The Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington is excited to open the call for proposals for the 2024 Public Management Research Conference (PMRC), sponsored by the Public Management Research Association (PMRA).

The conference will be held June 26-29, 2024 in Seattle, Washington, USA. We welcome proposals on all topics relevant to public management and administration, including but not limited to topics connected to the conference theme: Engaged Scholarship: Bringing Theory to Practice.

PMRC 2024 is using EasyChair, an online conference management system, for all types of proposals (other than webinars). To submit a proposal, create an account in EasyChair.

All proposals must be submitted no later than December 15, 2023. Notifications of proposal acceptance or rejection will be sent in mid‐February 2024. If a proposal is
accepted, the presenter must register for the conference in to ensure the proposal is included in the program.

We welcome proposals on all topics relevant to public management and administration, including but not limited to topics connected to the conference theme: Engaged Scholarship: Bringing Theory to Practice. To advance this theme, we invite participants to consider the practical implications of public management scholarship, including how research findings might provide usable knowledge for practitioners.

To promote an inclusive conference and vibrant intellectual community, we are aiming to accept a high rate of proposals. To make this possible, we are enacting the following practices:

• Each individual will be restricted to one research presentation opportunity. You may co-author multiple proposals, but you may not present more than one research project. If you have multiple proposals accepted, you will be asked to clarify presenters and/or withdraw proposals accordingly.
• In addition to traditional research panels, the conference will also feature research presentations in the forms of lightning talks, roundtable discussions, and poster sessions. Each of these formats is described in more detail below.
• The program committee will sort proposals into presentation categories based on the descriptions below. Submitters are asked to indicate their preferences associated with the various presentation formats. A greater willingness to present in multiple formats will increase the likelihood that a proposal is accepted.

In addition to research proposals, we invite proposals for percolator sessions and pre-conference workshops. Each of these are described below.

All proposal types (research presentations, percolator sessions, and pre-conference workshops) will require submitting:

• Contact information for authors
• Title and abstract (250 word limit)
• Keywords relevant to the proposal
• A key research question or puzzle that is motivating the proposal
• Two academic references that are foundational to the proposal
• Details about diversity of author(s) regarding: student status, first-time PMRC attendee, based outside the U.S., based in the Global South, or from a historically underrepresented racial or ethnic group

These submission details will help the program committee assess the readiness of proposals, group proposals for conference sessions, and foster diversity among presenters.

Research Proposal Categories

The program committee welcomes paper proposals featuring high-quality empirical and theoretical research as well as research designs.

• Empirical paper proposals will be evaluated based on the significance and readiness of the research question, design, methods, data, and implications. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches are all welcome. Empirical proposals will require submitters to state the status of their data collection.
• Theoretical paper proposals will be evaluated based on the extent to which the proposal provides insight into a compelling public management subject, identifies foundational assumptions and key concepts, results in meaningful critiques of accepted theory, asserts guiding propositions or testable hypotheses, or develops helpful conceptual frameworks and research agendas.
• Research design proposals are also encouraged. One of the most crucial times for input about a research project is at the design stage. We invite detailed, theoretically-driven research design proposals. Research design proposals will be evaluated based on the significance and quality of the research question, design, and potential implications.

Research Presentation Formats

Selected research proposals will be accepted for one of the following presentation formats:

• Traditional panel presentation: Proposals accepted for traditional panel presentations will be arranged into panel sessions. Each panel session will include approximately four presenters, with each presenting their research for 12-15 minutes, plus time for feedback and Q&A.
• Lightning talk: Lightning talk presenters will give a short (~5 minute) overview of their research. Lightning talks will be grouped into sessions of approximately 8-10 presenters, plus time for feedback and Q&A.
• Roundtable discussion: Roundtable discussion presenters will be grouped by topic into discussion-based sessions. These discussions are intended for earlier-stage or less-developed research proposals. Presenters will have the opportunity to share their research in an informal conversation facilitating connection and development. Wherever possible, roundtable discussions will include senior scholars.
• Poster presentation: Poster presenters will display their research in a visual format. Poster sessions facilitate one-on-one conversations when presenters can speak with attendees about their research. Poster presenters will be eligible to receive poster-specific prizes.

Panel Proposals

The program committee encourages the submission of complete panels consisting of four individual research proposals and a panel chair. Panel submissions should bring together complementary papers that tackle compelling research questions or subjects of study in public management.

To submit a panel proposal, each research proposal must be submitted separately. Please indicate the panel title and panel chair in the associated “Panel identification” field as part of the submission process.

The program committee may alter panels to remove individual papers that do not meet review criteria or to add an individual paper submission that fits well with the panel, particularly if dropouts occur. The program committee plans to do so sparingly.

Percolator Sessions

Percolator sessions offer an opportunity to join colleagues in facilitated discussions about significant and timely issues in public administration and management. These are participatory sessions in which a team convenes a discussion about a specific topic. These topics could cover a wide variety of issues linked to research, teaching, or the profession, though the topic should be broader than a single research study. We are especially enthusiastic about percolators that address the conference theme “Engaged Scholarship: Bringing Theory to Practice.” Proposals for percolator sessions must be submitted through the online system and include the following information:

1. Title
2. Statement of objectives and importance to the field
3. Detail on the length and format of the session
4. Names and affiliations of session organizers and leaders
5. Ideal number of participants

The proposal should not exceed 7500 characters with spaces. Percolator proposals do not count towards the limit of 1 research presentation per person.

Pre-Conference Workshops

The conference will feature a limited number of pre-conference workshops to be held on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. These sessions are meant to be engaged learning opportunities. We encourage workshop proposals on any topic that has significant potential for advancing public management research and impact. Sessions/workshops will typically be planned as half day or full day. Proposals for pre-conference sessions and workshops must be submitted through the online system and include the following information:

1. Title
2. Statement of objectives and importance to the field
3. Detail on the length and format of the session
4. Names and affiliations of session organizers and leaders
5. Ideal number of participants

The proposal should not exceed 7500 characters with spaces in length. Workshop proposals do not count towards the limit of 1 research presentation per person.

Virtual Content on Special Public Management Topics

The program committee is also seeking proposals for webinars or virtual content that will be hosted entirely online – enabling participation from around the world. These webinars will provide access to PMRC content for those members who cannot travel to PMRC 2024. Those interested in organizing and implementing virtual/online content should email pmrc@uw.edu with proposal details.

PMRC 2024 is using EasyChair, an online conference management system, for all types of proposals (other than webinars). To submit a proposal, create an account in EasyChair at https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=2024pmrc.

Once you have an active account and are logged on, please select “submit as author” for all types of proposal submissions, you will then be able to select the type of submission you would like to make.

All proposals must be submitted no later than December 15, 2023.

Research proposals will be evaluated using a double-blind peer review process with a review team providing recommendations to the program committee. Individuals will be limited to one research presentation as presenter, though there are no restrictions on co-authorship or submissions for percolator sessions and pre-conference workshops.

Notifications of proposal acceptance or rejection will be sent in mid-February 2024. If a proposal is accepted, the presenter must register for the conference in to ensure the proposal is included in the program.

If you have any other questions, comments, or concerns regarding conference submissions, please contact pmrc@uw.edu.