Selection of the SLAS Podium Presentations
In assembling the program, the SLAS2026 Program Committee selects qualifying podium presentations from the abstracts received in the Call for Abstracts submission period. To qualify for consideration for the SLAS Innovation Award, an abstract must be received prior to the Call for Abstracts deadline of Monday, September 8, and the author must opt-in for consideration using the appropriate checkbox. When opting in, applicants will be asked to provide a statement of key innovation and impact of their work to the SLAS community.
Preliminary Screening
Working from the conference's selected abstracts, the panel of judges scores all abstracts that have been identified (opted in) as candidates for the SLAS Innovation Award. Short course instructors, poster presenters and plenary speakers* are not eligible unless they have also been accepted into the SLAS2026 Scientific Program. All candidates must adhere to the SLAS abstract submission policies, timelines, rules and regulations.
How Preliminary Screening Works
The SLAS2026 Program Committee selects podium presentations for the SLAS2026 International Conference and Exhibition. The panel of judges will review and score the abstracts (See "Scoring" below). The Chair assigns all abstracts for evaluation to the panel of judges. A minimum of two judges will score each podium presentation.
Upon completion of the first scoring phase, the panel of judges will convene by teleconference to select the top 20 to 25 candidate presentations. These top candidates will be offered the opportunity to submit an extended abstract for review by the panel. The judges strongly encourage an extended abstract to allow better differentiation of the leading candidates. Failure to submit information in time for the next selection phase will jeopardize the candidate’s chances for inclusion as a finalist.
The judges will review the extended abstracts and then meet again to narrow the candidate pool to five (5) finalists. Upon completion of the second phase, the SLAS Innovation Award judges will announce the SLAS Innovation Award finalists who will present their work at the conference.
New — Short Video Pitch
As part of the SLAS Innovation Award finalist selection process, we’re introducing a new and simple step: a short video pitch to accompany your extended abstract.
This video is not about production quality — it’s about giving our judges a quick, clear understanding of your innovation and its impact on the SLAS community. Think of it as your 5-minute elevator pitch. We’re not judging your video skills — we’re evaluating your ability to articulate the core of your innovation in a compelling and accessible way. This video helps the judging panel gain a deeper understanding of your work and will also serve to showcase your research to SLAS attendees in advance of the conference. Please refrain from relying on demos or slides.
What We’re Looking For:
In your video, please cover:
- What is the innovation?
- Why does it matter?
- How will it impact the field and/or the SLAS community?
- Any other top-line reasons why your work is a strong candidate for the SLAS Innovation Award.
Submission Guidelines:
- Length: Up to 5 minutes
- Format: Video (preferred) or audio-only if needed
- Style: Single take, no editing necessary — a mobile phone recording is perfectly fine
- Tone: Clear, concise and conversational
Request for Additional Information
As part of the preliminary screening process, and in coordination with the Chair and panel of judges, a candidate author may be contacted to answer further questions.
*Plenary (keynote) speakers are not eligible to submit their plenary talk for consideration for the SLAS Innovation Award. However, individuals giving a plenary talk may also choose to submit an abstract to be considered for the SLAS2026 Scientific Program and to be considered for the SLAS Innovation Award upon acceptance into the program.