March 2023

The 2023 Annual Meeting will feature several exciting new opportunities for youth to participate in the place-based component of the conference in Chicago, April 13–16. Featured new programming includes the Youth Teams in Education Research Special Program and the Chicagoland Youth Showcase and Discussion. In addition, AERA will host the long-running Undergraduate Student Education Research Workshop, which includes an Undergraduate Poster Fair.

“We are thrilled with the special emphasis this year on welcoming youth to the Annual Meeting,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “This is a wonderful opportunity to spotlight and inspire the work of talented youth.” 

Youth Teams in Education Research Special Program and Poster Session

The Youth Teams in Education Research (YTER) Special Program will take place on April 13–15, the first three days of the place-based component of the Annual Meeting. The initiative will bring 69 high school students, grouped in 13 teams led by education researchers, to present their work in a featured poster session and to participate in a mini-workshop to discuss the research projects ongoing at their schools, issues consequential to them in their studies, and potential opportunities for continuing to pursue research engagements. During the workshop, the students will have an opportunity to meet with early career and accomplished senior scholars. They will also attend a select group of sessions featuring major speakers. The teams will receive partial funding support to attend the meeting.

The YTER Poster Session will be held Friday, April 14, 9:50 am to 11:20 am, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower - Exhibit Level - Riverside West Exhibition Hall.

Chicagoland Youth Showcase and Discussion

The Chicagoland Youth Showcase and Discussion is part of the Spotlight on Chicago and the Region Series sessions. The showcase will include selected youth, and mentors representing MAPSCorps, STEAMbassadors, My CHI My Future, and other affiliated Chicago-area youth initiatives. In addition, research representing landscape analysis will be on display in the form of student-led posters. The session will be emceed by a group of Digital Youth Network alums who are professional educators and artists. The Chicagoland Youth Showcase will be held on Thursday, April 13, from 4:40 p.m. to 6:10  p.m. in the Hyatt Regency Chicago, Michigan 1 ABC. The session is chaired by Nichole D. Pinkard (Northwestern University) and Yolanda J. Majors (Hurston Institute for Learning and Development).

Undergraduate Student Education Research Training Workshop and Poster Fair

The Undergraduate Student Education Research Training Workshop will be held April 13–15. The workshop, first held in 2009, is designed to build the talent pool of undergraduate students who plan to pursue doctoral degrees in education research or in disciplines and fields that examine education and learning from early childhood to workforce participation.

This year, 25 students from a range of higher education institutions, will participate. These sophomores, juniors, and seniors have recent or ongoing research exposure related to an education research question or topic. They present their research at the Undergraduate Post Fair, on Friday, April 14, 2:50 pm to 4:20 pm at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, East Tower - Exhibit Level - Riverside West Exhibition Hall.