I am honoured to be chairing the 25th biennial conference of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research. The SMCR Conference has showcased cutting-edge menstrual cycle research over the last 50 years, covering the broadest range of topics from periods, PMS, menopause, and other aspects of sexual and reproductive embodiment. Our location in the Washington, DC metro area has inspired our theme: Empowering Voices, Shattering Stigma. We welcome presenters and attendees who share our passion for menstrual cycle research, activism, and advocacy to come and join us at this event, to speak, listen, learn, network, and be inspired.

Janette Perz, SMCR President and 2025 Conference Chair

With the theme of “Beyond Barriers: Breaking boundaries and reducing stigma,” we embrace an interdisciplinary, feminist approach to research and advocacy as we bring together our efforts to improve menstrual and reproductive health and justice as they relate to overall well-being.

To highlight current research, advocacy, and to identify future work to be done, our 2025 conference welcomes participation from:

• researchers
• scholars and academics
• health care professionals and clinicians
• public policy advocates
• NGOs and international agencies
• public health and school educators
• writers and artists
• students and interns
• advocates and activists
• others interested in the menstrual cycle, reproductive and sexual health

In 2025, building on the successful format of the 2023 conference, most presentations will be delivered in a plenary format. This approach will allow all attendees to engage with your work and participate in meaningful discussions. Although we are still in the planning stages, we aim to include speed mentoring sessions, a book slam, and the lively Red Moon Howl poetry slam.

Presentations: Please consider submitting proposals for presentations that relate to one or more of the topics listed below. However, if your work addresses another topic, don’t hesitate to submit a proposal to present that work. There are opportunities that will showcase the expansive nature of the SMCR scholarship, advocacy, and reach.

Below are some suggestions that you might consider as you frame your submission, but this is by no means an exhaustive list:

• Evidence-based policy work
• Menarche, menstruation, and menopause activism and research on activism
• Menarche-, menstruation-, and menopause-related health, illness, function, dysfunction, and well-being (such as ovulation, fertility, endometriosis, reproductive cancers, PCOS, perinatal period)
• Menstrual and reproductive health across locations both global and local
• Menstrual and reproductive health needs of underserved populations, including those who are sexuality and gender diverse, disabled or living with a chronic illness, or migrants and refugees
• Menstrual and reproductive health education
• Intergenerational experiences
• Menstruation and economics/capitalism
• Menstrual resistance, art, and aesthetics
• Translation of research and advocacy or activism
• Broadening of reproductive health and justice
• Differing types of advocacy such as education, law, politics, writing, and public presence

We want to be able to highlight the diverse array of work from people doing myriad types of menstrual cycle work, striving to organize around plenary sessions as much as possible. Given this, preference will be given to oral paper and poster proposals.

Oral Paper proposals: are for individual, brief oral presentations that will be grouped thematically in sessions as space allows.

Poster presentations: are formats that allow for extended discussion of the presentation with the author(s).

There will be a limited number of programming slots for other types of proposals:

Roundtables: are discussions that focus on a specific topic or theme that could include, but are not limited to, debates on syllabi, jobs and the market, different types of advocacy, vulnerable populations, or issues of translation. This style works best for open discussion and should include audience participation, as well.

Panel/symposium proposals: are theme-based oral sessions consisting of three to four presentations. Presentations should be organized around a clear theme/topic, and information about all talk, presenters, and the order of the talks need to be included with the submission. Submissions should also name a session chair and, optionally, a discussant.

Workshops: are intended as training and/or information sessions. Submissions should include the workshop title, the problem or expertise addressed, an outline of the proposed content, any specific “take-aways” participants should expect, and the time allotment desired. Workshops are generally scheduled pre-conference.

Abstracts should be submitted by January 24, 2025. Posters will be accepted on a rolling basis until April 31, 2025. Presenters will be normally limited to one first author presentation in order that we can feature as many presenters with diverse offerings as possible. Paper or Symposium proposals may be accepted conditionally as posters.

We look forward to seeing you in July, 2025!