FAQ 2026 | NAAEE Conference

General Conference & Research Symposium

When and where will the 2026 Conference and Research Symposium be held?

The 55th Annual NAAEE Conference and 23rd Annual Research Symposium will be held in Portland, Oregon, from October 6–9, 2026, at the Hilton Portland Downtown.
The Research Symposium will be held on Tuesday, October 6, and Wednesday, October 7.
The Annual Conference will begin at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, October 6, and run through Friday afternoon, October 9.
New this year: the second day of the research symposium and the first day of the conference will overlap, giving all participants access to a wider variety of sessions.
Optional pre-conference workshops and field trips will be held on Tuesday, October 6. Workshops require an additional registration fee.

What's the difference between the Conference and the Research Symposium?

For more than five decades, NAAEE has convened one of the leading annual conferences for environmental education professionals, designed to promote innovation, networking, learning, and dissemination of best practices across the field.
The annual Research Symposium attracts new and established researchers to examine in-progress EE research, explore the current state and future directions of environmental education research, and advance the use of practices proven to be effective.
Concurrent sessions for the Annual Conference and Research Symposium are selected through independent review processes with different criteria. Each respective Call for Presentations includes details about this year's priority topics, session formats, and tips for submitting proposals.
Each event has a separate registration fee.
New this year: the second day of the research symposium and the first day of the conference will overlap, giving all participants access to a wider variety of sessions.

When will registration open?

Registration is open now.
Early bird rates will be in effect until August 21, 2026.

What does the conference cost?

Registration rates vary with the events chosen and are listed on the conference website. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see what each ticket option includes. You can from the link on the same page.
We offer discounts for early bird registration by August 21 and for those who register at full rates for both the research symposium and the conference.
We are actively fundraising so we can provide scholarships and additional discounts for those with limited funding. Please contact us if you’d like to help support this fund. You can also help support scholarships when you register. All contributions help bring educators otherwise unable to participate in the conference and are deeply appreciated.

Are meals included?

Conference registration includes two receptions and two luncheons. All include vegetarian and vegan options. There is one mid-morning coffee break each day.
- Tuesday, October 6: Opening reception, featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres
- Wednesday, October 7: Exhibit luncheon
- Thursday, October 8: Closing celebration, reception at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres
- Friday, October 9: Closing luncheon
Research Symposium registration includes two luncheons and one reception. All include vegetarian and vegan options. There is one mid-morning coffee break each day.
- Tuesday, October 6: Research Symposium luncheon
- Tuesday, October 6: Opening reception, featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres
- Wednesday, October 7: Exhibit luncheon
One-day tickets include the meals or receptions featured on the day of attendance.
Breakfast and all-day coffee service are not provided. Both the Hilton Portland Downtown and the Duniway Hotel have restaurants; the Hilton also has a marketplace that serves a variety of quick-service options. There are many nearby restaurants and coffee shops.

What’s on the program?

We select sessions through a rigorous review process that takes several months to complete. We will post a preliminary program in mid- to late July.
In the meantime, the 2025 schedule of sessions provides a general sense of the NAAEE Conference and Research Symposium programs. Request a copy by emailing conference@naaee.org.

Can I attend or present virtually?

The 2026 conference will take place in Portland, Oregon; there is no virtual component.
All sessions will be presented live and in person.
NAAEE alternates between in-person and virtual conferences; our 2027 conference will be entirely online.

Are there any registration discounts available?

NAAEE is committed to providing as much assistance as we can to keep fees from being a barrier to attendance.
NAAEE members receive a discount on registration fees.
Students and retirees receive a discount on registration fees.
Those attending both the Annual Conference and Research Symposium can purchase a bundled ticket, which includes a discount off full registration fees.
Discounts cannot be combined.
Each year, NAAEE offers a variety of scholarships to help educators and students attend. The application deadline is July 24, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT.
NAAEE offers reduced rates to help support those who are unable to attend without financial assistance. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and all applications received to date will be reviewed on August 7 (to accommodate those who wish to take advantage of early bird rates) and September 11, 2026.

Presenter Information

Do presenters have to register for the Annual Conference or Research Symposium?

Yes, all Annual Conference presenters are required to register for the conference. All Research Symposium presenters are required to register for the two-day symposium. This is clearly stated in the Call for Presentations and in the submission confirmation message sent to all who submit proposals.
If you are presenting in both Annual Conference and Research Symposium, you must register for both events, even if presenting on Wednesday, October 7, when (new this year) concurrent sessions for both events will overlap.
All presenters must confirm their participation by registering before the August 21 early bird deadline.
We typically have more than 500 presenters involved in some aspect of our program; we ask that all pay registration fees so we can maintain lower and more equitable Conference and Symposium fees for all attendees.
Registration fees are listed on the conference website. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see what each ticket option includes. You can from the link on the same page.

