Organize a Session | Deadline February 15, 2021
Organize your own session and take charge of all the details! Sessions in all areas of economics are welcome. Paper submission fees are waived for all papers in organized sessions, however participants are required to register for the conference. WEAI members affiliated with a WEAI Institutional Member, and who organize a session, receive complimentary conference registration.
Organized sessions must include papers from various institutions. No more than 50% of the papers may be from the same institution. Each participant may author (or co-author) no more than two papers in the session. Proposals for workshops or roundtables should also include individuals from multiple institutions. Sessions are subject to review by a screening committee.
Please notify us of your intent to organize a session as soon as possible! Email [email protected].
Overall Responsibility
As the organizer, you have the following responsibilities:
- Maintain liaison between your participants and WEAI.
- Ensure that your session participants are well prepared and registered by May 1.
- Make sure your session participants circulate completed papers by June 1.
- Keep the WEAI informed of changes to your session.
Typical Session Format
The session time allocation is one hour and 45 minutes. A typical session includes a chairperson, three to four papers, and discussants (paper presenters may serve as discussants on each others' papers). Organizers decide if discussants are assigned to specific papers or if comments will be part of the general group discussion. Other formats, such as panels or roundtables, may also be used.
Information Needed
After receiving commitments from session participants, send the following information to WEAI:
- Session title.
- One JEL topic area code.
- Professional affiliations and e-mail addresses for all participants (including coauthors). Please indicate paper presenter with an asterisk (*).
- Paper titles (if applicable).
A fill-in session template is available, or if you have a format used for previous WEAI conferences, that is also acceptable as long as the information outlined above is included.
Please submit your session details early. Submit revised information with “track changes” turned on so that each revision is clearly marked. All session communication is done via email to [email protected].
Conference Format
The format is intended to promote active involvement by all attendees — most of the economists attending will be on the program. In addition to the keynote sessions, the program consists of small discussion groups meeting concurrently. Including program participants, session attendance may range from 6 to 60, depending on the time of day and the topic’s popularity, etc. However, the most fruitful discussions often occur among small groups of interested individuals. Your session can benefit by inviting experts besides those on the program to attend.
Registration Fees
All attendees are asked to pay the conference registration fee. Please inform prospective participants that they are responsible for their own expenses. Organized session participants may register at the member rate even if they are nonmembers, but are cordially invited to join the Association.
WEAI members receive complimentary conference registration if (i) they are employed by a current Institutional Member, (ii) they organize a session in which at least three participants pay the usual registration fee, and (iii) everyone in the session registers by the deadline.
Waiver of Journal Manuscript Submission Fees
WEAI members can submit their conference papers to either Economic Inquiry or Contemporary Economic Policy without paying the usual manuscript submission fee provided the manuscripts reach the editors within six months after the conference.
Dates to Remember
- February 15: Session information is due to WEAI.
- May 1: Deadline for program participants to register.
- May 15: Deadline to take advantage of early registration discount.
- June 1: Verify that all session participants have received copies of all papers.