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, beginning at 8:30 AM PDT each day.
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 are in effect until August 21, 2026. Regular rates begin at 12:01 AM on August 22, 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.
Groups of five or more individuals from the same organization qualify for a 10% discount. Contact Ariel for information (ariel@naaee.org) and wait to receive the group discount code from her before registering any individual group member.
Scholarships and financial aid are available on a limited. The deadline for scholarship applications is July 24.
You can save on registration fees by volunteering at the conference. Information will be posted in late July. If you are interested, please wait to register until details are available.
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 early August.
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.
Groups of five or more people from the same organization qualify for a 10% discount. Contact Ariel for information (ariel@naaee.org) and wait to receive the group discount code from her before registering any individual group member.
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

To avoid confusion and double charges, it is important that all presenters use the same email address on their proposal submissions and when registering for the Annual Conference or Research Symposium.

Read the Presenter Agreement. Confirming your session indicates acceptance of these terms.

When will I be notified if my presentation is accepted?

The review process begins in April, and we will notify all individuals of the review results in mid-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.
Acceptance notifications and scheduling information are sent separately. Scheduling details will be mailed around July 24.

Will you tell me if my proposal is rejected?

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

How do I confirm my session?

After they receive acceptance notifications, all submitters must confirm their session(s)—either yes or no—by July 31. Please show us the courtesy of a response so we can fill any open spaces due to withdrawals from our waitlist.
Only the individual who submitted a proposal is able to confirm the session. If the submitter is no longer available and changes are required, contact conference@naaee.org.
To confirm your session by the July 21 deadline, log in to your All Academic account. On your home page in All Academic, find your Submitter Menu. Click on "View Proposals" to see a list of your proposals. (Sessions appear only on the page of the person who originally submitted the proposal.)
Select the title of the session you wish to confirm. Select "confirm session" in the action menu on the right and select "yes" or "no." Rest assured that your confirmation response is automatically recorded by the system; All Academic does not send a verification message.
A tentative schedule of confirmed sessions will be posted in early August. It is to your advantage to confirm your status prior to the confirmation deadline.

Do presenters have to register and pay fees 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.
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 included in the General Conference & Research Information section above.
Reduced rate options are available. See the

Can I update my session description and presenters?

All Academic is closed throughout the review process. The review results will be announced on July 15, and the All Academic system will reopen then. Submitters can update their session description or presenters until August 21.
Only the original submitter of the proposal has editorial access to the session listing and is able to make changes. If the original submitter is no longer available, contact us at conference@naaee.org for assistance.
To make changes to your session description, log in to All Academic and find your Submitter Menu.
- Select the title of the session you wish to revise and lick on "edit" in the action menu to the right.
- Navigate to the session description and make your changes. Be sure to save your work by clicking "accept and continue" at the bottom of each page.
- A tentative schedule will be posted after the July 31 deadline for confirming sessions. It is to your advantage to make revisions as soon as possible.
To make changes to our presenters, log in to All Academic and find your Submitter Menu.
- Select the title of the session you wish to revise and lick on "edit" in the action menu to the right.
- Navigate to the presenter page and follow these steps to make your changes.
  - Enter the new presenter's last name in the search box on the right. If the individual already has an All Academic profile, the name, email address, and affiliation will appear in a new table below. Select "Add" in the "Action" field to add the individual to your list of presenters.
  - If no match appears, you need to create an All Academic profile for the individual. Click on "Add Unlisted Participant" at the bottom of the page. Add the name, email address, and affiliation. The system will generate a user name and password, and the individual will receive a notification email.
  - Once you complete this process, the individual will appear when you search for the last name, and you will be able to add the person to your session.
  - Repeat this process for each person you wish to add to your proposal.
  - Names, affiliations, and email addresses appear in the conference and research symposium programs exactly as they appear in All Academic. Please ensure correct spelling and capitalization and avoid using unfamiliar abbreviations.
  - To remove a listed presenter, click on the "x" in the action menu to the right of their name.

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.

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.

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.