Oral presentations

Abstracts can only be submitted via the NWO NAC website before the deadline of 4 December 2027 (for oral presentations) and 3 February 2027 (for posters and demonstrations). Abstracts sent via e-mail will not be accepted.  

In the abstract submission system you need to provide the following information: 

• Preferred type of presentation: Oral, poster presentation or demonstration. It is not possible to give both an oral presentation and present a poster. You can, however, indicate whether you would be open to a poster presentation if we are unable to accommodate your oral presentation. It is possible to apply for a demonstration alongside either an oral presentation or a poster. Should you wish to do that, please send us an email to nac@nwo.nl. 

Oral presentations: 

• Title of the abstract: The full title will be displayed in the book of abstracts in the app.
• Short title of the abstract: A short title will be displayed on the displays in the hallway of the conference venue. Please use no more than 5 words.
• Abstract text: The abstract body should be no longer than 250 words. The text should be clear, concise, and written in English with correct spelling and a good sentence structure. 
  Mathematical symbols and equations can be included. There is no option to include images, graphs or pictures.
• Abstract keywords: You have the possibility to add a maximum of 5 keywords to your abstract. Doing so can help the programme committee and conference visitors to easily identify the focus of your research.
• Topics: Based on the topics chosen, your abstract will be assigned to reviewers and into a scientific parallel session. The topics aid the Programme Committee in placing your abstract into the scientific programme. The topics are based on the foundations, synergies and three routes enabling framework and conditions described in the White Paper Earth and Environmental Sciences (EES) (p. 11-18). For more information on the topics, please check out the White Paper.
• Topic 1 (mandatory): These topics are based on the EES Synergies.
• Topic 2 (mandatory): These topics are based on the EES Foundations.
• Topic 3 (optional): These topics are based on the EES Framework & Conditions.
• Poster pitch: We will provide a pitch podium for poster presenters.
• How many years you have been in your current position: In case of equal fit of a presentation for an oral parallel session, preference will be given to early career researchers.
• Have you previously presented at NWO NAC and, if yes, what kind of presentation (oral or poster) you did and when: This information is asked so that as many different attendants as possible can get a chance to present their work.
• We need the following information from all co-authors:
• First name, family name, prefix, affiliation  

Make sure that all co-authors agree with you submitting this abstract. 

Abstracts should be carefully compiled and thoroughly checked, in particular with regard to the list of authors, before submission in order to avoid last-minute changes. 

Authors are allowed as first author to submit only a single abstract. Authors can be included as co-author on multiple abstracts. The submission of an abstract carries with it the obligation that it is actually presented at the meeting by the first author. If this is not possible, please withdraw your abstract as early as possible.  

There is no abstract submission or processing fee required.  

Submission of the same abstract by more than one author is not allowed. Duplicates identified by the Programme Committee will be rejected. 

The content of abstracts is the responsibility of their authors. The Programme Committee of NWO NAC reserves the right to reject abstracts that are not written in English, are not related to the fields of Earth and Environmental Sciences or do not meet basic standards of scientific quality. 

Participants are requested to upload their presentation before the start of their parallel session. Due to the amount of presentations and time constraints, it will not be possible to connect your laptop.

Presentations will be deleted from the laptops after the end of the session. Presentations can be shown using the latest versions of PowerPoint and Adobe Reader running on Microsoft Windows computer or laptop. The screen and beamer aspect ratio of the presentation is 16:9. It is recommended to provide the presentation as a PDF to ensure a smooth running presentation.

Tips to help you prepare your talk:

1. Know your audience

Provide a proper introduction to your research subject. As the parallel sessions at the conference will be programmed around broader (e.g. interdisciplinary) themes, part of your audience might be unfamiliar with the specifics of your field and methodology. Rehearse the talk, preferably with an audience that contains a person working in a different research field.

2. Focus

Keep the total amount of information in your talk limited and focused. An audience can cope with only a few new results and topics. Even if you have achieved several important breakthroughs, do not be tempted to include everything in one talk. In other words, make sure that your talk conveys a clear ‘take-home message’. Also, try to keep the amount of information per slide limited.

3. Keep your talk on time

It is requested to stay within the allotted time (15 minutes), including 3-5 minutes for questions and discussion. You can achieve this by limiting the total amount of slides. As a rule of thumb, allow for one to two minutes per slide. Put at least as much effort into the verbal explanation as the visual presentation of your presentation.

4. Think about your data presentation

Pay special attention to figures and diagrams. Never forget to explain what is on the axes (physical quantity, dimensions) or assume that the audience is familiar with diagrams that might be standard for researchers in your niche. Avoid complexity and take note that your audience might need some time to absorb and appreciate a figure.

5. Some additional tips

Ever wondered if the audience in the back of the room can read the text on your slides? Here is a tip: print a slide on an A4 sheet of paper and place it near your feet on the floor. If you cannot properly read the text on the slide whilst standing up, use a larger font size. Also, make your presentation standalone: if you include videos, test the internal linking such that it works on any laptop.