Major Sessions and Lectures to Inspire 2026 Annual Meeting Attendees
Major Sessions and Lectures to Inspire 2026 Annual Meeting Attendees
 
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December 2025

Major sessions and lectures at the 2026 Annual Meeting will spotlight timely and consequential topics for education researchers. The meeting will take place in Los Angeles from April 8 to 12.

This year’s roster includes the 2026 Presidential Address, the AERA Distinguished Lecture, Wallace Foundation Distinguished Lecture, and lectures by the 2025 Award winners, as well as major sessions such as the Opening Plenary and the Awards Ceremony Luncheon.

A headshot of Maisha T. Winn with her hair pulled back and wearing a white dress with colorful floral print. She is smiling and her arms are crossed.
Maisha T. Winn

AERA President Maisha T. Winn will deliver the Presidential Address on Friday, April 10, from 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm. The address is a signature Annual Meeting event, offering a wide-angle view of the state and future of the field.

A headshot image of Bryan Brayboy. He is wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and purple tie. He is smiling at the camera.
Bryan Brayboy

The AERA Distinguished Lecture will be given by Bryan Brayboy, dean of Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy and the Carlos Montezuma Professor of Education and Social Policy. Titled “Re-memory, Genealogy, and Dreams for the Future,” Brayboy will draw on the history of attempted assimilation of Indigenous peoples through schooling to reflect on lessons that might be remembered to help move us toward a future in which individuals and communities can create futures of their own making.

Headshot image of Bianca Baldridge. Her hair is in loose and wavy braids and she is wearing a purple short sleeved top. She is smiling at the camera and crossing her arms.
Bianca J. Baldridge

The Wallace Foundation Distinguished Lecture, titled “(Re)memory, Community-based Education, and ‘Youth Work’ as the Process of Futuring,” will be delivered by Bianca J. Baldridge, associate professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Baldridge will reflect on her community-engaged scholarship, her theoretical contributions to community-based education and critical youth work practice, and her empirical research with youth workers across the United States.

 

The meeting will also feature three lectures from 2025 AERA Award winners:

  • Robert C. Pianta (University of Virginia) will deliver the 2025 Distinguished Contributions to Research in Education Award Lecture, titled “Actionable and relevant education science: Focus on People, Processes, and Contexts that Foster Students’ Learning and Development.”
  • Raquel Muñiz (Boston College) will give the 2025 Early Career Award Lecture, titled “Research at the Intersection of Law and Education Policy: Conditions, Strategies, and Mechanisms that Shape Educational Equity.”
  • Gloria Swindler Boutte (University of South Carolina) will present the 2025 Social Justice in Education Award Lecture, titled “Beyond Learned Powerlessness to Educational Liberation.”
Robert C. Pianta Raquel Muñiz Gloria Swindler Boutte

“We’re looking forward to a robust program of lectures given by some of the top scholars in our field,” said AERA Executive Director Tabbye Chavous.

From left to right:
Daniel Gilbert Solorzano, 
Jarvis R. Givens, 
Stacey J. Lee, 
Veronica Terriquez, and
Amanda R. Tachine

The Opening Plenary, titled “Holding Fast to Histories, Holding Fast to Dreams,” will take place on Wednesday, April 8, from 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm. The session will feature a distinguished panel: Daniel Gilbert Solorzano (University of California–Los Angeles), Jarvis R. Givens (Harvard University), Stacey J. Lee (University of Wisconsin–Madison), Veronica Terriquez (University of California–Los Angeles), and Amanda R. Tachine (University of Oregon).

The Awards Ceremony Luncheon—a highlight of the meeting—will recognize 2026 AERA Award winners. It will take place on Thursday, April 9, from 11:45 am to 1:45 pm.

Additional information about these major sessions and other program highlights will be posted to the 2026 Annual Meeting program page as it becomes available.