The annual Allied Social Science Associations (ASSA) meeting—hosted by the AEA in partnership with 66 other associations—brings together thousands of economists for three days of research, discussion, and connection. With more than 500 sessions and signature AEA events such as the Presidential Address, Distinguished Lecture, lightning round sessions, and mentoring programs, the meeting offers something for everyone.

The AEA committees have been hard at work planning a timely, engaging, and valuable program. Below is essential information and a preview of selected sessions and activities planned for the 2026 ASSA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.

Updates regarding EconTrack and the next workshop hosted by the Ombuds team at MWI follow the meeting information below.

ASSA Annual Meeting Early Registration Discount Ends on December 3

Register before December 3 at https://www.aeaweb.org/conference for the lowest rates! The regular registration fee will increase from $240 to $290 after the deadline. Student registration will increase from $70 to $120.

AEA Annual Meeting Program

The AEA annual meeting program for 2026 is set to offer an exciting and engaging experience. Highlights include the AEA Distinguished Lecture by Leah Boustan of Yale University and the AEA/AFA Joint Luncheon featuring Tarun Ramadorai of Imperial College London. The popular lightning round sessions and the Recent Developments Series will also return for 2026.

Graduate students and junior faculty are encouraged to attend the Mentoring and Networking Luncheon. This luncheon is designed to connect graduate student and junior faculty economists with leading experts in their fields. Poster sessions will again include dedicated times for author discussions, and registrants can take advantage of free professional headshots in the exhibit hall.

For more information on the various opportunities available, please visit the AEA website. We look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia!

Featured 2026 AEA Panel Sessions

This year's program will feature panel sessions focused on how federal agencies use economic research. The four AEA “Research Informing Policy” sessions feature senior leaders from the Congressional Budget Office, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Trade Commission, and the National Institutes for Health, along with academic researchers who have worked with these agencies. For more information and a list of the panel sessions that are planned for the program, visit https://www.aeaweb.org/news/assa-2026-panels.

AEA-CEE at the ASSA Annual Meeting

The Committee on Economic Education (AEA-CEE) has organized seven sessions for the upcoming ASSA meeting. These include paper and panel sessions, as well as a poster session on a variety of topics related to economic education. In addition to these more traditional sessions, the AEA-CEE will offer two “workshop-style” sessions, each focused on practical ways to use AI in teaching economics. These sessions will be highly interactive, providing participants with hands-on experience using AI tools. While not required, bringing a laptop will be useful in participating in the sessions. They are “AI-Powered Teaching: A Workshop on Practical Strategies for Economics Educators” scheduled for Sunday, January 4, at 10:15 a.m., and “Teaching Economics with AI: Enhancing Learning, Research, and Critical Thinking” (co-sponsored with the National Association of Economic Educators) scheduled for Saturday, January 3, at 12:30 p.m.

CSWEP at the ASSA Annual Meeting

The Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession (CSWEP) invites you to attend its Annual Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony Luncheon on Sunday, January 4 at 12:30 p.m., where the committee will honor the 2025 Carolyn Shaw Bell and Elaine Bennett Research Prize award winners. Register at CSWEP Annual Business Meeting and Awards Luncheon.

Don’t miss CSWEP’s annual reception on Saturday, January 3 at 6:30 p.m., honoring Janet Yellen, recipient of the inaugural Janet L. Yellen Award for Excellence in Public Service. In addition to these opportunities, the committee has organized several research sessions and will host a mentoring breakfast for junior economists. For more details about all planned activities, visit https://www.aeaweb.org/about-aea/committees/cswep/participate/annual-meeting.

CSMGEP at the ASSA Annual Meeting

The Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession (CSMGEP) invites you to join them at the annual meeting for a series of timely and engaging sessions. On Saturday, January 3, three sessions will be held: “The Ethics of Research in Economics” at 8:00 a.m., the “CSMGEP 2026 Dissertation Session” at 10:15 a.m., and “Redefining Digital Access” at 2:30 p.m. On Sunday, January 4, the CSMGEP/NEA/ASHE/AERIP Joint Reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. The sessions will conclude on Monday, January 5, with “Difficult Conversations in the Economics Classroom” at 8:00 a.m., a joint session with the AEA-CEE. All meeting registrants are invited to these activities. For more details, visit 2026 CSMGEP sessions in the annual meeting program.

