Workshops are opportunities to engage in activities or have conversations with the broad goal of supporting chemistry learning. These activities or conversations might involve the exploration of lab pedagogies, brainstorming assessments that leverage empirical data or computational outputs, reflecting on written or video-recorded classroom data, etc. Workshops can also support the growth of scholarly activity in chemistry education by providing training in proposal writing, publishing/reviewing, research methods, etc. Importantly, workshops are meant to be interactive; workshop leaders and participants should work together and reflect on ways to improve chemistry teaching and learning. Workshops can be 1.5 hrs., 3 hrs., or a full day. If you are considering submitting a workshop proposal, we highly encourage you to read the workshop guidelines below.
Workshop Format
- Workshops can be 1.5 hrs., “half day”(3 hrs. of total contact time), or a “full day” (4.5 hrs. of total contact time)
Workshops are opportunities to engage in activities or have conversations with the broad goal of supporting chemistry learning. Importantly, workshops are meant to be interactive; workshop leaders and participants should work together and reflect on ways to improve chemistry teaching and learning, or to support the growth of scholarly activity in chemistry education. See Conference Block Schedule for Workshop slots.
Proposal Submission
We welcome workshop proposals from all members of the global chemistry education community. Before submitting, presenters should review the 2026 BCCE Thematic Framework and identify how their proposal aligns with the Conference Contexts and Intersectional Attributes. This framework was developed iteratively in discussion with the 2026 BCCE Program Committee, composed of members that provide geographic and disciplinary diversity, ensuring a broad and inclusive approach to conference planning.
Proposal abstracts are limited to 300 words. Abstracts should clearly articulate how the workshop addresses the review criteria outlined below including how it aligns with at least one Conference Context. Additionally, presenters should identify one or more Intersectional Attributes—keywords that further help to define the symposium’s purpose and intended audience. Most importantly, presenters should identify how workshop attendees will engage actively during the workshop session and explicitly address how this session will be different than a symposium talk. The Conference Contexts page provides examples of past BCCE workshops and their attributes to guide proposal development.
Review Process
The Workshop Committee will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:
- Necessity of Workshop Format: Activity requires in-person engagement with participants and cannot be replaced by a symposium, poster, Birds of a Feather, or exhibition.
- Clear Learning Objectives: Outcomes for participants must be clearly delineated and accomplishable in the workshop format and duration.
- Feasibility and Safety: Workshop plan can be safely accomplished in the classroom or laboratory spaces available.
- Relevance to Conference Contexts: Alignment with the overall conference themes.
- Innovative and Novel: Approaches that introduce fresh perspectives, methods, or emerging topics in chemistry education are encouraged.
- Practical Applicability: Potential for participants to gain useful insights, tools, or strategies for their teaching or research.
This review process aims to enhance meaningful engagement among attendees, while limiting the total number of sessions (N < 50), in alignment with ACS initiatives and feedback from past BCCE conferences. Proposals will be reviewed by the Workshop Committee. Organizers of similar workshops may be asked to merge their workshop or clarify their proposal.
Important Dates – All deadlines are hard deadlines!
- Request for Workshops opens August 1, 2025 and closes November 10, 2025
- Review of Workshops submission by program committee November 10 to December 15, 2025
- Workshop acceptances sent December 15, 2025
- Request for Written Workshop Plans (including materials, safety, A/V needs, delivery, clean-up etc.) opens March 15, 2026
- Workshop organizers view Safety Video by June 1, 2026
- Program schedule posted June 1, 2026
Guidelines/Expectations for Workshop Organizers
- You will be informed of the number of registered participants for your workshop at two times: June 15, 2026 and July 20, 2026..
- A significant percentage of time in the workshop should be devoted to active learning or some sort of engaged learning activity (i.e., workshops should not be seen as extended symposium talks). Workshops should not rely solely on traditional passive lecture methods.
- Workshop proposals should include clear learning objectives/outcomes (i.e., a specific statement about what the participants will gain from the workshop and/or a deliverable the participants can take back to their home institution). Proposals that do not include learning objectives or outcomes will not be accepted.
- Every effort will be made to schedule workshops in rooms with appropriate AV equipment when indicated in the workshop proposal. Workshop facilitators should include all AV needs in their Workshop Proposal. Not all classroom spaces come equipped with AV equipment; therefore, it is important to have a complete listing of your needs with the proposal.
- If a workshop requires participants to use a computer or other device, please indicate this in your workshop proposal so that participants know they must bring their own device. The UW Madison does not have computer labs available for use. If specialized software is needed, facilitators will want to bring enough licenses to accommodate all workshop participants.
- All workshop facilitators must pay the BCCE registration fee.
- All workshop participants must pay the BCCE registration fee.
Safety and Disposal Training
- As stated above, if your workshop is accepted for BCCE 2026, you will be required to provide the Written Workshop Plan, which contains logistical, safety and disposal information by March 15, 2026.
- Workshop organizers will view the appropriate Safety Videos and acknowledge this viewing by June 1, 2026.
Workshop Fees and Cancellation Policies
- Workshop organizers/facilitators must agree to abide by the BCCE workshop fee and cancellation policies upon submitting the workshop proposal. Any failure to abide by these policies will result in the workshop organizer/facilitator being banned from presenting workshops at future BCCEs.
- Workshop organizers/facilitators are encouraged to have a co-facilitator who can deliver the workshop in case of an emergency cancellation for the primary facilitator.
- The BCCE charges participants a $10 fee for attending a workshop to cover extra costs associated with workshops at UW Madison. Workshop facilitators may charge a participant fee, in $5 increments, for their workshop.
- Workshop facilitators may charge participants ONLY for expenses related to the materials (chemicals, consumables, copying) needed for the workshop, and the shipping of these materials to and from the BCCE location.
a. Workshop facilitators may not charge the BCCE, ACS DivCHED, or their workshop participants expenses associated with the facilitator’s travel, lodging, food, the BCCE registration fee, or other
personal expenses. - For a workshop leader to be reimbursed for the expenses associated with delivering the workshop, the workshop facilitator must submit receipts for materials, etc. to the BCCE prior to the conclusion of the conference. All fees in excess of reimbursable costs are retained by the BCCE.
- Workshop fees are considered conference revenue and are not available for workshop organizers/facilitators for compensation of their time.
- Workshop fees are nonrefundable. In other words, if a participant does not attend the workshop or conference and/or if they are unsatisfied with the workshop, they will not receive a refund.
- Should a workshop be canceled because of lack of registration, facilitator cancellation, or other causes, participants will be offered an alternative workshop to attend. Participants will be allowed to attend another workshop at the same conference, pending available space and agreement from the workshop facilitators. Should a suitable alternate workshop not be available at the same conference–for any reason–DivChed and BCC policy states the participant will lose their workshop fee.
- To cancel a workshop, organizers/facilitators must notify the Workshop Program Chairs at bcce2026@union.wisc.edu.
- Anyone who is listed as an organizer/facilitator of a workshop and who does not show at the conference or does not deliver their workshop (other than having an acceptable reason and being excused by the BCCE Program Chair), will be placed on a BCC and DivChed suspect list for the next BCCE meeting (two years). Such individuals will not be eligible to submit a workshop proposal for another BCCE until they agree to serve as a presider for a general paper session or poster session for a BCCE, an ACS regional meeting, or ACS national meeting.