2025 ATRA San Antonio - A Summit on the Future of Recreational Therapy

Location: Menger Hotel - 204 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio TX 78205

Dates: October 18 - 20, 2025

Proposals are due by May 1, 2025 with speakers notified by the end of June.

This Call for Presentations is for all RESEARCH INSTITUTE sessions ONLY (oral and poster presentations). These will be held in-person at the 2025 ATRA Annual Conference in San Antonio. Research Institute Oral Presentation Sessions will be held on Sunday, October 19th or Monday, October 20th. Posters will be displayed Sunday, October 19th through Monday, October 20th. 

Options for Research Presentations:

• Oral -  15 minute presentation with 5 - 10 minute Q & A; oral presentations are grouped by topics to create focused research sessions 
• Poster - displayed at the conference with researchers asked to be present at their posters during specific times for Q & A with attendees and jurors 

ATRA is excited to offer an optional digital format for poster presentations in 2025. While poster presentations will still take place in person, accepted presenters will also have the opportunity to submit a digital copy of their poster, a short video presentation (under 5 minutes), and a headshot/biography for conference-wide access.

This year, poster presenters are encouraged to submit a digital format of their poster in addition to their in-person presentation. Instructions for digial submissions will be provided after acceptance.

Researchers will be asked to select from the options noted above, as well as to submit an ABSTRACT (following the provided template), a bio statement, and headshot with their proposal. The speaker agreement, bio and headshot will be used if your research presentation is accepted. Proposals will not be considered complete until all components are submitted. Abstracts for publication will be due by DECEMBER 1, 2025. You must follow the provided abstract template or it will be rejected from inclusion in the Abstract Publication. 

Current research that is relevant to Recreational Therapy practice, populations, interventions, and professional issues are encouraged. 

Research oral presentations are grouped in sets of two or three to create focus sessions, and are presented in individual concurrent time slots alongside general education sessions.

Research posters presentations are judged by a panel will review the poster onsite. 

Speaker Discount

The primary speaker for each Research Institute presentation (oral and poster) will be awarded a speaker discount. The primary speaker will be responsible to work out with their co-presenters an agreement on the speaker discount; ATRA will only award one speaker discount towards conference registration. A submitted proposal includes your agreement with the speaker agreement. Speakers are responsible for their own meals, lodging, transportation, CEs, handouts and registration fees (minus the waiver).  

Questions about Research Institute sessions should be directed to:

• Oral Presentations: Tommy Means  wmeans@uwlax.edu
• Poster Presentations: Brittany Oom education@atra-online.com

Questions about the ATRA Conference should be directed to info@atra-online.com