Australian Fulbright Alumni Association 

The conference will focus discussions around leadership in the four pillars of sustainability: economic prosperity, cultural vibrancy, environmental responsibility, and social justice.  We invite presentations in concurrent sessions and poster sessions aligned with these pillars.

Please submit proposals using the online submission form. Submissions for concurrent sessions and poster discussions (see descriptions below) must be received by 1^st September 2017, for consideration.

Proposals will be reviewed by the Conference Program Committee. Each proposal will be evaluated based on its thoroughness, clarity, and adherence to session guidelines. Final selections will be made by 15^th September, 2017. Presenters must accept their presentation slot through registration for the Conference by 22^nd September, 2017.

The four pillars:

Economic prosperity depends on a vibrant, diverse and dynamic local economy. It involves attracting, supporting and retaining knowledgeable and skilled people who incubate innovation, contribute to local and global knowledge, and provide goods and services in the community.

Cultural vibrancy brings joy and vibrancy to a community. They encompass our various heritages, the arts in their countless forms, and equality of all people. Culture celebrates who we are, brings us together, encourages visitors and welcomes newcomers. It shapes our values, our behaviours and our attitudes. The cultural pillar advances the primary objective of any sustainable community, which is the promotion of well‐being through enhancing quality of life and place. A community’s vibrancy is closely related to the vitality of its cultural engagement, expression and celebration.

Environmental wellbeing is fundamental to humanity’s ability to live on earth. We are dependent on clean water, fresh air and healthy soil for our food, our health and for life itself. All of our activities impact the earth and its ability to support our lives and we must be both aware and respectful of this for our own sake and the sake of future generations.

Social justice means ensuring that everyone’s basic needs are met, that everyone is respected and valued in society, everyone has equal rights within the community, and everyone has equal access to education and health services. Respect for all ages, ethnicities, mental and physical capabilities, is paramount to our community’s health, as is ensuring the vulnerable in our midst are fed, warm, educated and have access to healthcare.

Concurrent Sessions

The goal of the concurrent sessions is for you to share and discuss your research with other presenters and participants who share your thematic interest.

• Concurrent presentations will be arranged into four themes: economic, cultural, environmental, and social.
• Eligible presenters include individual AFAA members as well as prospective members.
• Research should be professional-level, with special consideration given to projects that resulted from your Fulbright grant.
• There will be up to five presenters per session. Each presenter will be allotted 15 minutes for their presentation.
• Following presentations, each concurrent session will include 15 minutes for a general panel discussion.
• To submit your abstract visit our online submission form by September 1.
  

Poster Sessions

The goal of the poster sessions is for you to share your Fulbright experience and/or research in a visual format with all conference attendees.

• Eligible presenters include individual AFAA members as well as prospective members. Returned Australian Fulbright scholars and current visiting US Scholars are welcome to submit proposals in this category.
• Posters can reflect participants’ Fulbright grant experience/research or other work in which they are engaged as a result of their Fulbright. This can take many forms: research findings; best practices for implementation, policy and practice; overview of a project; photos from a key experience; or examples of outreach efforts either in Australia or in the U.S.
• Participants will have several opportunities to display their work and interact with conference attendees. AFAA will provide a trifold display onsite.
• The poster must be A1 size, 59.4 x 84.1cm. Orientation of your poster must be in portrait style. Useful poster presentation guidelines are available here, here and here.
  
• To submit your abstract visit our online submission form by September 1.