The 2026 ASB Student & ECR Hybrid-Hub Symposium

In the lead up to ASB’s 50th annual meeting we are putting together an exciting one-day symposium targetted at our student and ECR members — especially those new to the society!
The student & ECR day will run at various campuses around Australia on Thursday August 13th.
If you have not already done so, please mark your calendar for 22–26 November 2026, when the conference will be held at La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria.

Click here to register || Click here to submit an abstract

 

When: Thursday 13th August, 2026 (tentative time: 10am-4pm)
Where: Hub locations will be established at a university/institute in each of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane with further locations to be confirmed based on demand. Attendees are expected to attend their hub location on the day as this is not an online event. If you would like to host at your institute please email the ASB secretary directly. 
Registration: All attendees must register here for catering purposes (lunch provided). Registration is free to ASB members – new or lapsed members must renew for the 26-27 financial year. Click here to sign up or renew from as little as $20.
What: This one-day event is designed to give newer members the opportunity to connect with peers at similar career stages, develop their presentation skills, and gain practical tips for making the most of a scientific conference.
Abstracts: Close July 22nd. Submissions accepted for 2-minute flash presentations or short talks. The best short talks presented at the symposium will be automatically accepted for presentation at the 50th ASB annual conference. Special preference will be given to student/ECR attendees of last year’s ASB conference who presented a poster and would like to contibute a short talk. Participants who have presented at previous ASB meetings are also warmly encouraged to submit an abstract.

The program will include:

  • A flash talk primer, with practical presentation tips with examples of effective flash talks from seasoned academics.
  • Short-talk presentation opportunities for students and ECRs planning to submit an abstract to ASB2026, with the highest-rated presentations receiving automatic acceptance into the conference program.
  • A flash talk session, especially for those with little or no prior presentation experience.
  • An interactive conference skills workshop focused on building confidence and maximising conference engagement.
  • Opportunities to network with local students and ECRs over lunch and throughout the day.

Abstract submissions for ASB2026 will open soon, with the deadline expected to coincide with the Student and ECR Day in early to mid-August. We encourage students and ECRs to submit the same abstract for both opportunities and use the Student and ECR Day to refine and strengthen their presentations ahead of the conference.