Paper, Poster, Panel and Tutorial Submissions

2025 Graduate Student Paper Competition

TPRC53 Call for Conference Submissions Overview

TPRC53

SEPTEMBER 19-20, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE 53rd RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON COMMUNICATIONS, INFORMATION, AND INTERNET POLICY

CLICK HERE FOR PDF OF CALL SUMMARY

TPRC is the preeminent annual interdisciplinary conference on communications, information, and Internet policy that convenes researchers and policymakers from law, economics, engineering, computer science, public policy, data science, social sciences, and related fields working in academia, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations around the world. 

TPRC is seeking submissions for its 53rd conference, including papers, posters, panels, and the Student Paper Competition. 

Paper and poster proposals can be submitted through March 15, 2025.

Student Papers can be submitted through April 30, 2025.

Papers: Submit an executive summary of research in progress or recently completed and present the completed paper in a conference session. The presentation of a paper is best for work that has been completed or is near completion. Papers are presented in paper sessions.

Posters: Ideal for feedback on work-in-progress and completed work where detailed feedback and engagement is desired. Posters will be prominently displayed and provide an opportunity to discuss your research in detail with conference attendees.

Panels: Propose a panel discussion of a relevant topic. If your proposal is selected, you will be asked to organize the panel in coordination with the Program Committee.

Pre-Conference Tutorial: Propose a tutorial session on a novel topic that is relevant to the TPRC audience. The goal of tutorials is for the audience to learn what the topic is and what it means in the telecommunications policy context. Tutorials including hands-on activities are highly encouraged. If your proposal is selected, you will be asked to organize the tutorial session in coordination with the Program Committee.

Student Paper Competition: In addition to the regular conference proposals, students may also submit papers to the student paper contest. The Student Paper Contest winners receive cash prizes, travel stipend, and complimentary registration to TPRC53. 

Important Dates: 

• Submissions open: February 15, 2025 

• Submission deadline for papers, posters, panels, tutorials: March 15, 2025

• Submission of Student Paper Contest entries: April 30, 2025

• Notice of decisions to the submitting author: May 31, 2025

• Final, complete papers for presentation: August 1, 2025

TPRC is a nonpartisan organization that is strongly committed to rigorous research and scholarship as well as diversity, equity and the free expression of ideas. We seek to hold a conference in which responsibility, integrity, intellectual freedom, equality of respect and opportunity, and collegiality are paramount.

Topic Areas

The Program Committee encourages submissions from diverse organizations, disciplines, approaches, scholars, and geographies on the following and related topics:

• Broadband Deployment, Access and the Digital Divide, Criticality of Infrastructure

• Antitrust and Competition Policy in Communications, Information, and Internet Markets

• Privacy, Data Protection, Digital Trust, and Digital Sovereignty

• Cybersecurity Policy

• Social Media Platform Policy and Regulation

• ICT and Sustainability

• Pandemic and Disaster Response

• ICT and Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Diversity, Justice, and Inclusion

• Artificial Intelligence Policy

• Policy and Governance Implications of Emerging Technologies (Open Source, Quantum Computing, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency)

• Analysis and Management of Complexity in Sociotechnical Systems

• Spectrum Management and Wireless Policy

• Social Dimensions to Communications and Internet Policy

• Policies Governing the Digital Economy

• Satellites and Space Economy

• Geopolitics, Digital Sovereignty, and Tech Regulation

Submissions accepted February 15 - March 15, 2025.

TPRC53 Call for Proposals Overview

2025 Graduate Student Paper Competition

Paper, Poster, Panel and Tutorial Submissions

PAPERS AND POSTERS

Guidelines

TPRC will not accept papers already unconditionally accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or conference proceeding, in a law review, or as a chapter in a published book. 

Authors may present only one paper or poster at the conference, although they may also participate in a panel or be a coauthor of papers or posters presented by others. An author may submit multiple abstracts for consideration, but at most one will be accepted for the program. 

Papers not submitted in final form by August 1, 2025 will be removed from the program.  

