ATA speakers bring a broad variety of topics and perspectives to the conference. This is what makes it interesting! Copresenting is an option. It provides you with colleagues to discuss things all the way through the preparation phase.
Now, if you want that coveted speaker ribbon, it is time to submit your own proposal! Here is the link for the call for speakers for the 60th ATA Annual Conference in Palm Springs:
https://tools.eventpower.com/speaker_management/index/19ATA-ANNUAL
The due date is March 1, 2019. Over 150 sessions are offered, but the conference planning team typically receives three times as many proposals as they can accept. Therefore, please prepare your proposal carefully.
1. See what ATA Interpreters may find relevant by reviewing the 2015 ATA Interpreters Division Survey.
2. Review proposals and bios from the interpreting tracks of the last few years. This will show you the type of writing that makes a proposal ring and sing to win, the type of topics that have been accepted, and you might get inspired.
3. Draft your proposal. There is an online webinar to guide you through the process, but you can also ask someone who has presented in the last few years to review your proposal and give you some ideas. They might ask for your feedback too!
4. Follow the tips in the proposal guidelines carefully. You will be judged by each one of them.
After March 1, sit back and wait! We look forward to a strong selection of presentations for the Interpreters Division track at ATA60.
See you in Palm Springs!
Helen Eby
Interpreters Division Administrator
Picture kindly provided by the author.