Event Details | Types of Sessions | Submission Process | Resources | Timeline |Potential Session Topics
Deadline: CLOSED. Speaker selection is complete.
Event Details
- Dates: Thursday, May 1, 2025 and Friday, May 2, 2025
- Format: The event will be offered both in-person and virtually. All sessions will be recorded and available to attendees to view for one year following the 2025 event.
Live and Pre-Recorded Speaker Sessions
For the 2025 Project Management Symposium, the University of Maryland plans to have two types of presentations:
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- In-person session speakers presenting live in 4 concurrent tracks (36 total sessions over the 2 days). Session is 45 minutes in length: 5 minute introduction, 30 minute speaker presentation, and 10 minutes for Q&A.
- On-demand presentations that will be pre-recorded and posted to the Symposium website one week prior to the in-person event. Presentation is 30-45 minutes in length.
Submission Process
1) Submit Presentation Description + 2 Minute Video
Includes submittal of: presentation title, description, speaker bio and headshot plus a 1-2 minute video. The video is simply a recording of you telling us about your presentation and why Project Managers would be interested in your specific topic.
2) Review by UMD to select in-person and on-demand speakers. UMD will send out an email to all selected speakers.
3) Selected speakers attend a webinar to discuss the draft presentation submission and review process.
3) All selected speakers, submit draft presentation (in UMD developed PowerPoint template). If the speaker has never spoken at a previous symposium, then a recording of you delivering the presentation will be required (government employees are exempt from this requirement).
Submitted presentations fall into three categories:
a) Refine and submit an updated presentation for a final review (would submit a final version as well)
b) Refine and submit a final presentation for delivery in-person
c) Refine and submit a final PowerPoint presentation plus a recording of you delivering your presentation (on-demand speakers only).
Speaker Resources
- Speaker Guidance
- Presentation Template
- Paper Format Guidelines
- Sample slides from the 2024 event: Meah-Ali: Guiding the Future of PM and Richards: Guiding he PMs of the Future
- Sample on-demand session from the 2024 PM Symposium: Alan Zucker: Agile is Everywhere
Speaker Timeline
Below are the important deadlines for speakers for the 2025 Symposium.
| Sept 3, 2024 | Call for speakers opens |
| Nov 18, 2024 | Call for speakers ends |
| Dec 11, 2024 | Notification of accepted speakers (via email) |
| Jan 1, 2025 | Deadline for speaker acceptance |
| Jan 15, 2025 | Program posted on website |
| Jan 16, 2025 | Mandatory Speaker Webinar to discuss presentation submittal and review process, plus Day of Event logistics for in-person speakers |
| Jan 31, 2025 | Registration deadline for all speakers |
| March 10, 2025 | Draft Presentations Due (all session speakers) |
| March 24, 2025 | Feedback from Session Moderators to On-demand Speakers |
| March 31, 2025 | Feedback from Session Moderators to In-person Speakers |
| April 7, 2025 | Recorded Sessions Completed and Submitted (on-demand sessions only) |
| April 9, 2025 | Webinar to discuss final day of event logistics (Mandatory for In-Person Speakers) |
| April 11, 2025 | Completed Papers Due (optional) |
| April 11, 2025 | Final Presentations due (in-person speakers) |
| April 18, 2025 | On-demand recorded sessions posted to Symposium website for viewing by attendees |
| May 1-2, 2025 | Project Management Symposium – delivered live |
Potential Session Topics
- Lean, Agile and Product
- DevOps
- Agile at Scale
- Hybrid Project Management
- Lean Process and Product Management
- Product Management
- Federal Programs
- Agile Implementation on Large Scale Projects
- Acquisition Innovation in Federal Programs
- Artificial Intelligence in Federal Programs and Projects
- Cross-Agency Collaboration to Ensure Mission Success
- Improving Delivery Success
- Program and Project Management challenges and Success Stories from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
- Strategies for Cloud Migration
- Project Management 4.0
- Artificial Intelligence
- Smart Contracts
- Open Innovation
- Project or Gig Economy
- Automated and Empowered Workforces
- Data Analytics & Digital Transformation
- Strategic Project Management
- Leadership Development
- Organizational Change Management
- Integrated Project Management
- Performance Management
- Project Management Focus Skills
- Stakeholder Engagement & Communications
- Change Management
- Risk Management & Resilience
- Project, Program and Portfolio Management
- People in Projects
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Emotional Intelligence
- Mentoring – Building Future PMs
- Productivity and Performance Management
- Strengths Based Management
