Submission Deadline: Friday, May 8, 2026

We invite researchers and scientists from academia, industry, and government to submit an abstract for consideration as a talk or poster presentation on emerging topics and cutting-edge research in all/any areas of HABs science, including bloom dynamics, modeling and forecasting, monitoring and management, prevention and mitigation strategies, emerging technologies, community engagement, genomics, toxicology and toxinology, and environmental and human/animal health.

View the full list of Program Presentation Topics »

Presentation Options

Talks:

Speakers are allotted 15 minutes which includes 3-minutes for Q&A.

• Presentations will be live and in-person. Talks will not be recorded.
• Space is limited. If you request a talk but are not selected to speak, you will be offered a poster instead.

Posters:

Posters play a key role in the exchange of information and will be on display in the Exhibit Hall where daily breaks, networking functions and poster sessions are held, allowing ample time for visibility and interaction with attendees.

• Posters will be grouped topically and assigned to one of two sessions – Tuesday or Wednesday
• Poster dimensions and detailed instructions will be provided in the poster presenter notification email.
• You will also have an opportunity to share a PDF of your full poster presentation on the symposium web site.

Posters with Accompanying Lightning Talk:

• A limited number of student poster presenters will be selected to give a lightning talk about their poster.
• Lightning talks entail a brief presentation (<5 minutes) with a maximum number of slides. Indicate your willingness to give a lightning talk when completing the online abstract submission form.

HEADS UP! Students may also opt to have their abstract considered for judging in the Student Awards Program for best talk, best poster, or best lightning talk. All presentations by bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD students are eligible for recognition.

Additional Specifications

• All presentations – talks and posters – must be delivered solely in-person. There are no remote options.
• Registration by Friday, August 7 is required to participate and make a presentation. No exceptions.

Registration Fees

Estimated registration fees for preliminary planning and budgeting purposes are $595 for general attendees and $495 for students and retirees. Confirmed fees will be announced when registration opens in June. 2026. One-day fees are not available.

Visit the Registration Information page for more detail.

Steps for Preparing and Submitting an Abstract

1. Prepare your abstract using the official Abstract Template (.docx) in MSWord to ensure proper formatting.
2. Carefully proofread it and obtain any required institutional and co-author approval before submitting.
3. Complete the online abstract submission form by the Friday, May 8, 2026 deadline.
4. A non-refundable fee of $35.00 per abstract is required at the time of submission. Payment must be made by credit card, so please have your card ready before beginning the process.
5. When completing the submission form, provide additional information as requested:
   
   • Indicate your preferred presentation format.
   • If you were asked to speak in a pre-approved session, select “Yes, I was asked to speak in a pre-approved session” and choose the applicable session organizer name from the drop-down list.
   • If not part of a pre-approved session, please review the list of Program Presentation Topics to find the topic that aligns best with your planned talk or poster. If you feel none fit well, you'll be able to select "other" and enter your own topic.
   • Students should indicate if they want their abstract to be considered in the Student Awards Program and if they are willing to give a lightning talk to accompany their poster presentation, if applicable.

Submission Confirmation

After completing the submission, a confirmation and receipt of payment is instantly emailed to you verifying transmission of the abstract. If you did not receive this email, we did not receive your abstract. Before contacting us to verify receipt, please check your spam folder for the confirmation email.

Presenter Notifications

A formal notification will be sent to you via email by June 24, 2026 letting you know the final status of your abstract, the approved presentation format (oral or poster), and the date of presentation. If you do not receive a presenter notification email by June 24, email bmt@ufl.edu right away.

Additional Items to Note

• Review the Agenda-at-a-Glance and make sure the full conference dates are blocked on your calendar.
• If you are not receiving our monthly announcements, Join the Mailing List so you are kept informed.
• If you or your organization have blocked our messaging system, Constant Contact, you will need to proactively visit this web site and stay apprised of details and deadlines.

Important Deadlines

All critical dates and deadlines are posted on the Key Dates & Deadlines page.

The Call for Abstracts OPENS Wednesday, February 18, 2026