WI Water Week ~ Call for Presenters
The Wisconsin Lakes & Rivers Partnership is taking submissions for its Wisconsin Water Week online event, coming this March, through October 30, 2020
By Wisconsin Lakes & Extension Lakes Staff
Do you have a water-related topic or story you’ve been burning to tell? We want to hear about it! Consider this your invitation to submit your presentation idea for Wisconsin Water Week, an online learning event coming next March!
What is Wisconsin Water Week?
Drawing on the Wisconsin Lakes & Rivers Partnership’s experience in organizing an annual statewide in-person Lakes and Rivers Convention for the last 40 years, Wisconsin Water Week will take place as an expanded Lakes and Rivers Convention in 2021. With the pandemic still making planning a live event a dicey proposition, participants will instead be able to engage in all or part of the interactive program using a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Each day will be structured such that the morning features several simultaneous streams of live, content-rich educational presentations and time for speakers to address participants’ questions. Afternoon content will be more interactive, with live panel presentations and participant discussion breakouts that invite participants to contribute their ideas and experiences to the gathering.
This is not your normal series of Zoom-based PowerPoints – in fact, we like to think of it as, well, unconventional (see what we did there?)
Submit a Presentation Proposal
The agendas for the first three days of Wisconsin Water Week will focus on major aspects of Wisconsin’s water system. Monday will emphasize “Water Cycles,” including groundwater and the climate, the two largest but mostly invisible pieces of our shared water inheritance. Tuesday will explore “Water Bodies,” delving into the science of monitoring lakes, rivers, wetlands, and watersheds and evaluating their health. Wednesday will focus on “Water Actions,” featuring examples and stories from the field that demonstrate how people and communities are tackling water challenges.
We invite you to submit a presentation proposal by filling out this Google Form. The deadline to submit is October 30, 2020.
Our theme for 2021 is “Navigating in Turbulent Times” and we will be looking to spotlight innovative ways that groups and individuals are continuing to advance their work in the face of unprecedented challenges.
Engaging participants during a virtual convention
Because we know that individuals are already feeling the fatigue caused by virtual meetings and learning events, we want to be sure that presentations have an engaging component. This may look different for each presenter depending on the content of the presentation as well as their comfort level. We want you to know that we will work with you to develop an interactive component if you’re interested, so please don’t feel overwhelmed.