Proposals

We invite submissions for the upcoming Pathways Conference. We welcome diverse perspectives, methodologies, and geographical insights from researchers, managers, policymakers, and practitioners.

All proposals must be submitted electronically through Ex Ordo. Please review the guidelines below for your specific submission type.

Please follow the instructions below carefully and include all requested information. All submissions must be in English. Participants will not be allowed more than one oral presentation but may be listed as a co-author of several abstracts.

1. Submission Formats

Individual Oral Presentations

Format: Delivered during a concurrent session.

Time Limit: 12 minutes for the presentation, followed by 3 minutes for Q&A.

Limit: Authors are permitted to present a maximum of one oral presentation.

Poster Presentations

Format: Visual displays showcased during dedicated poster sessions.

Size Limit: Must fit within 1 meter by 1 meter (approx. 3.3 ft x 3.3 ft).

Symposia / Organized Sessions

Format: Cohesive, multi-speaker sessions structured as a collection of individual presentations, workshops, panel discussions, or a hybrid combination.

2. Step-by-Step Ex Ordo Submission Guidelines

Follow these steps in Ex Ordo:

1) Select track: Under Tracks, select “Individual Presentation Abstract” or “Panel/Organized Session Abstract.”

2) Select format: Under Format, choose either “Oral” or “Poster.” If you are submitting an organized session, select “Oral.”

3) Enter title & abstract: Input your title (8 words or less) and abstract (300 words or less). Each abstract must include a clear statement of the problem or objectives, brief methods, substantive results, and a clear conclusion. If the presentation is based on practical field work, please include a description of the context, key implementation steps, lessons learned, and their broader applicability to the field.

4) Enter authors and affiliations: Include all co-author email addresses, and clearly designate “corresponding authors” and “presenting authors.”

5) Choose topics: Select 1 to 3 topics that accurately categorize your abstract to help the committee place it in the appropriate session. Your presentation must align with one of the topics, which can be found here.

5) Additional Questions: Complete any optional informational questions. If you are submitting an Organized Session, upload your Organized Session worksheet and respond to the query regarding special equipment/room layout.

6) Finalize: Click “Done” to save and submit your abstract proposal.

3. Review Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

1) Quality of the argument: Soundness of research design or practical evaluation methods. Each abstract must include a clear statement of the problem or objectives, brief methods, substantive results, and a clear conclusion. If the presentation is based on practical field work, please include a description of the context, key implementation steps, lessons learned, and their broader applicability to the field.

2) Relevance and significance: Each abstract must align with the conference theme and/or topics of interest. View the theme and topics of interest for the Pathways 2027 conference.

3) Originality: For oral presentations, each abstract should propose original research, case studies, or methodologies.

4) Clarity and organization:

Well-written structure and clear articulation of ideas. Each abstract should be easy to understand, including proper grammar, spelling, over-use (or under-use) of equations, inappropriate submission length, or improper font sizes.

4. Important Dates and Deadlines

November 3, 2026 — Submissions Open

March 1, 2026 — Organized Session Deadline

April 1, 2026 — Individual  Abstract and Poster Deadline

May 1, 2026 — Notification of Acceptance

June 1, 2026 — Revision Deadline & Presenter RSVP Deadline

July 15, 2026 — Preliminary program released on website

November 1-3, 2027 — Pathways 2027 Conference

For technical support or questions regarding submissions, please contact us at WCNR_hdnr_Pathways@mail.colostate.edu. 

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