ASTC 2025 Call for Proposals

ASTC 2025 Annual Conference

September 5–8, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area

Call for Proposals

Hosted by:

Bay Area Discovery Museum
California Academy of Sciences
Chabot Space & Science Center
Children’s Creativity Museum

Computer History Museum
Exploratorium
The Lawrence Hall of Science
The Tech Interactive

The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) Annual Conference is one of the premier annual events for science-engagement professionals across North America and around the world. Each year, this event brings together more than 1,600 professionals working in science and technology centers and museums and allied organizations. This includes not only experts and practitioners in informal science education, but also science communication, STEM learning, public engagement, and the broader intersections between science, technology, and society.

PREVIEW PROPOSAL QUESTIONS (PDF)

Submissions are now closed (but see below).

Special note for those impacted by the California wildfires

ASTC continues to think about our members, partners, and friends in Southern California impacted by the devastating wildfires. Because of the continuing situation, we will accept session proposals for an additional week from members in the Los Angeles area.

Individuals from ASTC member organizations located in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties should have received an email on Thursday, January 16 (“ASTC Call for Proposals Deadline Extension – January 27, 2025“) with instructions about how to access the submission portal after January 20.

Webinar: Join members of CPPC to learn how to make your session proposal stand out.

Watch the webinar recording

This Year’s Conference

ASTC 2025 will be an amazing conference because of you. What makes this a can’t-miss event is the opportunity to learn from each other, to network, to connect, to experience, and to create together.

With a mixture of concurrent and plenary sessions, Preconference Intensives, Poster Palooza, hands-on activities, a robust exhibit hall, museum experiences, and tons of networking opportunities and social events, ASTC 2025 will energize, educate, inform, and inspire our community.

Each ASTC conference is planned in collaboration with at least one host museum in the conference location. In 2025, the conference will be uniquely hosted by a consortium of ASTC-member science centers and children’s museums in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Bay Area Discovery Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Chabot Space and Science Center, Children’s Creativity Museum, Computer History Museum, Exploratorium, The Lawrence Hall of Science, and The Tech Interactive. Our 2025 theme, Connectivity, underscores the way this consortium of institutions works together to foster a rich learning environment in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, as well as how we as a field connect with and learn from each other. Connectivity further underscores the critical role science centers and the science engagement field plays in our communities, helping people connect to knowledge, with each other, and across our society. The Connectivity that ASTC members have across our network and foster in our communities is more important than ever and is reflected in their year’s conference theme. More inspiration on this year’s theme is described in the “Topical Areas” section of this Call for Proposals.

ASTC 2025 will leverage this wide range of local expertise to ensure that this year’s conference program includes content and discussion on how the full range of ASTC member types are addressing global trends and planning for the future. In addition, we are looking to continue to build on the momentum around natural history topics at ASTC 2024.

Because we want to make the most of the ability to convene in person, proposals that emphasize interactivity and active engagement of the audience will be prioritized. As professionals in science engagement and learning, we know how to creatively engage audiences. Let’s do that for each other at the ASTC Annual Conference!

Dates

This year’s conference will be held Friday, September 5 – Monday, September 8, 2025, with preconference experiences and events on Friday, September 5 and the opening events on the morning of Saturday, September 6.

Location

The 2025 ASTC Annual Conference will be headquartered in San Francisco, California, with main events taking place at the Moscone Center. San Francisco is a city of innovation and discovery, renowned for its cutting-edge technology scene, world-class museums, multicultural heritage, and breathtaking natural beauty. Against the backdrop of the majestic San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge, attendees can also explore the entire Bay Area and experience host institutions’ diverse array of programs and activities.

Proposal Types

The ASTC Conference Program Planning Committee (CPPC) will develop a program based upon proposals submitted in response to this call and additional topical and timely content curated by the CPPC and ASTC. The ASTC conference is strengthened by multiple modes of learning and sharing, and there are five proposal types for ASTC 2025:

