Be a Presenter at the 2026 IMATA Conference

2026 Theme – Innovation Universe: Exploring the Future of Animal Care & Training
‍IMATA invites trainers, researchers, veterinarians, educators, and professionals from across the marine animal care community to submit abstracts for presentation at the 2026 IMATA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. Through this year’s theme, Innovation Universe, the 2026 conference will spotlight forward-thinking ideas, evidence-based practices, and practical innovations shaping the future of animal care, training, welfare, and education.
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Presentation Formats:

• Formal Presentations are 15-minute presentations with 5-minutes of moderated Q&A and a topic or project of the authors choice. Ideal for completed research, case studies, program outcomes, and methodological innovations.
  NOTE: Only Word Documents (.doc, .docx) or plain text files (.txt) may be submitted for consideration.
• Poster Presentations are visual presentations of research, projects, case studies, or emerging ideas. Posters are on display throughout most of the conference for attendees to view with a dedicated poster presentation with direct attendee interaction.
  NOTE: Only Word documents (.doc, .docx) or text files (.txt, .rtf) may be submitted for consideration.

All submissions will be reviewed through IMATA’s standard abstract review process to ensure quality, relevance, and clarity.

Key Dates:
Abstract Submission Window Opens: 1 March 2026
Abstract Submission Closes: 1 May 2026
Presenters Notified of Status: Beginning of June 2026‍

‍INNOVATION UNIVERSE: Expanding the Experience

As part of the Innovation Universe theme, select sessions may also be considered for expansion into interactive breakout sessions. These sessions are designed to explore ideas more deeply through facilitated discussion, applied learning, or collaborative problem-solving. Participation in these expanded formats is optional and will only be pursued in collaboration with authors whose topics naturally lend themselves to interactive engagement. Submitting an abstract does not require designing an interactive session, nor does it affect consideration for standard oral or poster presentations.

Topics of Interest:

• Animal training, care, and welfare methodologies/theory
• Veterinary care, husbandry, health, and welfare
• Behavior, enrichment, and social management
• Guest and public facing projects or case studies
• Marine animal research
• Innovative solutions to industry or behavior challenges

Both academic and applied perspectives are encouraged.