Put on your creative thinking caps and consider proposing ideas beyond the traditional, formal three speaker format. We are looking for innovation – your session can be a healthy debate or an in-depth discussion. We are looking for innovation - we encourage healthy debates, in-depth discussion or a workshop style format, with audience participation. This is your chance to tackle big topics like pain philosophy, ethics in research and pain, controversial conversations in pain, or go niche, exploring one area from numerous perspectives. Proposed symposia that include a range of experience (early career to senior) and professional expertise will be prioritised.
Topical Session Submission Key Dates
Submission portal opens
Tuesday 3 June 2025
Submission portal closes
11.59pm AEST, Tuesday 2 September 2025
Notification of acceptance
October 2025
Presenter registration deadline
Tuesday 24 February 2026
Instructions to submit a topical session for inclusion in the Scientific Program:
The nominated chair of the topical session will be responsible for collating and submitting all materials for the topical session and for all communications with the Conference Secretariat.
To be considered for inclusion in an APS ASM program, the submission must include the following:
Topical Session Description (maximum 200 words)
Learning Objectives and Goals
Speaker Titles and Presentation Summaries
Any Speaker Disclosures
Topical sessions that include speakers from different institutions will be given preference over submissions that include speakers from a single institution.
Topical sessions should be for the educational benefit of the attendees, rather than attendees providing research feedback to the presenters.
Topical sessions will be allocated 90 minutes within the conference program and should comprise a Chair plus a suggested maximum of four presenters.
The Chair will nominate the speakers and the titles for each presentation in the session. A brief outline of each speakers presentation is required as part of the submission.
The Chair will complete the topical session application form online via the website, giving names, contact details and short biographies of all presenters in the session.
The APS SPC will be responsible for reviewing all topical session applications. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.
Notification of acceptance or otherwise will be made by the end of October 2025.
All presenters and chairs must register for a minimum of one day of the conference by the Early Bird Registration Deadline Tuesday 24 February 2026, or the Topical Session will be withdrawn from the program.
Please note: There is no funding or discounted registrations available for submitted topical sessions.