Concurrent Sessions: This is the main type of conference session. It is designed for topics that feature an array of presenters from diverse perspectives, generally from multiple organizations. Concurrent sessions are 60 minutes in length and should generally have no more than 5 presenters. Accepted sessions will be scheduled for September 6–8.
Lightning Sessions: This format is ideal for when proposers have a story to share, but not a complete concurrent session proposal with multiple perspectives. Lightning presentations are short oral talks or discussions of 10–15 minutes that will be combined with other, similar Lightning presentations into a concurrent session to be scheduled for September 6–8. Lightning proposals are limited to 1–2 presenters.
Posters: Posters are the ideal way to share a project or idea with a wide audience outside of the session format. Share your program, research, or ideas graphically and engage with attendees during a Poster Palooza designated time slot during the Poster Palooza session; posters will also be available in the Exhibit Hall during all open hours. At least one poster author is expected to attend the conference in-person, but you may include additional authors who will not be present.
Hands-On Showcase Sessions: Past conference feedback has asked for more hands-on experiences, and the Hands-On Showcase format puts activities directly in the hands of attendees in the Exhibit Hall. Hands-On Showcase sessions should be participatory and benefit from the less-formal nature of the space. Presenters will have access to standard audio-visual equipment (projector and microphone) and a set of round tables to facilitate small-group interaction. Presentations will last 15 minutes and are limited to no more than 2 presenters. Please note that this format is not appropriate for commercial demonstrations or shows; please contact exhibits@astc.org if you have a commercial demonstration or show idea.
Preconference Intensive Workshops: Participatory and highly-interactive workshops on a single topic, including a diverse collection of presenters and facilitators. These sessions offer a deep dive into a particular topic and are expected to result in tangible learning outcomes, tools, and/or resources for attendees. Preconference intensives will be scheduled for Friday, September 5 for a duration of up to 4 hours in the morning or afternoon. They may take place at the Moscone Center or other locations in the area; proposals for sessions outside of the Moscone Center should include a discussion of transportation needs. These sessions will generally require advance registration and an additional registration fee.

During the review process, the CPPC may recommend that a proposed session be accepted as another proposal type (for example, if a submitted concurrent session features only one presenter but is a topic of merit, it may be accepted as a lightning session). The proposer will be notified of the suggested change before the proposal is officially accepted.

Conference sessions are intended to provide a space for learning, sharing, and discussing topics and issues relevant to our field and are expected to be educational in nature. As such, proposals should not promote or sell specific products, services, brands, or companies. (For inquiries about the potential for sponsored content, please contact us at exhibits@astc.org.)

Topical Areas

Submissions may address any topic relevant to science and technology centers and museums and the broader fields of informal science learning and public engagement with science. We especially encourage you to think about current circumstances, capabilities, and priorities in the field.

Proposals are also encouraged (but not required) to respond to the theme of Connectivity. There are many layers to connectivity in the conference context: the ways that our science engagement community connects to and learns from each other, the ways that we connect with our own communities, the ways that science engagement organizations connect with other communities individually and collectively, and the ways that we connect science to and with the public. In our work, we aim to highlight how scientific advancements impact human life, from healthcare breakthroughs to keeping our planet healthy to using advanced computing to solve societal challenges. By linking science to everyday experiences, we make complex ideas more relatable, encouraging learners to reflect on the ethical and social effects of technology. Our ability to draw connections between humanity, technology, the environment, and other areas of science fosters understanding and inspires inclusive and diverse communities to shape innovations that benefit society.

ASTC 2024 attendees suggested topics that they would be especially interested in seeing at future conferences. Please feel free to use these topics as inspiration for developing your idea and responding to the stated needs of the field:

General themes:

Practical and hands-on format
A perspective of inclusivity
Attention to emerging trends
Integration of research and evaluation

Specific topics:

Natural History Settings: Building on the 2024 Annual Conference’s special emphasis on natural history settings, the 2025 Annual Conference will also prioritize the inclusion of content that addresses the specific work of natural history researchers, curators, and institutional leaders, including on specific natural history-related topics such as authenticity, research and critical content, and/or repatriation and decolonization.
Exhibits: Focus on exhibit planning, development, and design, including more “nitty gritty” sessions and real-world examples of exhibit creation and content.
Staff Management and Leadership: Emphasis on staff engagement, training, retention, recruitment, and leadership pathways in science engagement; also supporting the mental health and wellbeing of employees.
Fairness and Accessibility: Continued efforts and programming to ensure that all people can access and benefit from science engagement opportunities, and that our institutions reflect our full communities, including those traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
AI and Advanced Technology: Interest in the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies in research, evaluation, marketing, and communications for science engagement organizations’ operations, with a critical examination of ethical dimensions, social implications, and diverse perspectives on how to engage the public in understanding, utilizing, and thoughtfully shaping the future of these technologies.
Public Programs and Community Engagement: Topics on STEM engagement, working with underrepresented communities, public programs, and community impact through a variety of means, such as camps.
Fundraising and Financial Stability: Discussions on securing funding, developing business plans, alternative operational models, financial management, and development strategies for diverse organizations of all sizes.
Visitor Experience and Guest Services: Focus on guest relations, visitor experience, operations, and the challenges in implementing technologies and strategies related to these topics.
Sustainability and Planetary Health: Developing public-facing content related to planetary health and community health, and how to address museums’ own footprints, including carbon reduction initiatives.

You may also wish to draw on recent ASTC resources for inspiration for your proposal. These resources reflect trends and knowledge within the field:

The Cultivating a Culture of Active Hope report from ASTC’s Seeding Action initiative summarizes ways of thinking about planetary health.
The Civic Engagement & Policymaking Toolkit provides ways of engaging with communities to advance civic priorities.

