Nov 05, 2024

ASTM International members are likely familiar with technical committee meetings and the process that goes into developing a standard. However, ASTM also hosts other events that contribute to technical knowledge, including opportunities to present scholarship and publish peer-reviewed research. One of the key event types for this purpose is the symposium. Here is how to organize and chair a symposium.

1) Familiarize Yourself with Symposia: A symposium offers an opportunity for members and non-members to present research and exchange information in a formal setting over the course of one or two days. Unlike a conference or a workshop, a symposium requires producing a peer-reviewed publication based on the proceedings. For this event type, papers will be sent for peer review and publication in either: 1) ASTM’s Selected Technical Papers (STPs) or 2) a special issue of an ASTM journal with the journal editor’s approval.

2) Propose a Symposium: Organizing a symposium requires the submission of a proposal. A lead time of 18-24 months is typical. The purpose of a proposal is to 1) identify strong industry need areas, and 2) evaluate technical content for the event and resulting publication. A proposal should be submitted to the committee representative, ASTM staff manager, and symposia manager. After submission, the sponsoring committee’s executive subcommittee will review and evaluate for fit.

3) Begin Organizing the Symposium: After acceptance, the ASTM symposia manager will contact you and send a symposium time schedule. One or more co-chairs may assist the symposium chair in sharing the workload, which will include soliciting presenters, reviewing abstracts, and reviewing papers for publications. Many committees recommend that more than one person chair a symposium to foster a mentoring atmosphere. Note that a co-chair is mandatory if the chair of the symposium is submitting a paper for the event.

4) Develop the Event: After you have initiated an event, you will need to decide whether to publish an STP in book format or propose a journal special issue. ASTM headquarters will use the information you provide to develop a call for papers (CFP). Once the chair approves the CFP, ASTM will send the draft to the committee on publications (CoP) representative for further approval. ASTM will use channels such as social media and email to promote the event, but chairs should also use their professional networks to solicit abstracts.

5) Coordinate Review and Develop Day-Of-Event Plan: Abstracts will be submitted via the online ASTM symposium submittal link. After approving and rejecting abstracts, the CoP representative will also review the abstracts. The chair will need to contact potential reviewers and coordinate with the ASTM editorial office. The chair will also need to plan a budget if there are additional functions such as a lunch or audio-visual requirements. You will also need to develop a preliminary technical program and work with the ASTM symposia manager to finalize the program that will ultimately become the program booklet. ■