CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The Executive Committee (EC) of the Human Biology Association invites proposals for three types of sessions for the 52nd Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA:

1.  Plenary Session

Plenary sessions provide an in-depth examination of emergent themes and cutting-edge research in human biology. Interdisciplinary submissions are encouraged, and past sessions have addressed a wide range of topics. Recent examples include:

• The Now and Future of Human Biology at the Extremes (2022)
• Biosocial Perspectives on Life in Urban Environments (2023)
• Gender/Sex: Unsettling Binaries in Human Biology (2024)
• Methodological Considerations in Human Biology: A Bit of What We Know Now and What We Wish We Knew Then (2026)

Format: Plenary sessions take place on Wednesday afternoon and last about 3 hours. They usually include a ~10-minute introduction by the session chair(s), six 20–25-minute talks by invited speakers, a 15-minute coffee break, and a ~20-minute discussion led by a designated discussant. The plenary lecture (keynote) takes place on Wednesday evening and features a keynote speaker addressing a topic related to the session’s theme.

2. Place-Based Session

Place-Based Sessions are designed to create a broad and inclusive program, and typically reflect the state of human biology research in a specific geographic region or country. We welcome proposals from anywhere in the world and on a variety of topics pertaining to human biology (e.g., theory, methods, specific research themes and projects, etc.).

Format: Place-based sessions take place on Friday morning and last 2.5 hours. They may be in person, remote, or hybrid. The session usually includes a ~10-minute introduction by the chair, ~15-minute talks by each speaker, and ~20 minutes for discussion and coffee at the end.

3. Invited Sessions

Invited sessions are intended to facilitate broad and flexible programming. The proposed sessions may be short (1 hour) or long (2 hours). We welcome multiple formats-flash talks (7 minute), podium talks (15 minutes), and posters.

We welcome proposals on a variety of topics such as:

• Theory (e.g., biocultural, evolutionary, etc.) in human biology
• Methods (e.g., field, laboratory, data analysis, etc.) in human biology
• Tribute or memorial sessions honoring influential scholars
• Human biology in practice (e.g., engagement, mentoring, teaching, outreach, science communication)
• Applied human biology (e.g., evolutionary medicine, public health, policy, clinical applications)

Proposal Guidelines

All session proposals must include the following:

1. Session chair(s): Name and contact information
2. Session focus: A concise description of the session topic
3. Session abstract: Minimum 250 words
4. Speaker list: 5–7 potential participants and their topics
5. Participation status: Note which speakers (if any) have confirmed

Submission Instructions

Deadline: August 17, 2026
Submit to: Dr. Amanda Veile, Program Chair
Email: hbameets@purdue.edu

Pre-submission conversations are encouraged!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or to discuss your ideas before submitting.

Program Committee

Postdoc, Fellows, and Emeritus HBA members are eligible to serve on the Program Committee. If you are interested in serving on the Program Committee, please contact the Program Chair, Amanda Veile: hbameets@purdue.edu