Events
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinar on December 10
On December 10, join COSSA for the final Headlines webinar of the year. We will cover key policy developments and Congressional activity that affected the social and behavioral sciences in 2025 and preview what’s ahead for 2026. Register now and join the conversation. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations. Watch for additional webinar announcements, and previous webinar recordings, on the COSSA website.
Social Science Advocacy Day: Early Bird Registration Opening Soon!
COSSA’s annual Social Science Advocacy Day is BACK and will take place March 23-24, 2026 in Washington, DC! This signature, members-only event brings together social and behavioral science researchers, faculty, students, association professionals, and other advocates from across the country. Together, we’ll meet with elected officials in Congress to discuss the value of our sciences and the importance of federal funding. Early Bird Registration will be open next month. Stay tuned for more details and sponsorship opportunities. Until then, save the date and share this exciting opportunity with your colleagues. Visit the COSSA website for the latest information on Social Science Advocacy Day.
AAPOR To Host Pre-Election Polling Webinar on November 19
On November 19, the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), a COSSA governing member, will host the next installment of their analysis of general election polls during presidential elections, Performance of Pre-Election Polling in 2024. The webinar will examine AAPOR’s newly released report, Pre-Election Polling Task Force Report, which evaluates the accuracy of general election polls during the 2024 election cycle. Registration for the webinar can be found here. This article was contributed by COSSA Intern Anne Tighe.
AERA Holds Its 22nd Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research
On October 23, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), a COSSA governing member, hosted James A. Banks, professor and founder of the Center for Multicultural Education at the University of Washington, as its 2025 annual Brown lecturer. The Brown Lecture aims to continue the legacy of the Brown v. Board decision by highlighting the role of research in advancing educational equality. In his lecture, Rethinking Brown When Diversity and Equity Are Imperiled and Democracy Is Fragile, Banks discussed the recent attacks the Trump Administration has made on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and drew upon existing studies to offer…
Register Now: AAPSS 2025 Moynihan Lecture
This fall, the American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), a COSSA member, will award the 2025 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize to distinguished scholar on Ukraine and European authoritarianism, Timothy Snyder. This annual prize honors “social scientists, public officials, and civic leaders” who use “informed judgement to advance the public good.” Every year, the winner of the Moynihan Prize gives the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Lecture in Washington D.C. Snyder will deliver this year’s lecture on October 30, followed by a conversation with Executive Director of the Women’s Foreign Policy Group, Alexa Chopivsky. If you are interested in attending this event, please…
2026 Social Science Advocacy Day
COSSA’s Social Science Advocacy Day is back! Join COSSA on March 23-24, 2026 in Washington, DC! Advocacy Day brings together social and behavioral scientists and science advocates from across the country to engage with policymakers. This page is for registering to participate in Advocacy Day in-person in Washington, DC on March 23-24, 2026. Can’t make it to DC this Spring? Watch your inbox for info on how you can engage from home. Sponsorship packages are available and include free event registrations. If your organization is interested in sponsoring, please contact Wendy Naus (wnaus@cossa.org) before registering for Advocacy Day. COSSA Member Benefit Participation in Advocacy Day is a benefit reserved exclusively for COSSA member organizations. Check our member list to see if you belong to a member organization, or contact us to learn more about joining COSSA. MORE ABOUT ADVOCACY DAY
Save the Date: Social Science Advocacy Day 2026
COSSA’s annual Social Science Advocacy Day will be taking place March 23-24, 2026 in Washington, DC! This signature, members-only event brings together social and behavioral science researchers, faculty, students, association professionals, and other advocates from across the country to meet with their elected officials in Congress to discuss the value of our sciences and the importance of federal funding. Stay tuned for additional details in the coming weeks. Early bird registration will be here before you know it! Until then, mark your calendars and share this exciting opportunity with your colleagues. We hope to see you in Washington, DC in March 2026!…
NASEM Hosts a Webinar on Continuing Social-Environmental Research with Little to No Funding
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) in collaboration with the Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN), the Board on Environmental Change and Society (BECS), and the Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) hosted a webinar titled “Opportunities for Doing Social-Environmental Research with Little to No Funding.” Following actions made by the Trump Administration to cut research funding and terminate grants, the webinar sought to equip researchers with creative ways to fund their research (see previous COSSA coverage). NASEM offered potential ways to cut down on costs, including utilizing secondary sources as well as meta-analysis. Furthermore, they highlighted local field studies…
Crunch Time for Science Funding: Latest Policy Updates from COSSA
On September 23, COSSA hosted the recent installment in the 2025 Headlines Webinar series. The COSSA team provided updates on recent policy and funding developments impacting the social and behavioral science community, discussed Congress’ plans for averting a government shutdown (or not), and analyzed the latest actions taking by the Trump Administration. See the conversation below. View the Slides Not a COSSA member? Learn more about how your association or university can join here.
