Abstract submission system opens: December 1st, 2017

Deadline for Submission: February 1st, 2018

Single paper submissions should be in the form of abstracts of up to 250 words. They should include the paper’s main arguments, methods, and contributions to STS. We strongly encourage you to submit your paper abstract to an open panel. You can contact open panel organisers directly to seek advice about the fit of your paper. Be aware that in some cases organisers will be happy to change panel proposals to accommodate your paper. When submitting papers, in addition to designating one or more topical Research Areas using the drop-down menu, please list up to five keywords to help the program organizers evaluate and assign your paper.

Each closed panel proposal should contain a summary and rationale of up to 250 words, including a brief discussion of its contribution to STS. A panel proposal must contain a minimum of three paper abstracts conforming to the criteria above and may contain up to five, plus a discussant. If the proposal contains fewer than five papers, the Program Committee may assign additional papers to your panel to optimize scheduling and participation. We encourage closed panel organiser to include people from diverse regions, in keeping with the conference theme. 

Posters

4sSydney will be offering poster sessions. Poster abstracts should be 250 words. Accepted posters should be printed, laminated and brought to Sydney. Posters will be displayed at the meeting and authors will be available at advertised times to speak to their posters. For those unfamiliar with poster sessions, they promote small group and one-on-one interactions with your work that can potentially be more rewarding than panel presentations. They can also facilitate translated and multilingual content. Your poster will also be viewed and read at other times in the meeting, increasing the visibility of your work. Poster exhibit spaces also provide a quieter space for interactions for jetlagged or overwhelmed participants. 

Making and Doing Session

In addition to paper, session and poster submissions, 4S invites proposed presentations for the ‘STS Making and Doing’ event. Participation in the Making and Doing event does not count toward limits on conference participation described elsewhere. The STS Making and Doing Program aims at encouraging 4S members to share scholarly practices of participation, engagement, and intervention in their fields of study. It highlights scholarly practices for producing and expressing STS knowledge and expertise that extend beyond the academic paper or book. By increasing the extent to which 4S members learn from one another about practices they have developed and enacted, the initiative seeks to improve the effectiveness and influence of STS scholarship beyond the field and/or to expand the modes of STS knowledge production. The STS Making and Doing program was premiered at the 2015 4S annual meeting in Denver. View the 2015 presentation summaries here, and the >2017 summaries here

Judging for the STS Making and Doing Award takes place during the meeting. This award formally acknowledges and celebrates distinctive achievements in practices of STS making and doing. It recognizes 4S members who have demonstrated scholarly excellence in formulating, enacting, and sharing theoretically-informed practices of participation, engagement, and intervention in their fields.