SIA Opens Call for Speakers and Committee Volunteers
Association officials launch recruitment for 40 industry committees and seek subject matter experts for upcoming national security education programs.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- May 04, 2026
Member engagement initiatives are expanding through a new series of virtual outreach events and an open call for educational presentations. The project aims to increase participation across dozens of specialized committees while establishing the speaker lineup for upcoming national trade shows.
Virtual open houses will be hosted throughout the month of May to connect professionals with nearly 40 different internal groups. These sessions feature diverse communities, including the Women in Security Forum and the RISE young professionals group, as well as technical subcommittees focused on biometrics, drones and cybersecurity standards.
Educational programming goals for the SIA Education@ISC programs include a search for subject matter experts to lead sessions at ISC East 2026 in New York City and ISC West 2027 in Las Vegas. Organizers are specifically requesting proposals that address "the security gap"—the disconnect between industry assumptions and the actual needs of end users.
Preferred session formats should highlight multiple perspectives, such as manufacturer versus operator or integrator versus end user, to illustrate how different stakeholders approach shared challenges. All submitted content must remain strictly non-commercial and educational in nature.
Proposal deadlines vary by event, with submissions for the AcceleRISE conference due May 12, while proposals for the larger ISC conferences must be received by June 5. Accepted topics include artificial intelligence, school safety, digital transformation and uncrewed systems.