The 9th Workshop on Theses and Dissertations in Ontologies (WTDO 2025) is a satellite event of the 18th Seminar on Ontology Research in Brazil (ONTOBRAS 2025). It offers Master's and Ph.D. students working in the field of ontologies an opportunity to discuss their research proposals with experts, receive feedback on methodological issues, and develop a network of contacts within the research community.

WTDO 2025 will take place in person from September 29 to October 2, 2025, at the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) and the Faculty of Medical Sciences Humanitas, in São José dos Campos, São Paulo – Brazil.

Important Dates

• Submission Deadline: June 29th, 2025 
• Author Notification: August 10th, 2025
• Camera Ready: August 22nd, 2025
• Authors’ Registration Deadline: August 29th, 2025

Submission Guidelines

Master’s and Ph.D. students must submit:

• a short paper (5 to 6 pages) describing the student’s research proposal;
• a research form outlining the methodological aspects of the research proposal (template available at https://www.inf.ufrgs.br/ontobras/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WTDO-Ficha-da-Pesquisa.docx).

Both documents must be submitted as a single PDF file, with the first two pages containing the filled-in research form and the following pages containing the short paper with the research proposal.

In the short paper, the student must describe the content of their research proposal. The student should be listed as the first author, with their advisors as co-authors. The short paper should be between 5 and 6 pages in length, excluding references, and must follow the CEUR-ART single-column format. Templates for Microsoft Office Word, Open Office, and LaTeX can be downloaded from: https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-XXX/CEURART.zip. The LaTeX template is also directly available on Overleaf at the following link: https://www.overleaf.com/read/gwhxnqcghhdt.

The student's primary advisor must send an email to wtdo.ontobras@gmail.com acknowledging and agreeing to the submission of the work to WTDO 2025 and to its possible publication in the event proceedings.

Submissions must be written in ENGLISH (preferably) or in PORTUGUESE. We strongly encourage students to submit their research proposals in ENGLISH, as this facilitates academic knowledge exchange with a broader audience and allows for feedback from members of the international community. Submissions in PORTUGUESE must include an abstract and keywords in ENGLISH.

Submissions to WTDO must be made through the EasyChair platform at https://easychair.org/my/conference?conf=wtdo2025.

Submissions of papers that have already been published or are under review for other events, including ONTOBRAS, will not be accepted. Submissions related to theses or dissertations scheduled to be defended before the date of the event will also not be considered.

Finally, the student's advisor must send an email to wtdo.ontobras@gmail.com acknowledging and agreeing to the submission of the work to WTDO 2025.

Evaluation of Submissions to WTDO

The evaluation of submissions to WTDO 2025 will have a different dynamic compared to previous editions. This year, the papers submitted to WTDO will undergo two distinct evaluations, each with specific purposes and criteria.

Evaluation of Master's/Ph.D. Research (for presentation at WTDO)

This is the main evaluation and considers both the research form and the short paper. The objective is to assess whether the research work (ongoing thesis or dissertation) aligns with the scope of ONTOBRAS—meaning it is research in ontologies or related areas.

The general inclination of the organizing committee is to approve all papers that fit within the scope, emphasizing the formative and exchange nature of WTDO, which serves as an open space for discussion between students and experts in the field.

The papers approved in this evaluation will be included in the WTDO program for in-person presentation by the student and discussion with a senior member of the community. Details about the structure and dynamics of the presentations will be announced in due course.

Evaluation of the Short Paper (for publication in the main track of ONTOBRAS)

This evaluation considers only the short paper. The key question here is: Can the submitted text, as it stands, be considered a short paper for publication in the proceedings of the main track of ONTOBRAS? Therefore, criteria such as the following are taken into account:

• Originality and relevance of the scientific contribution;
• Clarity and quality of writing;
• Structure of the paper;
• Maturity and methodological adequacy of the research.

Papers approved in this evaluation will be included as short papers in the main track of ONTOBRAS 2025 and will be published in the event proceedings in CEUR-WS as part of the IAOA series. The proceedings of recent ONTOBRAS editions are available through the links below:

• https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3905/
• http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3564/
• http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3346/
• http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3050/
• http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2728/

Awards

Based on the evaluations of the research form, short paper, and oral presentation, 2 works will be selected for awards at WTDO 2025 (1 at the Master's level and 1 at the Ph.D. level). The selected works will be announced at the closing ceremony of the event, and the authors will receive a certificate.

Coordination

• Amanda Damasceno de Souza (FUMEC)

• Fabrício Henrique Rodrigues (UFRGS/Samsung)

Venue

The conference will be held in person at the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) and the Faculty of Medical Sciences Humanitas in São José dos Campos, SP.

• ITA: Praça Marechal do Ar Eduardo Gomes, 50, DCTA – Vila das Acácias.
• Humanitas: Avenida Isaur de Pinho Nogueira, 5900 – Vila Tatetuba.

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to wtdo.ontobras@gmail.com.