October 2021

On October 28, the AERA Council voted to shift the 2022 Annual Meeting in San Diego from being a place-based-only meeting to one that also offers a virtual meeting component. 

To ensure the 2022 Annual Meeting is both accessible and equitable, participants in accepted sessions or with papers placed in paper sessions will have the opportunity to confer and choose whether, based on conditions known now, they prefer to be scheduled in the place-based or virtual components of the Meeting. All paper roundtable sessions and poster sessions will be virtual, as these formats do not readily meet the space needs and distancing guidelines AERA is following for a placed-based event.

The overarching goals with this hybrid model are to benefit now from the voices and preferences of participants, to reaffirm AERA’s commitment to inclusivity and equity across session types, and to enable a balanced mix of rich and exciting symposia and paper sessions in both meeting components. AERA will also be selecting and testing a platform for the virtual component that can also effectively deliver a fully virtual meeting if the number of virtual sessions increases or the entire meeting needs to shift due to eroding COVID conditions in the early months of 2022.    

AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine said, “I am pleased that under these difficult circumstances Council has come together to support a hybrid meeting with this approach being the most favored option. When Delta became more evident and virulent in early August, AERA staff started the process of planning for a virtual component and developing options for Council’s consideration that would maximize serving the needs of all participants and attendees. We are dedicated to making that happen and to ensuring that both the onsite and online experiences offer robust opportunities for meaningful networking and professional exchange.”

On November 1, all participants with acceptances will receive this information, and those in accepted sessions or paper sessions should expect further detailed information and instructions on next steps from AERA through All Academic. They will have user-friendly guidance for doing so. Those participating in accepted symposia or paper sessions will need to indicate their preference at the session level by December 3, prior to the registration opening date of December 9.

The AERA Executive Board is meeting in early November and will take up the issue of requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for all place-based attendees. This decision will be made and announced well before the opening of preregistration.

AERA will keep participants informed about the planning process through upcoming town halls, AERA Highlights, social media, and other communications.