Call for Speaker Proposals
The conference invites industry professionals, researchers, public-sector leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, students, Women in Engineering (WIE), Young Professionals (YP), and community stakeholders to submit session proposals. This virtual conference presents practical insights, case studies, emerging research, tools, and documented outcomes across the smart-city ecosystem — from semiconductors and AI infrastructure to energy, mobility, governance, and community impact.
Important Dates
All deadlines are 11:59 PM Central Time (CT) unless noted.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Call for Speaker Proposals Opens | September 5, 2026 |
| Proposal Submission Deadline | October 10, 2026, 11:59 PM CT |
| Speaker Notification | October 22, 2026 |
| Speaker Confirmation | October 26, 2026 |
| Preliminary Speaker Lineup | November 5, 2026 |
| Final Presentation Materials | November 16, 2026 |
| Virtual Speaker Technology Checks | November 19–20, 2026 (scheduled) |
| Virtual/Recorded Presentation Deadline | November 18, 2026 |
| Final Agenda Published | November 20, 2026 |
| Conference | November 21, 2026 |
Eligibility
The conference welcomes practitioners from industry, startups, research, education, government, nonprofits, and community programs. IEEE membership or prior speaking experience is not required; students, first-time speakers, Women in Engineering members, and Young Professionals are encouraged to submit relevant technical contributions or applied projects.
Presentation Formats
Select the format offered in the Sessionize submission form that best fits your proposal. The program may include technical presentations, applied case studies, panels, workshops, lightning talks, and audience-focused WIE or Young Professionals sessions. Final session lengths and the detailed program structure will be confirmed after proposals are selected.
| Proposal | Focus |
|---|---|
| Technical presentation | Methods, architectures, results, engineering detail, or emerging research. |
| Applied case study | Documented implementation, cost considerations, challenges, results, and lessons learned. |
| Panel or facilitated discussion | Multiple perspectives on a defined smart-city challenge, decision, or policy question. |
| Workshop | Interactive instruction, demonstration, or structured participant activity. |
| Lightning talk | A concise result, lesson learned, emerging idea, or focused case example. |
| WIE / Young Professionals session | Technical or professional content designed for Women in Engineering or Young Professionals audiences. |
Technical Tracks
Applicants must select one of the six technical tracks below and identify the applicable UN Sustainable Development Goal(s). The committee may reassign a presentation to a more appropriate track during program development.
- Smart City Infrastructure, Public Services & Community Resilience
- Sustainable Cities, Climate Resilience & Smart Energy
- Smart Mobility, Transportation & Connected Systems
- Data Spaces, AI, Digital Twins & Smart City Platforms
- IoT, Sensors, Connectivity, Cybersecurity & Privacy
- Semiconductors, AI Hardware, Edge Intelligence & Data Centers
Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
Authorized reviewers apply the rubric below to each proposal. The review considers relevance to the conference theme and UN Sustainable Development Goals, practical value to attendees, speaker experience, originality of the topic, and clarity of the abstract and learning outcomes. The program committee uses the completed reviews to make final program decisions.
| Criterion | Weight | Evaluation considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance to smart cities and the conference theme | 25% | Fits one or more conference tracks, clearly connects to smart-city outcomes, and identifies at least one applicable UN Sustainable Development Goal. |
| Practical value to attendees | 25% | Offers lessons learned, frameworks, case studies, tools, or actionable insight rather than generic statements. |
| Speaker credibility and experience | 20% | Relevant professional, academic, public-sector, student, startup, or community experience appropriate to the session. |
| Originality and freshness | 15% | A timely, distinctive, cross-disciplinary, or emerging perspective; avoids generic or recycled content. |
| Clarity of abstract and takeaways | 15% | Title, abstract, and learning outcomes are understandable, structured, and appropriate for the stated audience. |
Each criterion is scored 1–5, where 5 is a strong accept and 1 is not appropriate for this program. Depending on program fit and available space, organizers may accept, waitlist, request a revision to, or decline a proposal. Proposals from first-time speakers receive full consideration; a clear abstract with specific takeaways matters more than a long speaking history.
Non-commercial content requirement: Presentations must be educational. Proposals centered on a product or service may be declined or returned for revision as an educational case study.
Requirements for Accepted Speakers
Accepted speakers confirm participation by October 26, 2026 and submit final presentation materials by November 16, 2026. Virtual or recorded presentations are due by November 18, 2026.
- Confirm participation by October 26, 2026, including final session details and participation format.
- Submit final presentation materials by November 16, 2026, including final slides and website-ready speaker information.
- Submit virtual or recorded presentations by November 18, 2026, if applicable.
- Confirm recording permission — optional. Sessions are recorded or distributed only with written consent.
- Keep the session educational — no commercial sales pitches, as agreed at submission.
Accepted speakers will receive virtual access and audiovisual instructions before the conference. Detailed presentation and connection instructions will be shared with confirmed speakers. Connection and presentation instructions will be shared with confirmed speakers.
Submit a Speaker Proposal
Proposals are submitted and reviewed through Sessionize, the designated submission platform. The portal closes October 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM Central Time (CT).
Sessionize permits applicants to save a draft and return to it before the deadline.
Privacy. Submitted information is accessible only to authorized organizers and reviewers. It is used for program planning and speaker communications. Only the name, organization, bio, headshot, and session details of confirmed speakers are published on this website with consent. Phone numbers and email addresses are never published.
Submission Inquiries
Contact the conference committee before the October 10 deadline for submission assistance.