2019 5th Biennial Society for Implementation Research Collaboration Conference at University of Washington, Seattle, WA

The 5th Biennial SIRC Conference will take place on September 13-14, 2019.

The Preconference will be held on September 12, 2019.

Where the Rubber Meets the Road: The Intersection of Research, Policy, and Practice

Call for Abstracts

The deadline has passed to submit an abstract. The submission portal closed on April 1, 2019 at 11:59pm PST

The field of implementation science has evolved over the past decade with advances in the development of implementation frameworks, strategies and tools. The importance of using structured implementation strategies has been increasingly emphasized by funders and support for implementation research has grown across disciplines. However, the original goals of implementation science, to bridge the gap between research and practice by implementing and sustaining evidence-based practices and programs in real world settings, has for some practitioners and policy makers, been further complicated by the challenges of applying the advances made in implementation science. Questions have been raised about the relevancy of implementation research to practitioners in the field along with the value and utility of implementation tools and frameworks in real world settings. The goal of the 5th Biennial Conference of the Society for Implementation Research Collaboration (SIRC) is to explore the ways in which research, policy and practice intersect to advance the field and improve outcomes for populations served. Where does the “rubber meet the road” and how do our advances in implementation science have a direct and relevant impact on policies and programs in real world settings?

We hope to address some of the following questions and concerns:

  • How has the field of implementation science advanced (or not) through the intersection of research, policy and practice?
  • Where are the biggest gaps emerging between research, policy and practice? And why?
  • What can implementation researchers, practitioners and intermediaries learn from each other?
  • How do implementation practitioners and intermediaries use tools and strategies that have been developed by researchers in real world settings?
  • How can we adapt lessons learned from implementation science in ways that are culturally and contextually appropriate?
  • What are the mechanisms, or processes for change, that are used by researchers, practitioners/intermediaries and policy makers?
  • What are examples of researchers and practitioners/intermediaries working together to advance the field of implementation science and overcome barriers and challenges?
  • What systemic changes are required to better foster collaboration between research, policy and practice?
  • How are implementation researchers and model developers influenced by work that is going on in the field?
  • How have policy makers been influenced by implementation science?
  • What are examples the strategies for collaboration between policy makers/funders and implementation experts?
  • How have implementation frameworks been successfully applied in real world settings?
  • What are examples of how implementation tools and strategies have been used to improve practice and outcomes?
  • How do practitioners/intermediaries and policy makers sort through and select appropriate implementation frameworks, strategies and tools?

At SIRC, we hope that our 2019 conference provides the opportunity for implementation researchers, intermediaries, practitioners, policy makers and students to convene, share innovations and ideas, and learn from one another. We believe that, more than ever, it is important to create a space where interactive dialogue can enable us to better understand each other’s perspectives and advance our field.

We encourage participants in our conference to submit proposals reflecting collaborative work and we will prioritize submissions that can demonstrate the intersection of research, policy, and practice through collaboration, lessons learned, and application of implementation science in real world settings. If a collaborative presentation is not possible, we encourage proposals that describe how the intersection of research, policy and practice impact your work. For example, an implementation researcher may describe how working with the practice community has influenced the development of frameworks, tools and strategies. A policy maker, implementation practitioner or intermediary organization might include in their proposal the ways in which research has impacted their work or the ways in which they have utilized or adapted research based frameworks, tools and strategies.

We invite submissions for oral presentations of 15-20 minutes, 30-60 minute panel presentations, 90 minute symposia, or posters. Presentations not accepted for oral format will automatically be considered for poster format unless declined by author.

Panel presentations should be focused on a single theme and a lead discussant/facilitator should be identified. Panels can include up to four participants plus the discussant/facilitator.

In order to submit a symposium, a symposium chair and discussant must be identified, along with 3 to 4 oral presentations. The symposium presentations must have a common theme, upon which the discussant will summarize and comment. A symposium presentation may be 3-4 thematically connected but distinct projects or one or two projects that include multiple perspectives (e.g., a practitioner, intermediary and researcher talking about the project from their respective positions).

All non-symposia submissions will be categorized by theme at the discretion of the Program Committee. Poster submissions are welcome from researchers, intermediaries, practitioners and policy makers at all stages of their career.

Submissions must include:

1) Title of presentation;

2) Abstract(s) of 350 words or less, (AMA-style references, numbered in order of appearance, are recommended for research-specific abstracts);

3) For oral presentations only: Three references (this is a requirement for the presentation to be eligible for CEU credits). Only papers that have been published, are in press, or are available through public e-print/preprint servers should be included in the reference list. Journal abbreviations should follow MEDLINE standards;

4) 3-5 learning objectives per abstract;

5) 3-5 key words that describes your abstract;

6) All authors’ names and affiliations;

7) Stage of research project (i.e., data being collected, data collected, data collected and analyzed) or project implementation phase (i.e., in process, in progress, completed);

8) Acknowledgements may also be included.

For symposia, a summary abstract, as well as individual presentation abstracts must be submitted together. Panels should have one consolidated abstract but indicate all of the presenters. For all submissions, please type or copy and paste your abstract text (350 words or less) into the Abstract field in the submission portal. Finally, please select a track or tracks that you believe best fits your submission. The tracks listed are not final, the conference committee may add additional tracks based on presentations.

Possible tracks to select from (you will be asked to select all that apply):

  • Implementation Practice Track: Where the rubber meets the road—applications and adaptations of implementation tools and strategies in real world settings
  • Policy & Implementation Track: The intersection between policy and implementation science and/or practice
  • Technology Track: The use of technology to advance implementation science
  • Measurement and Monitoring Track: Advances in and applications of implementation measurement and monitoring
  • Other: Indicate this track if your presentation does not clearly fit into one or more of the above

The submission portal closed on April 1, 2019 at 11:59pm PST

If you have questions about the submission process or about the conference in general, please email us at sirc@uw.edu for assistance

Formatting of Submissions for Publication

Please note that this formatting is OPTIONAL. Conference presenters may elect to format their SIRC conference abstracts for submission to BioMed Central for publication as a conference supplement. This is NOT required for conference submission. We understand that the formatting requirements for BioMed Central are strict and may be difficult to apply to your abstract submission. For additional guidance on preparing your abstract according to BioMed Central standards, please reference below for abstract requirements guidelines and example ‘gold standard’ abstracts that fit the formatting requirements for the supplement publication. SIRC Program Officers are available to provide consultation on ensuring your abstract meets the BioMed Central guidelines if necessary.

Abstracts should not exceed 350 words. Abstract structure should follow: Background, Materials and Methods (if applicable), Results and Conclusions. The background should briefly describe the context and purpose of the study or project. The Materials and Methods section describes how the study or project was performed and, if applicable, what statistical tests were used. The results section is to describe what the study or project’s results were and the conclusions section is the authors summary of the study or project and implications of the results. References, if used, should be placed in the reference section and do not count towards the word limit. Please minimize the use of abbreviations.

Example Abstracts:

Cross-collaboration example

Practitioner example

Research example, BMC format

Policy example, BMC format