ASTC 2026 Annual Conference
September 16–19, 2026
Phoenix, Arizona
Call for Proposals
The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) Annual Conference is one of the premier annual events for science-engagement professionals across North America and around the world. Each year, this event brings together more than 1,600 professionals working in science and technology centers and museums and allied organizations. This includes not only experts and practitioners in informal science education, but also science communication, STEM learning, public engagement, and the broader intersections between science, technology, and society.
Session submissions are closed.
Looking to make your proposal shine? Review slides and FAQs from the December 2025 webinar “Submitting a Strong Session Proposal”:
ASTC 2026 will be an incredible experience because of our community. This is a can’t-miss event where we learn, network, and build new ideas—together.
With a wide range of session types, networking opportunities, and experiences at science centers, museums, and cultural organizations in the greater Phoenix area, ASTC 2026 will energize, educate, inform, and inspire our community.
Our 2026 theme, Forward, encourages all of us to learn and share with an eye toward the future. As we navigate an ever-shifting landscape and confront new challenges, ASTC 2026 will provide an opportunity to collectively build an ambitious, relevant path forward for our field. Forward is inspired by a vision of the future that is grounded in the past, and responds to the current moment through collective reimagining, bridging divides, and challenging narratives. More inspiration on this year’s theme, topics of special interest for 2026, and tips on session type and format are described in the “Topical Areas” section of this Call for Proposals.
The ASTC Conference Program Planning Committee (CPPC) will develop a program based upon proposals submitted in response to this call and additional topical and timely content curated by the CPPC and ASTC staff and other committees. Session types include:
- Concurrent Sessions: This session type is designed for topics that feature an array of presenters from diverse perspectives, generally from multiple organizations. Concurrent sessions are 60 minutes in length and should generally have no more than 5 presenters. Accepted sessions will be scheduled for September 17–19.
- Lightning Sessions: This format is ideal for when proposers have a story to share, but not a complete concurrent session proposal with multiple perspectives. Lightning presentations are short oral talks or discussions of 10-15 minutes that will be combined with other, similar Lightning presentations. The presentations will be presented during one Concurrent session slot to be scheduled for September 17–19. A Conference Program Planning Committee member or ASTC staff member will work with presenters to organize the final session. Lightning proposals are limited to 1-2 presenters.
- Posters: Posters are the ideal way to share a project or idea with a wide audience outside of the session format. Share your program, research, or ideas graphically and engage with attendees during a Poster Palooza designated time slot; posters will also be available in the Exhibit Hall during all open hours on September 17-18. At least one poster author is expected to attend the conference in-person, but you may include additional authors who will not be present.
- Extended Sessions and Expeditions: Participatory and highly-interactive experiences that may include:
- Scheduled for Wednesday, September 16 for a duration between 1.5-4 hours in the morning or afternoon, these sessions are on a single topic, including a diverse collection of presenters and facilitators, that offer a deep dive into a particular topic and are expected to result in tangible learning outcomes, tools, and/or resources for attendees.
- Offsite visits, tours, and/or interactive experiences at locations in the greater Phoenix area.
These experiences may take place at the Phoenix Convention Center or other locations in the area; proposals for sessions outside of the convention center should include a discussion of transportation needs. These sessions will generally require advance registration and an additional registration fee for participants as determined by ASTC.
- Experimental Experiences: This year’s Forward theme requires us to think boldly and ambitiously. Leaning into this theme, ASTC is creating a new engagement opportunity that asks the question: How can we open our conference space to meet the needs and harness the creativity of our community? Proposers are encouraged to go beyond standard session types and reimagine physical locations (including but not limited to the Exhibit Hall, the convention center lobby and hallways, outside the conference facilities, and beyond!) as learning and community spaces. Think: co-created builds, hands-on activities and demonstrations, community-building activities, and whatever else you can imagine and bring to life. Proposals of this type should describe their space and equipment needs, as well as the intended duration. ASTC staff will follow up with proposers on scheduling and space needs, and activities are subject to space availability, facilities rules, and overall program considerations for the final description in the conference program. Proposers will be responsible for all materials and facilities costs associated with the experience.
During the review process, the CPPC may recommend that a proposed session be accepted as another proposal type (for example, if a submitted Concurrent session features only one presenter but is a topic of merit, it may be accepted as a Lightning session). The proposer will be notified of the suggested change before the proposal is officially accepted.
Conference sessions are intended to provide a space for learning, sharing, and discussing topics and issues relevant to our field and are expected to be educational in nature. As such, proposals should not promote or sell specific products, services, brands, or companies. Please contact exhibits@astc.org for more information about exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities.