Guidelines - Call For Topics and Speakers

Building on our 20th anniversary conference in May 2023, the industry-leading Groundbreaking Women in Construction conference again seeks your ideas and input on key issues, trends and best practices shaping women's leadership among architecture, engineering and construction employers to create a thought-provoking and career-enhancing program next year!

Groundbreaking Women in Construction is so much more than just a conference—it serves as a catalyst to help women expand their presence, influence and career success in an ever changing industry—and to share, learn, challenge and inspire in their organizations. It also has grown into the leading talent development and networking event for construction industry professionals!

2024 Proposal Submission Deadline:
February 1, 2024

Submit Your Idea

Who should submit?

We encourage proposals from every demographic in all construction sectors—architecture, engineering, contracting, public and private owners, construction crafts, suppliers, technology specialists and academia. Our program will address content of value to professionals at all levels from senior executives to project managers, design engineers, tradespersons and early-career assignments.
You can submit as a single presenter or on behalf of a panel. Please provide panel topic and names/email contacts for proposed panelists, who should represent more than a single firm. All speakers receive complimentary attendance to the full conference, and all presentations are planned to take place live and in person (not pre-recorded or remote speaker participation).
We appreciate your input, but due to the limited timeframe of the event, not all proposals or proposed speakers can be accommodated. Conference organizers reserve the right to select and arrange topics and presenters as needed to fit the program as it develops.

What topics are preferred for speakers?

Groundbreaking Women in Construction is looking for fresh ideas that have not been addressed in previous programs. We're open to a new take on basic themes. On the submit form, please select which one of these categories is closest to your topic.

• Allyship - men advancing women
• Interactive or hands-on demonstrations or exhibits (team-building exercise, virtual reality demo)
• Retention programs, mentoring and incentives
• Technology (particularly AI impacts, value, application and ethics)
• Addressing future challenges (i.e., resilience, supply chain, economic trends, social justice)
• Project management, project delivery and operations
• Project and business leadership, team building and collaboration
• Networking tune-ups, being heard in meetings, writing what you mean
• How a personal brand and social media can raise your profile (company and industry)
• Strategies to foster diversity, equity and inclusion
• Work-life integration
• Career and skill development
• Fostering a safe and healthy workplace/jobsite
• The next big thing for women in construction
• Other

What are the guidelines for submissions?

• Conference organizers will weigh topics based on innovation, transformative potential, issue importance and Wow! factor.
• Please do not submit names of speakers who addressed Groundbreaking Women 2023 or repeat presentation/panel titles. See the 2023 agenda
• Proposals can come from multiple submitters in one organization on multiple topics, but to encourage broad industry participation, only one speaker from a particular employer will be chosen for the program. Coordination of multiple proposal topics from one organization into a single submitted proposal is recommended to speed our review.
• Groundbreaking Women in Construction does not cover the costs for materials or recording for speakers
• Speakers receive (1) free full conference registration to compensate them for their ideas, effort and time
• All proposals must be submitted through our web portal. Please do not email proposals.
• Questions? Email Groundbreaking Women in Construction Event Manager Andrea Pinyan at pinyana@bnpmedia.com

Important Dates

Submission Deadline:
February 1, 2024

Review:
Review process will take place in December 2023 - February 2024.

Notification:
We will notify you by email of the status of your submission by the end of February.

Submit Your Idea