When will I be notified if my presentation is accepted?

The review process begins in April, and we expect to notify all individuals of the review results in mid- to late July.
Notifications are sent through the All Academic conference management system. This email comes from Do_Not_Reply@AllAcademic.com. Sensitive filters sometimes reject this address; check your email settings to ensure these important messages are not filtered out as spam.
Notifications are also stored in each presenter’s message center in All Academic and can be accessed by logging in to your All Academic account.

Will you tell me if my proposal is rejected?

Yes, we notify all submitters of the review process results.

What do I need to know about poster presentations?

Posters are printed two-dimensional presentations that summarize programs, resources, research studies, or other work through text, images, and data. They are usually created using Adobe InDesign or Illustrator, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft PowerPoint, Canva, and similar applications.
Posters may be up to 36 inches high and 48 inches wide. Most universities offer templates that can be downloaded and edited.
Posters are displayed on portable bulletin boards for attendees to review at leisure throughout the events in Portland.
Both the Research Symposium and Conference have scheduled poster sessions when presenters are able to stand beside their posters and interact with attendees. The Research Symposium poster session will be held on Tuesday afternoon, October 6. Conference poster sessions will be spread throughout the program on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, October 7–9.

Can I update my session description and presenters?

Once the results of the review and selection process are announced, the All Academic system will reopen, and submitters will have the opportunity to update their session description or presenters. All Academic is closed throughout the review process.
Only the original submitter of the proposal will have editorial access to the session listing and be able to make changes. If the original submitter is no longer available, contact us at conference@naaee.org for assistance.

Where can I review the session formats, and what’s the difference between them?

Session formats for both the conference and research symposium vary in length and presentation style.
Session formats are described in the Call for Presentations for the conference and research symposium.
Two shorter formats—conference bright spots (10 minutes) and research symposium research presentations (15 minutes)—are categorized as "Individual Submissions" and are combined with other individual submissions to create full 40-minute sessions. All other formats are categorized as "Session Submissions" and are presented as full sessions.

How do I submit a proposal for the Annual Conference or Research Symposium program?

The Call for Presentations opened on February 2 and closed on April 10, 2026.
We are not accepting late submissions in any format, including posters, for either the Annual Conference or the Research Symposium.
The requirements for the Annual Conference and the Research Symposium differ and are explained in separate Calls for Presentations. Both are available for review or download.
All proposals must be submitted online through the All Academic submission system.
Detailed instructions for submitting proposals are available.
The Call for Presentations include detailed information on this year’s session formats, priority topics, and review criteria. Successful proposals will reflect these guidelines.
To help maximize the number and variety of presenters and perspectives on the program, each individual or team is limited to three proposal submissions for the conference or research symposium.

Exhibiting in Portland

What are my options for exhibiting at the conference?

Exhibit booths are available now for purchase by individuals and organizations. Space is limited, and sign-ups are accepted in the order received.
We welcome exhibitors who wish to share information about environmental education programs and services, university-based environmental educator preparation programs, and nature/environment-oriented arts and crafts.
Product sales through vendor websites are allowed.

Where and when can I sign up?

Information on purchasing exhibit booths is available now on our conference website.
Early bird rates are in effect through August 7, 2026.

Are there any discounts available?

We offer both nonprofit and commercial rates.
Early bird discounts apply through August 7.

Information About Our 2025 Conference

Can I get a certificate of attendance for the 2025 conference and research symposium? Will it also provide continuing education credits for the specific sessions I’ve attended?

We can provide a general letter verifying attendance for past Conferences or Research Symposiums upon request. Please send an email to conference@naaee.org.
If you would like a certificate verifying every session you attended, please write to conference@naaee.org with the list of all the sessions you attended, including the title, date (if applicable), and credit value. We will then verify your attendance and send a certification of your credits. Note that each session page lists a credit value; these credits are based on hours—one hour equals one credit.
NAAEE access to the 2025 conference platform (PheedLoop) was discontinued on January 31, 2026, as noted with 2025 registration.

Can I sign up to watch recordings of all the 2025 Annual Conference and Research Symposium sessions?

Yes!

Post-event registration is available and allows access to both the prerecorded sessions and recordings of the live sessions, including the keynotes, on the PheedLoop platform through January 31, 2026.

Registration does not include pre-conference workshops, which were not recorded and are no longer available.

The conference and the research symposium require separate registration.

Post-Conference Registration Rates:
Annual Conference: $50
Research Symposium: $30

Can I see a list of the 2025 sessions?

Yes, you can review the list of sessions on the All Academic platform.
Use the Browse/Search the Program to narrow your choices.
All on-demand sessions are listed on October 6, the date they originally became available for viewing.
All live Research Symposium sessions are listed on October 30.
All live Annual Conference sessions are listed on November 3 through November 6.