Water and Sanitation in Africa and the Middle East Conference

We have invited researchers to submit an abstract for presentation during the Poster Session that was held during "Water and Sanitation in Africa and the Middle East", 28-29 October 2013, at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Abstracts submitted for oral and poster presentations should be within at least one of the themes shown below. Strong preference has been given to abstracts that demonstrate approaches which have been successfully implemented and sustained at scale with learning points that could be applied to other countries with similar conditions.

1. Access to clean water and improved sanitation in Africa and the Middle East
2. Agricultural water management, wastewater resource recovery and food production
3. Climate change and water resources and sanitation management
4. International Cooperation in Water and Sanitation Management
5. Water and Sanitation R&D: Issues, challenges and solutions

The Conference examined, discussed and distiled learning points from presentations offered by authors on water and sanitation under the five main themes. The focus was on practical solutions and real-life examples of functional systems, and included community, institutional, financial and technical aspects. Oral presentations was drawn from the best submissions to the call for abstracts, and invited speakers who are leaders in the field of Water and Sanitation in Africa and Middle East. Poster presentations accompanied oral presentations at the Conference to stimulate further learning and discussions.

Submission of Abstracts
Abstract Submission Guidelines (both Poster and Oral presenters)
Abstracts must contain adequate information to allow a sound review, including: a demonstration of the system implementation; effectiveness and sustainability; supporting statistical figures; learning points for future applications. Authors submitting abstracts for presentation at this Conference should consider the following:

1. Abstracts must describe, in a succinct manner, the purposes and results of the research so that the quality, originality, and comprehensiveness of the work can be evaluated by the Review Committee
2. Each abstract should contain:
a) An introductory sentence indicating the purposes of the study;
b) A brief description of pertinent experimental procedures, if applicable;
c) A summary of the new, unpublished data; and
d) A statement of the conclusions. Authors must accept sole responsibility for the statements in their abstracts.

3. Titles should be indicative of the content of the abstract. All words necessary to identify the subject matter should be included in the title to facilitate electronic retrieval (if applicable). Avoid non-standard abbreviations in abstract titles.
4. The abstract should not exceed 300 words, including the abstract title and keywords. The word limit excludes list of authors and author affiliations.
5. The accuracy of the submitted abstract is the responsibility of the authors. Every effort will be made to publish the abstract exactly as submitted. Authors should prepare and proofread their abstracts carefully prior to submission. Errors in your submitted abstract are likely to appear in print.
6. Authors are strongly encouraged to print a hard copy of their abstract for their records before submitting
7. Abstract submitters should indicate whether they are submitting for oral or poster presentation.
8. Please indicate the corresponding author with full name and email.
9. Abstract submitters will receive an initial notification of receipt. Notifications of abstract receipt will be sent to the corresponding author

Further Guidelines for Poster Presenters
Poster presenters must submit a draft poster which contains adequate information to allow a sound review, including a demonstration of the system implementation; effectiveness and sustainability; supporting statistical figures; learning points for future applications

• Dimensions of each poster should be 70 cm (width) x 100 cm (height) mounted vertically.
• The first author of the poster abstract is responsible for the proper assembly, mounting and presentation of his/her poster.
• The poster board surface consists of fabric over cork board. Pushpins can be used to mount the poster. Each presenter must provide pushpins for his/her display.
• The title, author(s) and author affiliations, and logos of institutions should be clearly visible at the top of each poster. Advertising material should NOT be used.
• The official language of the Poster Session will be English
• Illustrations and texts must be read from a distance of at least one-and-a-half meters away.
• The poster should be understandable without oral explanation. All lines should be heavily drawn.
• The poster should contain an abstract, an introduction, methodology, results and discussion with illustrations (such as figures, tables), conclusions and recommendations
• It is helpful to bring hand-outs of your poster, as well as your business card, to pass on to those who are interested.

Abstracts should be submitted to b.gyampoh@aasciences.org before 26 July 2013.

Review and Selection
On the basis of the abstracts received, a review by the Program Committee will be undertaken to select papers for the Conference and to decide the most appropriate format?oral or poster.
If selected, a maximum 8-page full manuscript must be submitted on schedule for inclusion in the Conference proceedings. At least one author of each selected paper or poster must register and attend the Conference to present the paper.

Support
Selected speakers and poster presenters have been offered support to attend and present their works. This might include the Conference registration fee, travel and accommodation

Deadlines
Abstract submission deadline 26 July 2013
Authors notified of selection 5 August 2013
Submission of complete papers 20 August 2013