Apply to Present at the 2027 Minnesota Autism Conference

Thank you for considering becoming a speaker at the 2027 Minnesota Autism Conference!

If you would like to work on your application over time or with others, we have created a draft form using Microsoft Word so that you may save and share information as you work on it. You can download that application here. When you’re ready, copy and paste your answers into the online form. Don’t forget to select the “submit application” button.

If you have questions about the submission process or your presentation, please reach out to Megan Anton at manton@ausm.org.

Breakout sessions will be delivered in person April 15 & 16, 2027, at the Doubletree by Hilton Minneapolis Airport Hotel.

When selecting breakout presenters, we expect that you are available on both days of the conference.

In the event that AuSM is unable to hold the conference in person, breakout session presenters may be asked to present virtually. Additionally, select speakers may be asked to record their sessions to be made available on demand for conference attendees.

We do not offer an honorarium nor cover expenses for breakout session presenters; however, speakers will receive complimentary conference registration.

Participants of the conference appreciate clear topic descriptions of what to expect during your session. If selected, your presentation must be consistent with the description provided in your proposal.

Proposals are due Friday, Nov. 6, 2026.

You will be notified via email by Dec. 11, 2026, whether your proposal is selected or not.

Presenter Roles & Responsibilities

All presenters will:

Confirm you can deliver your presentation within one week of selection.
Keep the title and content of session the same after the proposal has been accepted. (The committee may ask you to make some adjustments to your title or description.) .
Provide a PowerPoint presentation by Friday, March 19, 2027. As an accommodation, we provide attendees access to presentation materials two weeks prior to the event.
Follow the Universal Design Guidelines, which are ways to make your presentation more accessible. Guidelines will be provided to presenters.
Every conference room is equipped with a projector and microphone. Please bring any additional presentation equipment you require. MacBook users should bring an adapter to connect to the projector.

Factors Affecting Selection

The purpose of the Minnesota State Autism Conference is to provide a wide range of information to those affected by autism. Our goal is to offer relevant information for participants at all levels, including those who are new to autism and those who have years of experience.

The following factors will be considered when selecting proposals:

Thoughtful completion of ALL sections of the proposal and adherence to directions.
Relevance to conference participants.
Number of presentations on the same or similar topics and/or subtopics.
Content area coverage.
Presenters’ apparent level of expertise.
Professional and geographic distribution of presenters.
Presenters and topics reflective of the diversity of our community.

In 2027, AuSM will limit each presentation to a maximum of 4 speakers (including the moderator) for logistical and quality reasons.

Application

Please provide the following information for each presenter in your session:

Main Presenter Name*

First Last

Main Presenter Pronouns*

Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Email*

Phone*

Please give a short biography of the presenter, 100 words or less. This will be included on the conference website and in the program if your presentation is chosen.*

Additional Presenters

While in past years, AuSM has accepted applications for larger panels, in 2027 we are limiting the number of speakers per presentation to 4 (including moderator) for logistical and quality reasons.

How many presenters will be in your presentation?*

1
2
3
4

Second Presenter Name*

First Last

Second Presenter Pronouns*

Second Presenter Email*

Please give a short biography of the second presenter, 100 words or less. This will be included on the conference website and in the program if your presentation is chosen.*

Third Presenter Name*

First Last

Third Presenter Pronouns*

Third Presenter Email*

Please give a short biography of the third presenter, 100 words or less. This will be included on the conference website and in the program if your presentation is chosen.*

Fourth Presenter Name*

First Last

Fourth Presenter Pronouns*

Fourth Presenter Email*

Please give a short biography of the fourth presenter, 100 words or less. This will be included on the conference website and in the program if your presentation is chosen.*

Presentation Information

Title of presentation (15 words or less):*

Summary of presentation. This will be included in the conference program if your session is selected. This is the description that participants will see and is your chance to promote your session. Summaries may be edited.*

In your session summary, you had to describe your session in just 100 words. We understand that may be limited. If you'd like to share more about your session, use this section—note it will not be included in the conference program. Suggested information to include: -Explain the problem you are talking about -Give interesting points of view on your topic, or a point of view that causes arguments. -Explain what parts of the topic your presentation will address. -Share what unique insight you’ll bring.

Conference participants appreciate sessions that teach strategies, skills, or clear knowledge. Please share what you hope people will take away from your session. You can share in a paragraph form or bullet points. For example: participants will learn the most effective way to write budget line items in a waiver or participants will have new strategies for using a planner to support executive function.*

Intended audience: Please check all audiences for whom your session is applicable.*

Autistic individuals
Direct Support Providers (including community service providers, case managers, job coaches, etc.)
Educators (including paraprofessionals, administrators, etc.)
Family Members
Professionals (including BCBAs, mental health therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, etc.)

Life stages: please choose the age ranges your session will address*

Select All
Birth to five
School age
Transition to adulthood
Adulthood
Older adult
All life stages

Demographics

We recognize and celebrate the diversity of our community members, and we are looking for presentations that show this diversity. We think it is important to represent those who have not been allowed to speak in the past. We want to give these people chances to be heard, to help their messages reach more people, and learn from what they teach us. We expect all the presentations to talk about developmental disabilities like autism. Please tell us if your presentation will also cover any of the following topics:

Please tell us if your presentation will also cover any of the following topics:*

Complex or multiple disabilities
Mental health conditions
Non-speaking communication or AAC
LGBTQIA or gender diversity
Racial or cultural diversity
Aging
Greater Minnesota or Wisconsin/rural communities
None of the above

To help the committee understand your presentation better, share some information about how your presentation will include the diverse groups you checked in the previous question. What issues will you address? How is it relevant to these groups?

We want the people who present to be as diverse as our community is. To help us do that, we ask that you share more information about your identity, if you are comfortable doing that. Please select the groups you identify with:

Do you require accommodations during your presentation (for example: technology support, a particular timeslot, etc.)?

Please do not ask for a particular timeslot unless you need one as an accommodation.

By typing your name here you agree to all of the above and confirm that you are available to present during the 2027 Minnesota State Autism Conference. This typed name represents your signature.*