2025 NCFR Annual Conference
Power, Privilege, and Difference: Lived Experiences of Changing Families and Societies Each year, over a thousand professionals in the Family Science discipline gather for cutting-edge research, theory, practice and to make valuable connections at the NCFR Annual Conference. Learn about this year’s theme! Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, Baltimore, Maryland Please visit the 2025 NCFR Annual Conference website for full details on registration, hotel, and more!
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinar on September 23
On September 23, join COSSA for the next installment in the 2025 Headlines Webinar series. The COSSA team will be providing updates on recent policy and funding developments impacting the social and behavioral science community, discuss Congress’ plans for averting a government shutdown (or not), and analyze the latest actions taking by the Trump Administration. Join the conversation. The webinar will be taking place on September 23 at 2pm EST. Register here. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations. Watch for additional webinar announcements, and previous webinar recordings, on the COSSA website.
Register for AERA’s 22nd Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research
On October 23, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) will host the 22nd Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research. The annual lecture aims to illuminate the important role of research in advancing understanding of equality and equity in education. The 2025 lecture is titled, “Rethinking Brown When Diversity and Equity are Imperiled and Democracy Is Fragile” and will be delivered by James A. Banks, the Kerry and Linda Killinger Endowed Chair in Diversity Studies Emeritus and founding director of the Center for Multicultural Education (now the Banks Center for Educational Justice) at the University of Washington. AERA is a COSSA governing member organization. Register…
PAA to Host Congressional Briefing on “U.S. Birth Rate Trends: Patterns, Drivers, and Implications for American Families”
On October 8, the Population Association of America (PAA) will host a congressional briefing on “U.S. Birth Rate Trends: Patterns, Drivers, and Implications for American Families.” The event will feature a discussion on national and international birth rate trends and evidence on the effects of policy incentives, such as tax credits and paid family leave, in impacting an individual’s decision to start a family. The discussion is particularly timely given the Trump Administration’s interest in encouraging higher birth rates nationwide. Speakers will include: PAA is a COSSA governing member organization. RSVP to secure your spot!
Latest Research Policy Updates with COSSA & COGR
On July 28, COSSA hosted the recent installment in the Headlines Webinar series. This month’s meeting featured a discussion with research policy experts from COGR on topics like indirect costs, research compliance, and other timely developments impacting the social and behavioral science community. View the Slides Featured speakers: Krystal Toups is the Director for Contracts & Grants Administration at COGR. She leads COGR’s research policy efforts related to the administration of sponsored research from proposal preparation and submission to terms and conditions of awards, monitoring the regulatory landscape. Prior to joining COGR, Krystal served as the Assistant Vice Provost for Sponsored…
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinar on July 28
On July 28, join COSSA for the next installment in the Headlines Webinar series. This month’s meeting will cover the latest policy updates and will feature guest speakers from the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR). Come join the conversation. Featured speakers: The webinar will be taking place on July 28 at 2pm EST. Register here. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations. Watch for additional webinar announcements, and previous webinar recordings, on the COSSA website.
Diving into the President’s FY 2026 Budget: Implications for Social and Behavioral Science
On June 26, COSSA hosted the recent installment in the Headlines Webinar series. June’s meeting focused on the release of the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget and what it means for the social and behavioral sciences. Featured speakers: View the Slides Not a COSSA member? Learn more about how your association or university can join here.
Latest Policy Updates from COSSA: April
On April 29, COSSA hosted the recent installment in the Headlines Webinar series. Updates were provided on Budgets, NSF Developments, NIH Priorities, and other new developments of the last few weeks, including what COSSA members can do in response. See the recording and slides below. View the Slides Not a COSSA member? Learn more about how your association or university can join here.
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinar on April 29
On April 29, join COSSA for the next installment of the Headlines Webinar series. We will continue to cover the latest Congressional news, President Trump’s Executive actions, the federal budget, and more. The webinar will be taking place on April 29 at 1pm EST. Register here. If you missed COSSA’s recent webinars, you can find the recordings below: Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations. Watch for additional webinar announcements, and previous webinar recordings, on the COSSA website.
Social and Behavioral Scientists Take to Capitol Hill for COSSA’s Social Science Advocacy Day
On March 24-25, COSSA held its annual Social Science Advocacy Day in Washington, DC. Over 70 social and behavioral science researchers, students, and advocates from 17 different states headed to Capitol Hill to meet with more than 60 offices in the House of Representatives and Senate, all carrying a message about the need to prioritize funding for social and behavioral science research. COSSA is especially grateful to the sponsors of this year’s event. Thank you to all involved for making this such an impactful experience and stay tuned for news about Social Science Advocacy Day 2026!
Latest Policy Updates from COSSA: March
On March 31, COSSA hosted the latest Headlines Webinar in the series. COSSA provided updates on Congressional actions, recent Trump Administration efforts, updates on the budget, and other new developments over the last few weeks, including what COSSA members can do in response. View the Slides Not a COSSA member? Learn more about how your association or university can join here.