Simply put, we are interested in any topic that helps move our field forward whether that is educational programs to address planetary health or community priorities, experiments to make our science centers more accessible to our community, innovative practices to recruit and retain high-performing staff, evolving business models for our organizations, and successful partnerships with schools or community groups.

We will ask you to assign your proposal to one of eight tracks that have been restructured from past years to help attendees in navigating the conference:

Track	Description
Audience and Inclusion	Topics related to engaging both broad and specific audiences, increasing access, and ensuring inclusive environments for all audiences.
Business Models, Operations, and Development	Business and financial topics such as fundraising, guest services, marketing, membership, and administration.
Community and Partnerships	Informal and formal collaborations, community relationships, and external partnerships.
Education and Events	Theory, practice, and design of public programs, educational experiences, and events.
Facility and Exhibit Design	Topics related to the design, fabrication, construction, and renovation of exhibits, learning spaces, and building facilities.
Leadership and Management	Topics of interest to chief executives and other senior leaders, such as leadership practices, organizational strategy, and advocacy.
Organizational Culture and Workforce	Topics related to staff development, volunteer engagement, human resources, and internal practices.
Trends and Innovation	Research and evaluation, current trends, and field-wide innovation.

The final program will reflect all the tracks above; however, ASTC especially encourages proposals submitted to the Leadership and Management; Business Models, Operations, and Development, and Organizational Culture and Workforce tracks based on attendee feedback and historical submissions.

Session Format

All concurrent sessions are expected to take advantage of the in-person nature of the conference. We encourage you to think creatively about ways to involve and engage all the participants in the room with full- or small-group discussion, workshops, brainstorming, co-creation, charrette, and more—as well as interactive methods like game shows, scavenger hunts, and more—while tailoring your session design to both the proposal type and topic(s) at hand.

As part of your submission for Concurrent and Lightning sessions, you will be asked to identify the primary format for your session:

Engagement Tag	Description
Panel	Moderated discussion between presenters
Group Discussion	Moderated discussion where attendees are full participants
Experiential	Hands-on experience where attendees actively participate in an activity or practical skill share
Solution Lab	Facilitated working session where attendees work together toward a goal (e.g., develop resources, ideas, or solutions)

By the nature of their format, posters allow the opportunity for one-on-one and small group discussions. Lightning proposals may not fit into the engagement categories above, but may include some interactivity.

The Hands-On Showcase was created for short, highly participatory, and interactive activities.

Given the in-depth interactive format, Preconference Intensives should involve significant audience participation and engagement.

ASTC Welcomes All to Submit

Affiliation with an ASTC-member organization is not required to submit a session proposal nor to be a presenter. We welcome—and encourage—submissions from those at all career stages and in all job roles.

We especially welcome first-time submissions and proposals from people who have not previously attended an ASTC conference.

ASTC is dedicated to including people of all races, colors, religions, political affiliations, sexual orientations, genders, ages, familial histories of education, physical and cognitive abilities, languages used, Indigenous status, and countries of origin, and we encourage submissions from all.

CPPC members are available to support you in proposal development, including connecting you with other possible presenters. We also encourage you to make use of the ASTC General Forum and Communities of Practice (https://community.astc.org/) to connect with others who may be interested in collaborating with you on a session proposal.

Commitment to Engaging Diverse Perspectives

ASTC is committed to incorporating a wide range of perspectives within each session and across the entire conference. You will be asked to provide two short statements that describe how your session represents a wide range of perspectives, individually and organizationally. There is no single way to address this requirement, but consider the following dimensions:

Organizations of all types, sizes, and geographies
Variety of perspectives and topical viewpoints
Range of personal backgrounds, career stages, and job roles
Content explicitly focused on belonging, accessibility, inclusion, and equity

Your proposal should clearly describe how the presenters are well-positioned to facilitate the session topic.

Your session’s articulated commitment to incorporating a wide range of perspectives will be considered during the review.

Quick Guide to Submitting

This year’s Call for Proposals will focus on a few key questions, making it easy for you to submit a session proposal.

The ASTC Conference Program Planning Committee, along with the ASTC staff, evaluates all proposals submitted for the conference. The information you include in your submission will be used for the review process, to help ASTC organize the conference, and to help promote your session. As part of the online submission process, you will be asked to provide some descriptive phrases that will help ASTC staff effectively develop a conference program that is easy for attendees to navigate.

Proposals must be submitted via the online portal by ~~Friday, January 17, 2025~~ Monday, January 20, 2025. You will need to begin your proposal by clicking “Join Now” to create your ASTC 2025 account on the submission portal. (You must create a new account for 2025 even if you submitted a session proposal for previous conferences.)

PREVIEW PROPOSAL QUESTIONS (PDF)