Call for proposals for Pangborn 2025

Deadline for Letter of Intent: 6 August 2021
Deadline for full proposals: 1 November 2021

Call for Pangborn 2025 Letter of Intent

The Executive Committee of the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposia is soliciting proposals for the 16th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium to take place in 2025.

We invite those interested in chairing and hosting the 2025 Pangborn Symposium to submit a 1-page Letter of Intent (LOI) by 6 August 2021. All submitted LOIs will be reviewed by the full Pangborn Executive Committee, and based on these submissions, select groups will be invited to submit a detailed (full) proposal by 1 November 2021. A final decision will be made by the Executive Committee in mid-December and communicated to all submitters prior to the end of the year.

Proposals from all geographical regions will be considered, and proposals from a team of chairs located in different geographical regions are welcome. Potential chairs may propose to host the conference in any location of their choosing. The proposed conference should last 4 or 5 days, and the proposed location should be able to accommodate ~1200 delegates in person, with appropriate space for 3 or 4 simultaneous tracks of programming.

The Executive Committee aspires that the Pangborn Symposium maintain its status as the leading global conference for Sensory & Consumer Science. The conference should be widely regarded as scientifically excellent, by attracting the best researchers in the field to present their work, and by drawing attendance from all major stakeholder groups (academics, students, industrial practitioners and researchers, service providers, and vendors). A key criterion in selecting chairs to host the 2025 conference will be demonstrated experience, vision and passion to fulfill this aspiration.

The initial LOI should not exceed 1-pg and should include the following information:

• Proposed Chairs (2 or 3 recommended), including mention of their scientific credentials and any prior experiences organizing conferences
• Proposed Location (this should be a specific city, not a country or region)
• A Proposed Conference Theme
• Tentative Dates (venue availability does not need to be confirmed for the initial LOI; this information will be required for the full proposal)
• Conference Mode: Traditional In-person only or Hybrid Virtual / In-person (pick one)
• A brief comment on proposed facilities in the location city (convention center, conference venues, etc)
• Optional – a brief comment on any unique cultural or professional resources/attractions

Please send the 1-pg LOI as a PDF to the current chair of the Executive Committee (John Hayes; jeh40@psu.edu) via email by 6 August 2021. Interested parties are invited to contact Dr. Hayes with any specific questions prior to the deadline.

Specifications of Detailed Proposal to Host the 2025 Pangborn Symposium

The Pangborn Executive Committee is soliciting proposals for the 2025 Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium using a multi-step process. A 1-pg Letter of Intent (LOI) is due 6 Aug 2021; following a down-selection by the Executive Committee, full proposals from selected applicants will be due 1 November 2021. Selected applicants will then be asked to attend a virtual meeting with the Executive Committee in mid-December 2021 to answer any additional questions about their proposal. A final decision will be made and communicated prior to the end of 2021.

Proposals from all geographical regions will be considered, and proposals from a committee of individuals located in different geographical regions are welcome. Potential chairs may propose to host the conference in any location of their choosing. The proposed conference should last 4 or 5 days, and the proposed location should be able to accommodate ~1200 delegates in person, with appropriate space for 3 or 4 simultaneous tracks of programming.

The Pangborn Executive Committee aspires that the Symposium maintain its status as the leading global conference for Sensory & Consumer Science. The conference should be widely regarded as scientifically excellent, by attracting the best researchers in the field to present their work, and by drawing attendance from all major stakeholder groups (academics, students, industrial practitioners and researchers, service providers, and vendors). A key criterion in selecting chairs of the 2025 conference will be demonstrated experience, vision and passion to fulfill this aspiration.

The Executive Committee has selected Elsevier to assist with administration of the 2025 Pangborn Symposium. On behalf of the Executive committee, Elsevier is responsible for all administrative, budgetary, logistical and organizational elements of the Pangborn Symposium. Further details on Elsevier’s role, relative to the organizing chairs and the Executive Committee are available from John Hayes or Joanne Hort (chair, and chair-elect of the Executive Committee, respectively). General information about conference aspirations, values, and customs, and hereby essential background information for prospective chairs is also available on request.

We encourage those who submit proposals to work up-front (prior to deadlines listed above) with the Executive Committee and Elsevier regarding their proposed venue to ensure it can accommodate the conference requirements. For such assistance, please contact Janet Haynes(jm.haynes@elsevier.com)  at Elsevier and/or John Hayes and Joanne Hort (on behalf of the Executive Committee).

Information that must be included in the full proposal:

1. Proposed organizers (Symposium Chair/s), as well as an organizing committee for the 2025 Symposium:

• a. Background information about the chair(s), including relevant scientific credentials, professional experience/track record in relation to organising conferences and events (including engagement in the Pangborn community).
• b. Background experience about other members of the organizing committee.

2. Proposed conference themes and topics

• a. The program of the 2025 conference should be roughly similar to recent offering of the Pangborn symposium in terms of plenary sessions, parallel sessions (typically 4), workshops, posters, etc. However, potential changes or innovations are also encouraged. Proposals should include details of proposed conference themes/topics, including changes or innovations.

3. Location (city/country)

• a. A detailed statement explaining why the 2025 Pangborn Symposium should be held at this location.
• b. Details about any sensory/consumer communities in the local area that can provide support to the organizing committee during symposium planning.
• c. Details about size of the sensory/consumer community and previous sensory/consumer science meetings held in the area/region (of particular importance if the proposal is for a conference is to take place in a region outside North America and Western Europe).
• d. Facts about the city/country/region, including closest international airport, travel logistics to/from airport and city venue, special visa requirements (if any), safety/security issues, political and economic situation.

4. Meeting venue and accommodation

• a. Potential venue(s) large enough to accommodate the symposium (a minimum of three conference rooms large enough to seat 1200 in plenary and at least 300 each for four parallel sessions in a theatre-style configuration, as well as 40,000 square feet of exhibition space). Possibility to organize small-scale workshops should be included in the application. Also include information about venue lay-out that facilitates movement of large crowds around break-times. Accessibility accommodations for disabled individuals should also be noted.
• b. Preliminary information about technological capabilities and catering services of the proposed venue. Information about possible venues for the gala dinner with indication of the distances and/or time (by foot, public transport) between the conference venue and these venues may be included.
• c. Availability of affordable transport to the city and within the city.
• d. Availability of reasonably priced and convenient accommodation with indication of the distances and/or time (by foot and public transport) between these accommodations and the conference venue. Provisions for lower cost accommodations for students and other economically conscious attendees must be specified.

5. Cultural and entertainment options

• a. Conference city. Information about convenient dinner options for smaller and larger groups in a range of price classes should be included.
• b. Surrounding areas.

6. Letters of support (Organizational, financial, in-kind)