What is a Special Session?

Special Sessions are open meeting sessions designed to highlight and discuss topics of broad interest to the astronomy community, such as:

• Observatories, missions, facilities, and major projects scientific results and plans
• Education, history, and outreach initiatives
• Community discussions and state-of-the-profession topics

There is no mandated session format, and their schedule may include multiple speakers, a panel discussion, and/or other presentation formats. Special Session organizers may open their session to attendees contributed talks during the call for abstracts.

When do Special Sessions take place?

• Held at both the winter and summer meetings
• Scheduled on any of the main meeting days (typically Monday – Thursday)
• Scheduled in parallel with mid-morning and mid-afternoon contributed sessions

How to Submit a Special Session Proposal

Special session proposal submission deadlines and a link to the proposal submission page are published on each AAS meeting web page in advance of the meeting.

Important Information for Session Organizers

• Special Sessions are scheduled for 90-minute sessions only
• Special Session organizers will automatically be assigned as the Session Chairs unless AAS staff is advised otherwise.
• Special Session organizers will receive training and resources on how to build their schedule and add speakers.
• Each Special Session room includes the Standard Speaker Ready and Audio Visual equipment for AAS sessions:
  • LCD projector and screen
  • Preloaded laptop for presentations (dual operating systems)
  • Microphone and podium
• Hybrid or virtual participation is currently not permitted for Special Sessions.

What Is a Splinter Meeting?

Splinter Meetings are scientific or programmatic meetings held in conjunction with an AAS meeting that do not fit the definition of a Special Session. A Splinter Meeting may be appropriate if your event:

• Requires more than 90 minutes
• Is by invitation only (Private)
• Includes hybrid or virtual participants or speakers
• Needs a custom format or schedule

If your session does not require any of these features, you may wish to consider a different session proposal instead. If you expect significant remote participation, a free-standing event outside of the AAS meeting may better serve your needs.

When do Splinter Meetings take place?

• Held at both the winter and summer meetings
• May be scheduled before, during, or after the official AAS meeting dates. Additional fees may apply to meetings scheduled outside the main meeting period.
• May run in parallel with other meeting sessions

How to Submit a Splinter Meeting Proposal

Splinter Meeting proposal submission guidelines and deadlines are published on each AAS meeting web page in advance of the meeting. The primary organizer or leadership contact should submit the proposal directly through their own account.

Organizer Responsibilities

Splinter Meeting organizers are responsible for:

• Inviting participants and advertising the meeting
• Managing and distributing virtual access links, if applicable
• Maintaining the session schedule and content, including accommodating any AAS program changes
• Ensuring compliance with applicable AAS policies

Organizers must also adhere to the following guidelines when scheduling Splinter Meetings:

• AAS coordinates logistical planning and execution with the event location staff for Splinter organizers
• Open Splinter Meetings are listed in the main program, though individual presentations are not listed
• Open Splinter Meetings will be scheduled so they do not conflict with AAS plenary and prize talks
• Private Splinter Meetings are not listed in the main program
• Private Splinter Meetings may be scheduled at any time
• Organizers are responsible for ensuring that all participants comply with the AAS Meeting Code of Conduct. The AAS does not monitor Splinter Meetings for adherence to the Code of Conduct
• For privacy reasons, AAS cannot provide organizers with meeting attendee email addresses

Fees and Financial Responsibility

Organizers are responsible for all costs associated with their Splinter Meeting, including but not limited to:

• Logistical Staff Support & Administration Fee (daily fee priced per meeting)
• Catering, equipment rental, and ethernet drop fees
• All applicable taxes and service charges

No exceptions will be granted to this requirement.

Hybrid and Virtual Participation

Organizers who wish to offer hybrid or virtual participation must meet the following requirements:

• An ethernet drop (or equivalent) must be ordered and paid for as part of the proposal
• Any dedicated technical support must be requested at the time of proposal submission and will be billed separately
• Organizers may allow non-registered participants to attend virtually
  • No additional fees may be charged for virtual participation
• Organizers must use their own Zoom license or equivalent platform and manage all aspects of virtual participation, including access control and security

What Is a Meeting-in-a-Meeting?

A Meeting-in-a-Meeting is a set of coordinated sessions (2 to 7 separate sessions) held at an AAS summer meeting that allows for in-depth discussion of a single, focused topic. These sessions are well suited for:

• Current or upcoming space missions
• Ground-based facilities and major projects
• Scientific topics of broad and timely interest

Meetings-in-a-Meeting are flexible in format and may include time for talks, discussion, and/or panels. Because attendees may not be experts in the topic, organizers are strongly encouraged to include an opening, introductory talk that provides context for a broad, non-specialist audience.

