin: auto|| “]<\/p>\n
KEY POINTS<\/strong><\/p>\n Breakout and lightning sessions are oral presentations with PowerPoint slides. Breakout presentations are 10 minutes each and lightning presentations are 5 minutes each.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Speakers must accept the invitation to present by Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Presenters that do not respond by the deadline will automatically be accepted and expected to present.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n All slides must be uploaded in advance in the OpenWater account portal by Thursday, May 7, 2026. Details are available below for slides that must be uploaded on site.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n For questions about your presentation, please reach out to the moderator listed in the OpenWater account portal for your assigned session.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”General Information ” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”18px||4px|||” locked=”off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1px||4px|||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”17px”]<\/p>\n Breakout Presentations<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Breakout and Lightning sessions are oral presentations focused on specific topics and are designed to share information via PowerPoint slides, with the opportunity for questions\/answers at the end of the session. Breakout and lightning sessions are the same format and content,\u00a0just different\u00a0lengths of time (10 minutes vs. 5 minutes per presentation). All sessions will take place in person at the meeting facility in Boston, Massachusetts.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sessions have audiovisual equipment available, consisting of a\u00a0<\/span>laptop<\/span><\/b>\u00a0computer,\u00a0<\/span>LCD panel, screen<\/span><\/b>, and the\u00a0appropriate\u00a0<\/span>sound\u00a0equipment<\/span><\/b>\u00a0for room size. Sessions do not have telephone or video conferencing equipment, telephones, or internet lines available.\u00a0\u00a0All presentations will be preloaded onto the laptop computer. Breakout sessions will\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span><\/b>\u00a0be recorded.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Important Dates<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 4\/1 Invitation Response Due\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 5\/7 Advanced Presentation Upload of PowerPoint Slides\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Responding to the Speaker Invitation<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Formal letters of invitation are sent by e-mail from the CSTE national office by Friday, March 6, 2026.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Presenting authors should respond to the invitation online no later than 11:59PM EDT on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Submission of an abstract implies that presenting authors are committed to\u00a0giving the presentation\u00a0at the conference. Should circumstances change and a presenting author is unable to attend, then the author\u00a0is responsible for\u00a0finding a substitute presenting author. Presenting authors that\u00a0fail to\u00a0respond by the deadline will be considered accepted and expected to present.\u00a0<\/span>Acceptance or withdrawal of an accepted abstract must be made no later than 11:59PM EDT on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>Withdrawals made after this date or failure to present an accepted abstract could result in disqualification from presenting an abstract at future conferences.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0All presenting authors must register for the conference and pay related fees. CSTE does not provide a travel allowance, honorarium, or reimbursement for presenting authors or moderators attending the conference. Presenting authors and moderators are encouraged to become CSTE members, but it is not a requirement to present at the conference.\u00a0<\/span>CSTE membership is\u00a0required\u00a0to attend position statement sessions and the Business Meeting.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Developing Your Presentation\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All breakout sessions have an overall length of 75 minutes for the meeting schedule.\u00a0In order to\u00a0respect\u00a0presenters\u00a0and the audience, all presentations must not exceed their allotted\u00a0timeframes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Presentation times do not include Q&A, which will be\u00a0facilitated\u00a0at the end of the session. Additionally, ensure that your presentation and its slides have been approved by your agency by the presentation upload deadline.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Detailed presentation times can be accessed through your online information in your\u00a0OpenWater\u00a0Account portal. A direct link to your\u00a0OpenWater\u00a0account portal can be found in your acceptance e-mail.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Presentation Format<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Breakout<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Lightning<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Key Attributes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Oral presentation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Oral presentation limited to speedy sharing of relevant results and conclusion<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Presentation Length<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n 10 minutes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n 5 minutes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Q&A<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n 10-20 minutes at end of session<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n 10-20 minutes at end of session<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n # of Presentations in Session<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n 5-6 presentations per session<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Up to 11 presentations per session<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Session Length<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n 75 minutes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n 75 minutes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Formatting your PowerPoint<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”General Information ” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ background_color=”#f1f1f1″ custom_padding=”26px||4px|||” locked=”off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”1px||4px|||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”17px”]<\/p>\n Preparing for Your Session and Presentation\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Practice\/Rehearse\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Before Your Live Presentation\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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