Convention Spotlight | Submission Process
Seeking Panels or Panelists Boards | Panel Participation Policy

BEA invites media related panel and program proposals from academics, students and professionals for presentation during BEA2024.

DEADLINE: Extended to September 18, 2023 

BEA2024 is an academic media convention with over 250 virtual and on-site sessions on media pedagogy, collaborative networking events, hands-on technology workshops, research and creative scholarship and the Festival of Media Arts.  BEA2024 will be an in-person convention with limited virtual participation opportunities for presenters and attendees.   BEA’s annual convention is co-located with NAB’s annual convention, NAB Show.

Programming Opportunities (All sessions are one-hour in length) 

• Panel/Research Presentation Sessions: These are the standard interest division sponsored convention format sessions with a moderator, 3-4 presenters and, if desired, a respondent. 
• Workshops: Workshops should involve specialized training and professional development.  
• Technical Demonstrations: Equipment or software manufacturer/vendors are invited to bring in the latest communication technology to demonstrate. Faculty who have worked with the technology are encouraged to talk about their experiences with the equipment/software in the classroom or lab. 

• Showcases: These sessions highlight student work in which faculty have been involved. Showcases are to be more “show” than “tell.”  
• Other ideas?  Contact us if you have other alternative innovative ideas for program sessions, such as off-site tours or technical training at Help@beaweb.org and we would be happy to talk about them. 

Proposals & Programming
BEA’s Interest Divisions significantly shape the convention program.  Interest Division leaders review, evaluate and rank the proposals and forward the recommendations to the Convention Program Chair, Rebecca Ann Lind.  Rebecca can be contacted at rebecca@uic.edu.  

Every effort will be made to give each division several invited panel sessions, a competitive paper session and a division social activity or event.  Interest Division business meetings will be held the week after the convention.  Program slots are competitive so if information is not provided in a complete and timely manner, those program slots may be assigned to other session proposals. Priority will be given to panels sponsored by more than one division. 

The BEA2024 Convention Spotlight is….. Intentional Futures 
This spotlight continues our explorations and considerations of the roles each of us play in creating our futures, as individuals, media creators, teachers, scholars, citizens, and more.  It encourages to reflect and to act with intentionality when we approach and respond to the situations we encounter. Intentionality is valuable in all we do, whether crafting our syllabi, engaging with interviewees on a documentary or as research subjects, or determining how we’ll incorporate various technologies into our professional and personal lives. Especially now, with the mediated world continuing its radical trajectory of change, we need intentionality. How will we think about, enter into, and work within the metaverse?  How will we — as educators, researchers, content producers, consumers — engage with and study AI in all its rapidly evolving forms? How will we approach our work in/with media and various communication technologies to create a more just world, a world in which we fully embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, and intentionally act to alleviate systemic injustices and disadvantages? These and other questions are of vital importance. Let’s consider them carefully, act with intentionality, and build the framework for a future we would want to pass on to future generations. 

Intentional Future serves as a spotlight for the convention, but program proposals are not limited to this area of research and presentation.  All sessions must adhere to the goals and objectives of the interest division(s) to which they are submitted (descriptions are listed on the submission site).   

LOGIN or CREATE an Account to Submit Panels & Program Submissions Online
BEA Members can access the BEA2024 All Academic site with their BEA membership login and password.   If you know your BEA login information login to your All Academic account.  If you forgot your BEA membership password, click here to reset. 

If you ARE NOT a BEA member, create an account in BEA’s database BEFORE you visit All Academic by clicking here. After you create an account, login to All Academic and follow the directions below.  If you have trouble, please email help@BEAweb.org.  

Submission Process 

• Submit a proposal: Click on the link for “Submit or a Paper or Program Proposal.” 
• Select a Division: Read the division descriptions and select the primary division to which you will submit your program.  Programs can have up to one (1) interest division co-sponsor – please add a co-sponsor in the designated section. 
• Title/Abstract/Program Information: Follow the guidelines to submit the title & abstract and additional program information.  
• Review your information & submit: Don’t forget to review your information. If accepted, this is how it will appear in the program.  Please use proper title case for session names and spell check (PLEASE)!!! 
• Editing Abilities: You can edit and or re-submit the description and panelists until the system closes at 11:59 pm (local time) on September 15th. 

Seeking Panels or Panelists Boards
BEA members have a variety of research and professional interests and expertise – and don’t always have the contacts needed to fill a panel or know who to talk to offer themselves as a panelist.  We encourage members to reach out and make new contacts for each convention by using the “Panelist Seeking Panels” and “Panels Seeking Panelists” boards in Facebook.  Please join the “BEA2024 Seeking Panels & Panelists Board” and post your panel idea to entice panelists or offer your area of expertise to a panel organizer. 

BEA’s Panel Participation Policy
In an effort to increase the diversity of content and representation at our convention, BEA asks that you limit the number of appearances you make during the convention.  

1. An individual may have TWO appearance as a panelist during the convention. 
2. A person may have ADDITIONAL appearances as a panel moderator or respondent. 
3. A person may have UNLIMITED appearances as a presenter of competitive papers, Research-in-Progress, creative productions or other competitive sessions. 

To maximize opportunities for diverse participation, session organizers should seek: 

• Participants representing a mix of genders, ethnicity, institutional affiliations, and nationalities. 
• Participants new to BEA and the convention as well as professionals in the industry. 

Division Chairs are to evaluate the eligibility of the participants in those proposals submitted to that division. The Program Chair shall determine participant eligibility across divisions once the proposals are submitted. 

Co-Sponsored Panels
Co-sponsored proposals are encouraged. Co-sponsorship occurs when more than one division recommends a specific panel for inclusion in the program. No more than two (2) Interest Divisions will be listed for co-sponsorship on a particular session.  Panel producers must indicate each division being proposed as a co-sponsor on the “Review your submission information” page.  Go to the bottom of the page and click on the green link that says “Add a co-Sponsor.”   

Convention Attendance
Panel/program participants MUST register for the convention.  If you are a session organizer and/or moderator, please encourage panelists to register.  BEA’s registration site opens in early December.  If you have questions regarding the submission process, please email the appropriate Interest Division chair. 

Session Audio/Visual Capabilities
Take note that session rooms have  projectors, panel mics, screens and laptops ONLY.  If you have any other special AV requests (ie. handheld/lavalier mics, etc.) please let us know by January 31. 

COMPLETED Program Proposal Submissions must be submitted online through BEA’s submission site by 11:59 pm (local time) on September 15, 2023. 

Questions?  Visit www.beaweb.org or email Help@BEAweb.org.