When do Meetings-in-a-Meeting take place?

• Held only at AAS summer meetings
• Scheduled in parallel with mid-morning and mid-afternoon contributed sessions
• Take place on main meeting days (typically Monday–Thursday)

How to Submit a Meeting-in-a-Meeting Proposal

Proposal submission deadlines and the submission link are posted on each AAS meeting website well in advance of the meeting. Please consult the specific meeting webpage for instructions and timelines.

Important Information for Session Organizers

• Meetings-in-a-Meeting consist of 2 to 7 sessions, with each session lasting 90 minutes
• Organizers are automatically assigned as Session Chairs unless AAS staff are advised otherwise
• Organizers will receive training and resources on how to build their schedule and add speakers
• Each session room includes the Standard Speaker Ready and Audio Visual equipment for AAS sessions:
  • LCD projector and screen
  • Preloaded laptop for presentations (dual operating systems)
  • Microphone and podium
• Hybrid or virtual participation is currently not permitted

What Is a Workshop?

A Workshop is a short-format, interactive meeting held in conjunction with an AAS meeting. Workshops typically involve a small group of participants and focus on hands-on learning, collaboration, or training rather than formal presentations.

Workshops may focus on:

• Educational, scientific, programmatic, or career-related topics
• Training and professional development
• Collaborative work or discussion

Common examples of Workshops include:

• Tutorials on astronomical software
• Introductions to scheduling, data analysis, or operational tools for observatories and missions
• Communications or professional skills training
• Formal Working Group meetings for observatories or missions

When and How Are Workshops Held?

Workshops:

• Are held at both winter and summer AAS meetings
• Take place only on the Saturday and/or Sunday immediately before the start of the main meeting
• May be scheduled as:
  • A half day
  • A full day
  • Two half days
  • Two full days
• Are scheduled in parallel with other Workshops
• Are flexible in format and typically include formal training and/or interactive elements
• Are considered part of the main AAS meeting
  • Participants must register for the AAS meeting and pay an additional Workshop registration fee

Proposal Requirements and Organizer Responsibilities

When submitting a Workshop proposal, organizers must:

• Complete the online proposal form in full
• Provide information to assist AAS staff with scheduling and logistics
• Submit a summary of the Workshop topic and content

Workshops:

• Do not publish individual speaker abstracts
• Receive a dedicated Slack channel for communication
• Appear on the AAS meeting registration form
  • If you do not want your event listed on the registration form, consider proposing a Splinter Meeting instead

Fees and Financial Responsibility

Workshop organizers are responsible for all costs associated with their Workshop, including but not limited to:

• Logistical Staff Support & Administration Fee ($575 per day)
• Minimum A/V Labor Fee ($100)
• Catering, equipment rental, and other approved services
• All applicable taxes and service charges

No exceptions will be granted to this requirement.

Payment and Registration Details

• The Administration Fee and base A/V Fee are collected prior to the meeting
• All additional approved costs will be billed after the meeting
• Workshops must charge a minimum participant registration fee of $35, which is used to offset Workshop costs

Minimum Registration and Cancellation Policy

• The minimum number of registrants needed to cover base Workshop costs is 12 participants
  • (12 × $35 = $420; organizers must ensure full cost coverage)
• If registration does not meet expected costs:
  • Organizers may choose to cover the remaining balance, or
  • The Workshop may be canceled
• The AAS reserves the right to cancel a Workshop one week prior to the event if costs are not covered
• If canceled:
  • Full refunds will be issued to registrants
  • Organizers will be refunded for any prepaid Workshop costs

Participation Policies

• Hybrid or virtual participation is not permitted.

What Is a Town Hall?

A Town Hall is a forum designed for federal agencies, national observatories, and major current or future missions and facilities to:

• Share policy updates and program information
• Provide status reports or future plans
• Solicit feedback from their user communities

Town Halls are intended to support open communication between organizations and meeting attendees and typically include presentations followed by discussion or Q&A.

How to Submit a Town Hall Proposal

Town Hall proposal submission deadlines and the submission link are published on each AAS meeting website in advance of the meeting. Please consult the specific meeting webpage for submission instructions and timelines.

When and How Are Town Halls Held?

