The Academy Event Difference

The New York Academy of Sciences knows that when brilliant minds come together, an exchange of ideas is triggered — and that has potential to unlock something big. The Academy has often held “first ever” convenings that have led to subsequent critical breakthroughs, such as the inaugural conference on antibiotics in the 1960s, the first conference on HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and the first symposium on SARS in the early aughts. Another notable Academy first that’s sparking new and provocative conversations of late: The very term “psychedelics” was coined at an Academy conference in the 1960s. 

The Academy has earned a world-renowned reputation for bringing together leading experts along with early career researchers, senior scientists, educators, policymakers, corporate leaders, and lay audiences, to discuss subjects that range widely across the sciences as well as affiliated fields in the social sciences and humanities.

Whether held in our New York City headquarters or in other locations around the world, our events are designed to have significant impact, building knowledge through the exchange of ideas and providing the networking opportunities necessary for cultivating meaningful collaborations. Our events propel further discovery and celebrate the real-world applications of science that make the world a better place.

The Network Effect

Our global network fuels our programming, enabling us to create organizing committees to develop catalytic meeting agendas, engage leading panelists and presenters, create roadmaps for future collaborations and attract highly qualified audiences — as well as high level co-presenting partners. Each year, our convenings provide unique multidisciplinary networking and knowledge-building opportunities for over 14,000 participants, as well as hundreds of expert speakers. Participation yields numerous benefits for attendees – gaining new knowledge that may impact the direction of research, making professional contacts, forming research collaborations and engaging in joint business ventures with fellow participants.

Training the Next Generation of Innovators

We strive for attendee equality and diversity, and encourage the participation of early-career scientists, women and members of other underrepresented groups in science and engineering. Our conferences offer a suite of career development activities for emerging researchers, providing them with opportunities to learn and network across institutions, disciplines, and industries. The Academy’s diverse subscriber list enables us to attract young investigators and underrepresented minorities to events through travel fellowships, poster sessions with prizes, mentoring and short talk opportunities. As a result, the participation of underrepresented minorities in Academy meetings is more than twice the national average in academia.

How to Propose an Event

The Academy invites proposals from a wide variety of fields including, but not limited to: biomedical sciences, chemistry, public health, sustainability, physical sciences, engineering, and technology. Priority is given to proposals in cutting-edge, solution-oriented, multidisciplinary subject areas, and to issues facing the public and private sectors at the intersection of science, technology and society.

We welcome expressions of interest in conference collaborations from all sectors and geographies. Convenings may be proposed for presentation at the Academy’s headquarters in New York City, at other locations across the United States, and around the world.

The Academy peer-reviews all conference proposals to ensure the highest quality, integrity and timeliness of research. Proceedings may be published in Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more about the requirements for submitting a Conference proposal here.

Academy Event Programs

Scientific Symposia: The Latest Research + Unmatched Networking  

Our scientific symposia are one- to three-day events, usually offered both in-person as well as with virtual attendance options. These convenings focus on scientific topics determined by our in-house scientists with the support of external Scientific Organizing Committees. Topics range from genomic medicine, chemical and structural biology, drug discovery, computer science, urban sustainability, and more. These events bring together a cross-section of academia, industry, and policy makers. Events feature high profile keynote speakers, leading scientistic presenters, and poster sessions for early career researchers, our in-person events are renowned for their convivial setting and plentiful networking opportunities.

Lectures: Spotlights on the Role of Science in Society  

We deliver lectures and panels with the aim of contributing to public debate about contemporary science and society issues. Speakers are distinguished academics, policymakers and industry leaders with different perspectives on the given topic, offering the audience a thought-provoking discussion that thoroughly analyzes the subject from multiple angles. These events, usually in the evening, are geared towards the public as well as policy makers and scientists in both academia and industry.

Award Symposia: Honoree Showcases  

The Academy is proud to administer leadingscientific award programs. To give the inspiring honorees a special platform of their own, we present science award symposia where the young researchers present their groundbreaking work. These events provide an unmatched opportunity to stay up to date on the latest science innovations from the most promising talent across multiple fields.

Webinars: Bite-Sized Programming with Big Impact  

Our webinars feature first-person perspectives from science award winners, science luminaries, industry thought leaders, and members of the Academy community. These short online panels addressing some of the most important science questions of our time. Select webinars are available in our on-demand library.

Discussion Groups

Discussion Groups present half-day or one-day symposia, offered in-person and often with a virtual attendance option, throughout the year in a given scientific area of interest. Steering Committees composed of multi-institutional scientists from the Academy’s network shape each Discussion Group’s portfolio of events and publications, providing thought leadership on key issues of interest.