Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Do you have to be a member to submit an abstract or session to the Annual Meeting?

AAG encourages all attendees to join before registering; however, membership is not required to participate in the Annual Meeting. 

Do I need to register to submit my abstract or session to the Annual Meeting?

Yes, to participate in the Annual Meeting, all attendees must register under the appropriate registration type. You will not be able to submit an abstract for presentation or organize a session if you are not registered for the meeting. All registration fees include access to: 
- all conference sessions and events
- the Exhibit Hall
- the full online program and session gallery
- and the AAG mobile app

Please note, each attendee may only submit one abstract for presentation. See the submission guidelines and deadlines here. To register, click here. 

Does AAG offer any registration waivers/travel awards/stipends to help me attend the Annual Meeting?

While the AAG does not waive registration fees, see our Grants - Awards - Assistance page for opportunities to support your attendance and participation at the Annual Meeting.  

Call for Submissions— Abstracts & Sessions

How many abstracts may I submit? How many presentations can I give?

Each person may submit one abstract and participate as a panelist once. If you opt not to submit an abstract, you may be a panelist twice. There is no limit to how many sessions you may organize, or to how many times you may give an introduction or serve as a discussant. 

What if my abstract is not accepted?

AAG accepts all submissions.

Is there a limit to the length of my abstract?

Yes,there is a 250 word limit for all abstracts. 

How do I include myself in a session?

Browse the Session Gallery to find a session of interest to you. The session organizer's contact information is located in the session information, ask to join the session, and forward your abstract confirmation email to the session organizer. Session organizers will use your PIN to add you as a participant in any sessions. Sessions are added throughout the fall. 

In the event that you cannot find a session, your abstract will be sorted into a session by the AAG Program Committee in mid- November. 

How do I list my co-author?

Non-Presenting Co-Author: During the abstract submission/editing process you'll be able to enter their name and details.

Presenting Co-Author: Once your co-author has registered, you'll be able to add their PIN number during the abstract submission/editing process. 

I submitted a poster abstract, when is the deadline to upload my poster?

You'll be able to upload a PDF of your poster at any time, however we recommend doing so prior to Abstract/Session Editing deadline which typically falls in Mid-February. Please refer to our Deadlines & Submissions for the most up to date information. 

What information do I need to submit a session?

To submit a session you will need the title of your session, estimated attendance, and a session description. Optionally, you may wish to add a call for papers to your session to generate interest in your session for those browsing the session gallery. The names and roles of all your participants must be finalized by the session submission deadline.

How long are sessions?

75 minutes

How do I add a participant's paper to my session?

Have your presenters submit their abstracts online and then send you their 8 digit Program ID (PIN) numbers. You'll be able to enter the PIN during the session submission or editing process.

How do I edit my session? 

To edit your session, visit the abstract/session console and click “Edit” on the right side. You may edit any details of your session. If an abstract intended for your session has been assigned to another session, please coordinate with the presenter to determine which session they should be in. Only the primary organizer can make edits to the session.

Special Events

What are special events?

Special Events are business meetings, committee and board meetings, workshops, and receptions. If you would like to schedule an event with us, visit our Host a Meeting or Event page. 

AAG Specialty Group business meetings are scheduled by the conference team. Specialty Group chairs should watch the SG Chairs listserv email for a message from the conference team about timing requests.

Programming

Where will sessions take place?

Annual Meeting sessions typically take place in the conference hotels or nearby convention centers. Learn more about the hotels and accommodations here. 

What is provided in each session room?

All Annual Meeting paper and panel session rooms will be equipped with an LCD projector and digital HDMI switcher with the following connections: Mini DisplayPort, VGA to HDMI, and HDMI. Please use a 16:9 aspect ratio to format your slides. Presenters are responsible for bringing any other necessary converters, however they must convert to HDMI. AAG does not provide computers in the presentation rooms. Presenters are responsible for bringing any equipment needed such as a laptop.

Poster sessions and Guided Poster sessions will be equipped with 4'x8' poster boards (landscape format). You may use any of the area within the board to display your poster.

If you need to arrange to rent any additional equipment, such as speakers or a sound patch, please email meeting@aag.org.

How was the program selected and put together?

The AAG accepts all submitted abstracts and organized sessions for presentation. Once an abstract has been submitted, there are a few routes for it to end up in a session:

For Paper, Lightning Paper, and Guided Poster abstracts, you may
a) organize a session around the topic of your own presentation,
b) communicate with an organizer via the Session Gallery about joining his/her session, or
c) wait for your abstract to be added to a session by the Program Committee in late November.

For Poster abstracts, you may submit your abstract and be added by the organizer, or your poster will be sorted into a session by the Program Committee in February.

My paper was accepted and scheduled; can I still edit the title or the abstract?

Minor edits may be made at aag.secure-abstracts.com through the editing deadline posted on the Deadlines & Submissions page.

Why was my session scheduled at the same time as other sessions on similar topics? Can't this be avoided?

Each Annual Meeting has between 1400 and 1700 sessions, held over five days, so conflicts are inevitable. Great care is used to avoid thematic, and individual conflicts (a participant cannot chair one session and present a paper at another session, if both are held at the same time), but it’s not possible to avoid all conflicts.

I can't attend the session I was scheduled for, what are my options?

In cases where scheduling conflicts occur, often the best solution is for the presenter to switch sessions entirely. If you run into a conflict, please email meeting@aag.org, explain the circumstances, and name another session (with 4 or fewer presenters) you wish to switch to. If the session is organized by the program committee, AAG staff can simply add you to it. If not, the organizer should be contacted to ask for permission.

I can no longer attend, how do I cancel my registration or presentation?

Please see our Cancellations page for more information on cancelling registration for the Annual Meeting. In the event that you wish to cancel your presentation, but will still attend the meeting, please email meeting@aag.org and the organizer of your session. 

How did I become the session chair and what are the responsibilities? 

For sessions put together by the Program Committee, it is our policy to designate the last presenter as chair, as they have a stake in keeping everyone else in the session within their allotted time. Please contact meeting@aag.org if you do not wish to be chair or have any questions.

I am having trouble signing up for a Field Trip or Workshop.

If you are unable to add a Field Trip or Workshop, it is likely full. However, sometimes people do not show up and spots are made available. Please go to the Field Trip meeting spot or workshop location early to ask to join. 
To add an additional participant to a Field Trip (spouse, friend, etc) please call the AAG Headquarters at (202) 234-1450 to ensure there is space and to submit payment. 

I need a Certificate of Attendance/Presentation to be reimbursed by my institution, how do I get one?
We provide certificates of attendance/presentation at the onsite registration desk during the Annual Meeting. If you require a certificate after the conclusion of the meeting please email us at invitation@aag.org. 

How can I find and search the online program/galleries?

You can access the current online program here. To search, use the filters on the left side. You can learn more about using the Gallery in our How To videos, found here. 

Will I get a hardcopy of the Annual Meeting Program? 

The printed program is available for purchase. To buy one, please login to the registration portal and add one to your registration. 

Still have a question? Contact meeting@aag.org.