CSQIEP at the ASSA Annual Meeting

The Committee on the Status of LGBTQ+ Individuals in the Economics Profession (CSQIEP) will host an in-person business luncheon, two research sessions, and one social reception at the 2026 ASSA meeting. The business luncheon will be Sunday, January 4 from 12:30-2:15 p.m. in the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown and will feature a keynote talk from Erika McEntarfer (Stanford University and former Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics), remarks by CSQIEP’s new leadership team, and the presentation of the Annual Award for Outstanding Research in the Economics of LGBTQ+ People. To register for the luncheon, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1969805790144?aff=oddtdtcreator.

A CSQIEP session featuring LGBTQ-identified researchers working in applied microeconomics topics will take place on Sunday, January 4 at 8:00 a.m. The other session (“Pink Papers”) features research addressing LGBTQ-related topics and will take place on Sunday, January 4 at 10:15 a.m. Both research sessions will be at the Philadelphia Convention Center.

A social gathering will take place on Sunday, January 4 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.

All meeting registrants are welcome to attend all activities. To learn more about CSQIEP’s many activities (mentoring, LGBTQ+ seminar, research etc.), visit the committee web page at https://www.aeaweb.org/about-aea/committees/aealgbtq.

Make Plans to Attend the CSWEP/CPC Joint Panel Session

CSWEP and the Committee on Professional Climate (CPC) have planned a session title “The Future of Research and Higher Education in a Shifting Policy Landscape” scheduled for Sunday, January 4 at 10:15 a.m. This panel will discuss the impact of changes in government policy, including changes within federal grant-making organizations, immigration policy, the level and nature of government involvement in higher education, and funding criteria for institutions of higher education. For details visit, CSWEP/CPC Joint Panel Session.

Don’t Miss the Session Organized by the Chair of the AEA Committee on Statistics

Members of the AEA Committee on Statistics and other economists will participate in a session titled “The State of Government Economic Statistics” at the ASSA Annual Meeting on Monday, January 5 at 8:00 a.m. David Wessel (Brookings Institution) will moderate the session which includes panelists Karen Dynan (Harvard University and AEAStat Chair), William Beach (formerly at Bureau of Labor Statistics), Loretta Mester (Princeton University and University of Pennsylvania), Seth Carpenter (Morgan Stanley), and Jed Kolko (Peterson Institute). The session will be live-streamed. For more details, visit The State of Government Economic Statistics.

AEA Ombuds Team Member Available at the ASSA Annual Meeting

Nnena Odim, one of the AEA Ombuds Team members, will be on-site during the ASSA meeting. The ombuds office will be in the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown - Conference Suite II. Visit during office hours or contact Nnena at 617-898-0938 or nnena-ombuds@mwi.org to set up an appointment.

For more information about the ombuds team and the services available to members, visit https://www.aeaweb.org/about-aea/aea-ombuds.

Upcoming Workshop: “From Contribution to Credit: Navigating Authorship with Confidence”

The one-hour workshop, scheduled for Wednesday, December 17, at 12:00 p.m. EST via Zoom, will be led by the Ombuds team at MWI. This workshop is designed to equip participants with the tools to navigate authorship conversations with confidence, fairness, and professionalism. For more details and to register, visit https://mwi-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/K_1aREveRj628PYGUP5hEw#/registration.

Check out EconTrack—The AEA Job Information Board 

The AEA wants to help keep you informed! EconTrack is open with the goal of providing job candidates with reliable information about the status of open positions during the annual job market cycle. Several new features have been added this year. All registered users, including AEA members, are now welcome to participate in keeping hiring milestones up to date. Additionally, a milestone that was entered or verified by an institutional administrator includes a certification symbol. To ensure privacy, EconTrack does not include comments or any information about individual candidates under consideration. Entries are added to the EconTrack board by employers who opt in through the JOE Network or register the entry directly on EconTrack. For more details and to view the board, visit https://www.aeaweb.org/econtrack.

Follow the AEA on BlueSky and X!

Stay informed! Follow the AEA on BlueSky and X to learn about programs, services, resources, AEA committees, important member announcements, and upcoming deadlines. For a list of accounts to follow, visit https://www.aeaweb.org/social.