Session Format

All sessions are scheduled for 60-minutes. We will allow for 15 minutes in between sessions to allow for speaker set up and for attendee migration between rooms.

Submission Guidelines

• Provide a concise description of your session but feel free to include details which help attendees understand what to expect.
• All session submissions must conform to our code of conduct.
• Multiple submissions are welcome, but please limit yourself to 10 submissions maximum.
• Be sure to include concrete details on what attendees can expect to learn during your session.

Topic Tracks

All of the session proposals submitted should fit into one of our nine topic tracks. It's up to you to tell us which track your talk fits best into. We tried to keep them general enough to accommodate most ideas but specific enough to encompass the most interesting technologies today.

• Coding: Dive into the art and science of programming. Whether you’re passionate about software design patterns, eager to introduce a new programming language, or innovating in backend or frontend development, bring your coding expertise to the stage to inspire others.
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Present on the forefront of AI and ML, showcasing advancements, practical applications, or ethical considerations. Whether you’re pioneering intelligent systems in healthcare, automation, or beyond, we’re eager to hear your insights on pushing the boundaries of AI and Machine Learning.
• Leadership and Professional Development: Guide others through the process of digital transformation by sharing your strategies, insights, and success stories. From scaling tech-driven projects to fostering adaptability and resilience, inspire leaders and teams to thrive in an evolving digital landscape.
• DevOps and Developer Productivity: Share effective practices, tools, and cultural shifts that accelerate DevOps and improve developer productivity. Help the community build with greater speed, resilience, and collaboration, from CI/CD pipelines to scalable infrastructure solutions.
• Cybersecurity and Observability: Uncover modern approaches to securing systems and enhancing visibility in today’s digital-first environments. We’re looking for experts to share their knowledge on cybersecurity, incident response, and maintaining observability across complex systems.
• Mobility, Connected, and Emerging Technology: Explore innovations in mobility, IoT, and emerging tech shaping tomorrow’s world. If you’re developing in the realms of autonomous vehicles, smart cities, or connected ecosystems, join us to share the latest breakthroughs in mobility and interconnected technology.
• Product Delivery: Discover how to optimize the processes and methodologies that drive successful product launches and enhancements. Participants will learn from leading professionals about agile practices, scaling delivery teams, and ensuring alignment between product vision and customer needs.
• User Experience: Explore the latest trends and best practices in designing intuitive and engaging digital experiences. Attendees will gain insights from industry experts on enhancing user satisfaction and driving innovation through effective UX strategies.

If you are unsure which track your proposal would fall into, give us your best guess! 

What we're looking for in a speaker:

• Varied backgrounds: We want to welcome speakers of all public speaking backgrounds. If you are a new presenter, do not hesitate to submit. If you need feedback on your session proposal, feel free to email speakers@mitechcon.org.
• Local presenters: MITechCon is designed to showcase the thriving tech scene in Southeast Michigan. We recognize that there has been a lack of technology events in the area for a long time now. We want to showcase our local talent!
• Diverse Voices: Some voices are not heard like others are due to differences in opportunities and open access. Our goal is to even the playing field for all potential speakers. 

Selection Process

Our speaker selection process consists of the following phases:

• Phase One (Anonymous Selection): All submissions will go through an anonymization process to remove identifying personal information such as names or pronouns. The first phase focuses on submission titles and abstracts and intends to select the topics which would fit best in our community and conference.
• Phase Two (Final Selection): In phase two we will look through the talks that are left in a de-anonymized fashion. We will be choosing sessions from here based on the session's fit with our conference and community. In this phase we will be taking factors into account such as diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Our inspirations:

We owe a debt of gratitude to the organizers in the DevOpsDays organization from whom we have drawn great inspiration and knowledge. In the spirit of collaborative development, we want to thank DevOps Days Tampa Bay especially for providing an excellent template for this Call for Speakers.

One night hotel covered per session accepted. All speakers are comped a free ticket.