Propose a Workshop
Submission Deadlines
NITMB accepts workshop proposals on a rolling basis, with two hard deadlines on April 1 and October 1.
Review Process and Criteria
Proposals are evaluated by a standing committee that makes recommendations to NITMB directors of convening activities. Final decisions are made based on committee recommendations, and possible ad hoc reports by experts (if needed), taking into account the full portfolio of NITMB workshops.
Workshop proposals are assessed for their potential impact in the biological and/or mathematical sciences, in line with NITMB’s mission to build a research community at the interface of mathematics and biology. Key review criteria include: the importance and timeliness of the proposed topic, the clarity of the workshop goals, how the proposed workshop structure and participant list aligns with those goals, and whether the proposed workshop format is designed to promote broad active participation across domains and career stages, to provide effective opportunities for collaboration and scientific community building, and foster scientific and professional development of junior scientists.
Proposal Template and Instructions
Please use the template below to structure your proposal. The prompts for each section are designed to help you address the key review criteria as efficiently as possible. Typical proposals are 4-6 pages long.
- Workshop Title
-
Organizing Committee
Provide the names, affiliations, and areas of expertise for all workshop organizers. Briefly describe each organizer’s relevant experience and their specific role in organizing the workshop. Please indicate which organizer will serve as the lead contact for NITMB staff. -
Description of Workshop Topic and scientific goals:
Provide a brief, 2-3 paragraph summary description of the proposed workshop and its scientific goals.-
Describe the scientific relevance of the workshop topic, and the major questions or open problems to be addressed. Explain why this topic is important now and why NITMB is an appropriate venue.
-
Summarize the specific goals and expected outcomes of the proposed workshops. Relevant goals include, but are not limited to, opportunities to build or strengthen a research community, encourage cross-disciplinary exchange, identify emerging research directions, or connect different areas of theory, mathematics, and biology.
-
-
Workshop Format
Describe how the workshop will be structured to achieve its scientific and community-building goals. A detailed schedule is not required, but please provide enough information about planned session types, activities, and modes of interaction to allow evaluation of how the proposed workshop will:-
Foster active engagement of all workshop participants
-
Establish a common language and shared understanding of research approaches across disciplines and research communities
-
Create opportunities for participants to develop new collaborations
-
Relevant activities include tutorials, overview talks, contributed presentations, breakout discussions, poster sessions, working groups, panels, networking activities, collaborative problem-solving sessions, etc.
-
-
Engagement of Junior Scientists
Describe how the workshop will be structured to include junior scientists and provide them with opportunities for scientific and professional development. Please include specific activities or structures that will provide opportunities for junior scientists to, for example, present their research, lead scientific discussions, build professional networks, develop leadership skills, etc. -
Participants
NITMB workshops typically support travel and lodging for approximately 50 participants, including about 20 junior scientists (e.g. postdoctoral researchers and pre-tenure faculty). Organizers typically invite ~30 participants directly, with the remaining participants selected through an open application process.Provide an initial list of 20-30 proposed invitees, including each person’s discipline or area of expertise, institution, and career stage.
Briefly explain how this proposed participant list reflects the scientific expertise, disciplinary range, and career-stage diversity needed to achieve the goals of the workshop.