TPRC is a research conference; therefore, any paper or proposal must meet academic standards of research. 

Paper and Poster Proposal Criteria

Proposals are a 500-word executive summary of the research. Review is of executive summaries only. Authors should not submit completed papers as part of their submission. Executive summaries should:

• Convey the paper’s contributions and approach. This includes explanations of: 

a.  The research question of the paper or poster; 

b.  The research methodology employed by the paper or poster, including types of modeling, formal reasoning, and data utilized (empirical methods not required);

c.   The disciplinary field(s) to be used in reaching conclusions; 

d.  Why the research is novel and relevant to contemporary communications policy;

e.  Expected results or conclusions.

• Be 500 words or less. Any references mentioned in the executive summary are included within the word count.

• Exclude author’s name or other identifying information.

Paper and Poster Review Process:

All abstracts will be evaluated through double-blind peer review and assessed on the merits of the proposed contribution. Each submission will be reviewed by at least three members of the TPRC Program Committee. The chair of the Program Committee is ultimately responsible for final decisions, which are made in consultation with the committee. The Program Committee aspires to provide written feedback to submitters along with notifications.

Important Dates for Paper and Poster Proposals: 

• Submission of Abstracts: from February 15 through March 15, 2025

• Notice of decisions: May 31, 2025

• Final accepted papers in full form: August 1, 2025

TPRC is a Non-Archival Workshop Conference

TPRC is considered a non-archival workshop. For purposes of journal submissions, the SSRN archive is considered non-published workshop proceedings. 

PANELS

Panels typically convene a slate of experts to address current topics of interest to the TPRC community. They include:

• Three or four panelists plus a moderator. Participants may include scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and industry experts.

• 60 – 90 minutes of discussion, of which 15 – 30 minutes are reserved for audience questions.

The submitter of an accepted panel is responsible for organizing the session in coordination with the Program Committee.

Panel Proposal Criteria:

When submitting a panel proposal, you should, in 500 words or less:

• State the panel’s objectives and topics

• Justify its relevance to the TPRC community

• Explain the proposed composition of the panel and its diversity of viewpoints, including the perspectives and contributions that each participant will bring to the topic

• Include the participants’ names, organizational affiliation, and any other relevant identifying information 

Panel Review Process:

Panels are reviewed openly, not through a double-blind process, in order to assess the composition of the panel, its diversity of viewpoint, and its ability to address the proposed topic in a manner appropriate to TPRC. Panels should include a broad range of participants from different institutions or projects. The chair of the Program Committee is ultimately responsible for final decisions, which are made in consultation with the committee.

Note: Submitters must ensure availability of all participants. 

Important Dates for Panel Proposals: 

• Submission of panel proposals: from February 15 through March 15, 2025

• Notice of decisions: May 31, 2025 

TUTORIALS

Tutorials include presentations from experts in novel topics of interest to the TPRC community. 

• Two or three presenters plus a moderator. Participants may include scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and industry experts.

• The tutorial is expected to run from 2 pm to 5 pm and time can be allotted to presenters as organizers see fit.

The submitter of an accepted tutorial session is responsible for organizing the session in coordination with the Program Committee.

Tutorial Proposal Criteria:

When submitting a tutorial proposal, you should, in 500 words or less:

• State the tutorial topic

• Justify its relevance to the TPRC community

• Explain the proposed session, including presenters, their perspectives and the contributions they will bring to the topic

• Include the participants’ names, organizational affiliation, and any other relevant identifying information 

Tutorial Review Process:

Tutorial proposals are reviewed openly, not through a double-blind process, in order to assess the overall composition of the tutorial session, its diversity of viewpoint, and its ability to address the proposed topic in a manner appropriate to TPRC. The chair of the Program Committee is ultimately responsible for final decisions, which are made in consultation with the committee.

Note: Submitters must ensure availability of all participants. 

Important Dates for Tutorial Proposals: 

• Submission of tutorial proposals: from February 15 through March 15, 2025

• Notice of decisions: May 31, 2025