Technology symposia are often organized by trade groups, universities and private companies. Topics would depend on the symposium's sub-themes, such as software, hardware and the Internet. Software topics include new algorithms and advances in encryption technology. Hardware topics include the design of high-speed processor chips and the basic architecture of smartphones. Cloud computing and development of social media applications are examples of Internet-related topics.
The speech possibilities in health are endless. Again, depending on the symposia, speakers can talk about common illnesses, pharmaceutical research and advances in diagnostic equipment technology. General purpose topics include common cold remedies, effectiveness of anti-smoking campaigns, treatment of common sports injuries and information technology in medicine. Clinical trial results of a new chemical compound and side-effects of approved drugs would be examples of more specialized health topics.
Business speeches could be based on general management topics, such as human resources and marketing, or on more specialized areas, such as venture capital funding. General management topics include career development, small business succession planning and managing a business through an economic recession. The impact of venture capital funding in developing the biotechnology industry, government regulations in developing economies, strengthening corporate governance, and specific discussion of recent merger announcements would be examples of more specialized business symposium speech topics.
Universities, think-tanks, government agencies, political parties and international bodies -- such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Economic Forum -- organize public policy symposia. A cursory glance at a local or national newspaper should reveal dozens of speech ideas, ranging from legalized gambling, benefits of recycling, private vs. public health care, curbing public expenditures without affecting services and urban homelessness.
Certain kinds of symposia, such as technical and medical, invite researchers to present their work on poster presentations that are placed on easels or display tables in the hallway or in a separate exhibit room. The writing resources unit at the Penn State College of Engineering suggests several ways to enhance a poster presentation. For example, the title should be the most prominent text on a poster, the audience should recognize a poster's purpose within 20 seconds, and important sections such as those featuring results should be easy to locate on the poster.