Town Halls:

• Are held at both winter and summer AAS meetings
• Are one hour in length
• Are typically scheduled:
  • 12:45–1:45 pm, or
  • 6:30–7:30 pm
• May be scheduled in parallel with other meeting events
• Take place on main meeting days (typically Monday–Thursday)
• Are flexible in format and often include:
  • Multiple speakers
  • A panel discussion
  • Time for questions and community feedback

Information for Town Hall Organizers

If your proposal is accepted, please note the following:

• Organizers are automatically assigned as Session Chairs, unless AAS staff are notified otherwise
• Each Town Hall room includes standard AAS A/V equipment:
  • LCD projector and screen
  • Preloaded presentation laptop (dual operating systems)
  • Microphone and podium

Hybrid and Virtual Participation

• Hybrid or virtual participation may be permitted for Town Halls, but only:
  • After consultation with AAS staff, and
  • With approval from the Committee on Meetings
• Organizers approved for hybrid or virtual participation are required to:
  • Purchase an additional internet streaming package
  • Order and pay for an ethernet drop (or equivalent) as part of the proposal

Additional Requirements for Virtual Access

• Requests for virtual access must be fully justified and should not be assumed
• Any dedicated technical support must be requested at the time of proposal submission and will be billed separately
• The AAS does not provide technical support for remote access unless it has been ordered and paid for in advance

Contributed Sessions make up the bulk of the science presentations at AAS meetings. These sessions are not proposed; instead, they are built from the collection of abstracts submitted for each meeting. Contributed abstracts may be either oral or poster presentations; they are sorted into sessions by a committee of volunteers shortly after the abstract deadline for each meeting. More information about submitting abstracts to Contributed Sessions can be found in the Abstracts section below.

Eligibility to Submit

Members and Affiliates: Any active Member or Affiliate of the AAS may submit an abstract.

Inactive Member Status: Inactive Members or Affiliates may submit an abstract but must reinstate membership prior to program inclusion.

Nonmembers: Nonmembers may submit one abstract once every 10 years with sponsorship from a Full Member.

Pending Membership: Astronomers with a pending membership application may submit, but abstracts will be withdrawn if membership is not approved before the meeting program is finalized. Please contact the Membership Department for membership requirements.

Educator Affiliates: Any active Educator Affiliate may only submit 1 abstract per meeting. The above eligibility guidelines also apply. 

Abstract Submission Requirements

Abstracts must be submitted by the first/presenting author. The following limits apply to the first/presenting author:

• Maximum of 3 abstracts per meeting (4 when AAS meets with a Division).
• Limited to one abstract per category (invited, research/dissertation, history, etc.)
• All abstract submissions count towards the maximum

There are no limits to the number of abstracts you may co-author when you are not the first/presenting author.

Abstract Length

Abstract submissions must be no more than 2,250 characters that describe the research being presented.

Registration Requirements

All presenting authors must register for the meeting by the presenter deadline. Unregistered authors will have their abstracts withdrawn from the program.

Sponsorship Requirements

Undergraduate Members, Affiliates, and Nonmembers (including SPS Affiliates) must list an active Full AAS Member as a sponsor at the time of submission. Sponsors will be notified by email but are not required to take further action.

Exceptions

Requests to exceed the presentation limit or to substitute presenters are rarely granted. Requests must be submitted in writing to the AAS Vice Presidents at [email protected] at least 7 days before the meeting (or as soon as possible in the case of illness/emergency).

Additional Rules

• Abstracts must be submitted through the online system.
• Abstracts must be complete and submitted by the stated deadline.
• Late Breaking Abstracts, abstracts that are submitted after the regular abstract deadline, will only be considered for iPoster presentations.
• If a scheduled abstract is not presented, it will be withdrawn after the meeting.

Types of Abstracts

The following are the different types of abstract submissions for AAS meetings:

• Invited Presentation
• Research Contributed/Dissertation Presentation
• History Contributed Presentation
• Education Contributed Presentation
• Division Meeting Presentation (when applicable)
• Community & Profession Presentation
• Special Session Presentations
• Meeting-in-a-Meeting Presentation (Summer Meeting Only)

Choose your Abstract Type

The following abstract types are available for AAS meetings. Select the category that best matches the content of your presentation.

General Abstract Types

Research Contributed / Dissertation Presentation
For original scientific research or dissertation results. Abstracts may be submitted to the AAS general meeting pool or to eligible pre-planned sessions that accept contributed abstracts.

History Contributed Presentation
For work focused on the history of astronomy. Abstracts are submitted to the AAS general meeting pool and may also be shared with the Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) for consideration in joint sessions.

Education Contributed Presentation
For work focused on astronomy education. Abstracts are submitted to the AAS general meeting pool.

Division Meeting Presentation (when applicable)
For authors submitting generally to a joint Division Meeting (e.g., LAD or HEAD). Authors must select the appropriate Division Contributed abstract type. All division abstracts are reviewed and scheduled by the Division Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC).

