This in-person event is open only to people who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

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Call for Lightning Talks

Although not quite as fast as lightning, these talks are designed to be quick—five minutes or less, to be exact. Inspire Esri's user community with a short Lightning Talk about your imaginative idea using GIS.

  • 2022 deadline

    Lightning Talks are submitted via email. The deadline to submit a Lightning Talk is Tuesday, May 31, 2022.

    Submit your Lightning Talks

  • How it works

    Review the eligibility and requirements before submitting your Lightning Talk. Our committee will evaluate your slides and make selections based on topic, content, and time availability. All authors will be notified after the selection process.

  • Tips and guidelines

    Submissions should tell inspiring stories that illustrate how you are using Esri GIS technology to positively impact your communities and/or industries.

    View tips and guidelines
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Excited person wearing glasses and a striped t-shirt grins broadly against a yellow background with the words Lightning Talk in black

Eligibility and requirements

Lightning Talks are open to any member of the Esri user community. Space is limited, so send us your best work. All submissions must include the following:

  • Author/presenter name(s)
  • Presentation title (10 words or less)
  • Company name
  • Complete address, phone, and email information
  • Brief presenter biography (25 words or fewer)
  • Abstract (1,200 characters or fewer, including spaces): Do not include information in your abstract that will not be in your presentation.
  • Keyword set (list only 3–5 keywords): Keywords are used to organize presentations into appropriate sessions, so choose words that clearly describe the main ideas of your work.
  • Please send a unique, fun fact about yourself that we can share with the audience when you are introduced.
  • You must submit your slides with your submission for review. This can include PowerPoint, Keynote, or Reveal slides.

The information you enter will be published on the website and the agenda. Avoid using bullets or numbering in your abstract description as they will cause formatting issues. Presentations will need to be in English. Keep in mind that Lightning Talks are not sales demonstrations or infomercials for your products and services. Your talk should be informative and educational. This is an opportunity to share your work and ideas with the goal of providing useful takeaways for the audience.

Submit your Lightning Talk

Abstract topics

This year, we are particularly interested in the following topics:

  • 3D

  • Apps and app development

  • ArcGIS Pro

  • Cartography/Mapping

  • Enterprise

  • Field mobility

  • Geodatabase

  • Imagery/Raster

  • Location analytics

  • Online

  • Python

  • Real-time GIS

  • Runtime

  • Solutions

  • Spatial analysis and data science

  • Web

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Questions to be answered

  • What problem did you solve with GIS?

  • What advantage did GIS give you?

  • Did you find a more useful way to do something?

  • What difficulties did you overcome to solve your utility/department problems?

  • What are your findings or results?

  • How can this project be useful for the audience?

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Submission guidelines

  • Be clear

    Ensure your abstract reflects your presentation. Nothing upsets attendees more than signing up for a session that's not as advertised.

  • Be enthusiastic

    Make sure your content is not only relevant but also exciting. What invaluable information will you share during the session?

  • Be precise

    Who's the target audience? What products or topics does this session cover outside the topic? What roles specifically will benefit from this session?

  • Be original

    Attendees want to see new presentations that cover the latest innovations in technology. Take the time to create well-written titles, abstracts, and outlines and select the appropriate audience and skill level.

  • Be educational

    Be sure your proposal doesn't sound like a sales pitch for your products or services but rather an exciting opportunity for attendees to learn something new.

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Helpful tips

  • Focus on Esri technology

    Your presentations should detail how you've leveraged Esri technology to overcome a challenge and realize success in your project.

  • Be specific

    Please provide any pertinent information that will help us understand your selection of discipline. This helps us determine the appropriate topic category for your presentation.

  • No product promotion allowed

    All papers and presentations must be noncommercial. The audience is there to learn techniques and be inspired by what you built and the way you solved problems. We want these sessions to have useful takeaways—something attendees can use right away—rather than sales pitches for your company's products and services.

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Frequently asked questions

Am I allowed to promote my product?

No. Product promotion is not allowed. All papers and presentations must be noncommercial. While we understand you have products and services to sell, these sessions should be inspiring, informative, and educational rather than a series of exhibit booth sales demos.

How are abstracts chosen?

Our committee will evaluate your abstract and slides. We will make selections based on topic and content. All authors will be notified after the selection process.

Lightning Talk submissions are due Tuesday, May 31.

What is provided to presenters before and during the conference?

Presenters will be provided with necessary presentation information as well as their presentation time slot and instructions. During the conference, Esri staff will help facilitate the session with you and the other presenters.

How long should my presentation be?

Lightning Talks must be five minutes or less.

Who can submit a Lightning Talk?

Lightning Talks are open to any member of the Esri user community.

Submit your Lightning Talk abstract

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