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University of Florida
Public Interest Communications Summer Institute

Request for Proposals

Share Your Big Ideas: Lead a Workshop or Panel at the 2026 Public Interest Communications Summer Institute

The 2026 Public Interest Communications Summer Institute invites scholars and practitioners to submit proposals for interactive workshops or panel discussions that advance evidence-based strategies for social change. We are looking for sessions that equip attendees with skills, knowledge and inspiration they can immediately apply in their institutions, courses, organizations or communities.

Workshops are our priority, but we will consider proposals for panel discussions. Workshops should be interactive and hands-on, and focus on teaching, research, practice or a combination. Panels provide opportunities for discussion among multiple voices on critical topics, though there will be fewer panel sessions than workshops.

Theme:  Belonging in Action: Public Interest Communications for a Divided World

In a world shaped by rapid technological change, divisions and shifting social norms, the concept of belonging has emerged as both urgent and multifaceted. Belonging speaks to the human need for connection, recognition and inclusion, yet it is increasingly contested in public discourse and institutional structures. Academic research has long underscored the importance of belonging for individual and collective well-being—Tajfel and Turner’s social identity theory (1979) situates belonging as foundational to group affiliation, while Baumeister and Leary (1995) argue it is a basic psychological need essential to motivation and mental health. In communication studies, belonging is further explored through narratives, language, media representation and organizational rhetoric that shape who is seen, heard and valued.

In the summer institute, we’ll explore belonging as a communicative practice and a contested space in this moment of division and global uncertainty. How do communication processes foster or constrain belonging? What factors go into deciding who belongs and who does not? Along with these questions, we recognize that fostering belonging and putting it into action often requires courage—to speak across differences, to challenge beliefs and to imagine new forms of connection. Drawing from interdisciplinary research and real-world experiences, we will explore critical, creative and community-engaged perspectives that reimagine belonging and chart a path forward. We ask attendees to consider not only where we belong, how belonging is being redefined across contexts and how those who are told they no longer belong are responding, but what we can do to foster belonging in our classrooms and communities.

We are particularly interested in proposals that focus on migration, rural communities, indigenous people and democratic processes – not just in the U.S. but throughout the world.

About the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute

Nuts and bolts

The Public Interest Communications Summer Institute is an annual gathering that brings together academics, administrators, graduate students and practitioners to learn, share and explore the growing academic discipline of public interest communications. Our aim is to equip a new generation of students with public interest communications and research skills to better position them to address challenging societal problems and adapt to an ever-shifting communications job market.

This year’s summer institute – our fifth! – will be May 19–21, 2026, at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Learn more about the institute here. See 2025 program and speakers here, 2024 program and speakers here,  2023 program and speakers here and 2022 program and speakers here.

Why attend?

The summer institute is a great place to meet others working in the public interest communications space, make new connections and friends, and gather ideas to take back to your institutions. College and university instructors can learn new teaching techniques and, through our syllabus workshop, get help with incorporating public interest communications into existing syllabi. College and university administrators can leave with ideas for new course offerings for students. Academic researchers may find potential collaborators, while graduate students have an opportunity to present and get feedback on research and research ideas in a friendly, low-stress environment. Practitioners can hear about the latest academic research pertaining to the field, meet fellow practitioners and learn about opportunities to teach.

What We’re Looking For: Theme, Attendees and Format

Attendees

The summer institute brings together academics, administrators, graduate students and practitioners to learn, share and explore the growing academic discipline of public interest communications. Academics include faculty, researchers, adjunct instructors and graduate students, both master’s and doctoral students. Most practitioners who attend also teach or are interested in becoming college or university instructors. Professionals who present often are from advocacy organizations, foundations or other entities located near the venue.

Attendance at the summer institute is usually between 100 and 150. The size of the gathering provides an opportunity for people to get to know each other and make connections. 

Proposal Format

We welcome proposals across disciplines, including, but not limited to, communications, journalism, public relations, media studies, sociology, political science, public health, psychology, environmental studies and more. Proposals may be from academics at all levels—from graduate students to established researchers—as well as professional practitioners. To get a sense of the formats, view last year’s program here.

We offer the following categories of sessions:

  1. Research. In these sessions, academics present research about topics relevant to public interest communications.
  2. Practice. In these sessions, professional public interest communicators – often from the local area – offer case studies, explain their work and offer tips.
  3. Research and practice. These sessions combine a researcher and a professional to offer different angles on the same topic. For instance, a 2025 workshop paired an academic who presented research about charitable giving communications with a professional who oversaw fundraising for a local nonprofit.
  4. Teaching. These sessions offer hands-on pedagogical lessons and provide an opportunity for instructors to learn from others and discuss their classroom challenges.
  5. Panel discussion. These sessions feature up to four panelists who offer varying views on an issue.

Workshop and Panel Proposal Details

  • Session length: 75 minutes
  • Workshop teams: Maximum of three presenters
  • Panel teams: Maximum of four presenters
  • Session type: Teaching, research, practice or a combination

Proposal Submission Requirements

Please submit a PDF including the following information:

  1. Title of the workshop or panel
  2. One- to two-paragraph description of the session, including goals and format 
  3. Names, titles, disciplines, and affiliations of all session leaders
  4. Session type: Teaching, research, practice or combination
  5. Who it’s for: Indicate who will benefit most (e.g., teachers, researchers, practitioners or a combination)
  6. Relevance to the theme: How does the proposed session relate to the institute theme?
  7. Interactive elements: How will attendees actively engage (for workshops only)? What knowledge, skills or insights will attendees gain?

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

  • Originality and innovation
  • Relevance to public interest communications 
  • Relevance to the theme
  • Potential for real-world impact, both in communities and in the classroom
  • For workshop proposals: engagement and interactivity for participants 

Submission Instructions

Submit your proposal using this form by Oct. 31, 2025. Selected presenters will be notified by Nov. 30, 2025.

References

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation.Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497

Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1979). An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In W.G. Austin, & S. Worchel (Eds.), The social psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 33–47). Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.