If you are submitting an abstract to a division special session or predetermined division oral session, please submit your abstract as a Research Contributed and select "Yes" for submitting to a Special Session or Division Meeting. 

Community & Profession Presentation
For work focused on the astronomy community, workforce development, policy, equity, inclusion, professional practice, or related topics.

Special Abstract Types

Special Session Presentation
To submit to a Special Session, authors must submit a Research Contributed abstract and select the desired session during submission, or be invited by the session organizer.

Division Specific Session Presentation
To submit to a specific division meeting session, authors must submit a Research Contributed abstract and select the desired session during submission, or be invited by the session organizer.

Invited Presentation
This abstract type is available only to authors who have been formally invited. Invited presentations count toward the maximum number of abstracts allowed per presenting author.

Meeting-in-a-Meeting Presentation (Summer Meeting Only)
Meeting-in-a-Meeting abstracts must be submitted as Research Contributed abstracts with the appropriate session selected, or by invitation from the session organizer.

Types of Presentations

Abstract presentations are divided into four separate types: Oral, Dissertation, iPoster, and Invited. No matter the presentation type, it is there responsibility of the abstract author to create and upload their presentation following AAS and meeting specific guidelines. 

Time Allocation

Presentation Information

Oral Presentations

Oral/Dissertation Presentations are arranged by topic and are scheduled in a 90-minute session.

Video Tutorial

Oral presentations are in-person talks with a corresponding visual presentation. These presentations can either be submitted directly by the attendee or invited to submit through a closed session. Oral presentations are best accompanied by a three to five slide visual aid. Authors will be provided a link to upload their presentations for the meeting and/or can upload presentations on-site. The number of oral presentations allowed per meeting is limited.

Dissertation Presentations

Dissertation Presentations are like oral presentations but must be submitted as a Dissertation Abstract and must be based on the author’s dissertation material. Only students or graduates within one year of having a Ph.D. conferred by their university or college are eligible. The author must submit a copy of the thesis advisor’s letter in PDF format through the abstract submission website along with their abstract submission.

iPoster Presentations

iPoster Presentations are arranged by topic in a set session during the meeting; iPosters of the same topic may be divided into multiple sessions.

Video Tutorial

iPosters are virtual and interactive posters that are presented on digital terminals during the meeting. iPosters are presented asynchronously during their assigned session. iPosters may also be viewed online through the iPoster Gallery and presented at an available terminal outside of an author’s assigned session.

Authors must submit their abstract through the abstract portal for approval and, once approved, must create and publish their iPoster using a provided meeting link. For examples of past iPoster presentations, please see past meeting iPoster Galleries or visit https://ipostersessions.com/author-resources/.

Students may wish to enter their iPoster as a candidate for the Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award. 

Invited Abstracts

AAS meetings are also compiled of invited abstracts that do not follow the regular abstract template. These types of invited abstracts include:

• Prize & Plenary Presentations
• Division invited and/or contributed abstracts
• Special Session invited and/or contributed presentations

AAS Prize and Plenary Presentations are chosen by either the Prize Planning Committee, the Divisions, or the AAS Vice Presidents. Members may nominate both prize and plenary nominations. Invited AAS presentations will receive instructions from the AAS Executive Office.

Division and Special Session presentations may have a different format and time length than the regular AAS presentations. Such policies are determined by either the Division Executive Committee or the session organizer. Authors will receive instructions from their respective session organizers.

Categories are used as a guide for the Scientific Organizing Committee to build coherent sessions. The final session assignments and session titles are at the discretion of the Committee.

Research Contributed Presentations follow the Unified Astronomy Thesaurus (UAT) Hierarch Structure. The UAT is designed as a polyhierarchy so authors are encouraged to carefully select the appropriate main category/parent concept for their specific topic. 

Research Contributed Presentations

Main Category List

• Astrophysical processes
• Cosmology
• Exoplanet astronomy
• Galactic and extragalactic astronomy
• Heliophysics
• High energy astrophysics
• Interdisciplinary astronomy
• Interstellar medium
• Observational astronomy
• Solar system astronomy
• Stellar astronomy
• Education
• History
• Community and Profession

Community and Profession

• Community and Profession

History Contributed Presentations

• History

Education Contributed Presentations

• Education Research
• Education Practice: Undergraduate Non-science Majors
• Education Practice: Upper-Level Undergraduate and Graduate
• Public Outreach and Informal Education
• Other

The meeting and abstract schedule are published in various formats:

• Online Abstracts — Available prior to the meeting; includes full abstract text.
• Astrophysics Data System (ADS) — Abstracts are sent to ADS and typically published after the close of a meeting.