The Membership and Outreach committee is delighted to announce the inaugural SAS Regional Events Competition. This competition is intended to provide those with an interest in affective science with opportunities to network and learn from each other outside of the annual SAS meeting. We hope these events will both strengthen the connections among current SAS members and create opportunities for individuals who are not current members to learn more about SAS.
SAS members (ongoing or recently joined) interested in hosting a regional event should submit an application by April 30, 2026, following the criteria outlined below. Applications will be reviewed and selections made by a Regional Events selection committee led by the SAS Membership and Outreach committee. Events should be held between July 1, 2026, and February 28, 2027. Funded proposals will receive between $100-$1000 from SAS to help support the proposed event. Learn more about the recent SAS-supported pilot regional event, SASolina: https://society-for-affective-science.org/sasolina-regional-event-on-september-19-2025/
Who is eligible to host an event?
SAS members at any career stage are welcome to apply to host a SAS-supported regional event. Regional events can be hosted by one person or more than one person; at least one host needs to be a current SAS member at the time of submission. SAS regional events can occur in any part of the world. All SAS sponsored regional events are required to take place in person.
Supported Event Formats: The following formats are appropriate for regional events:
- Half- or full-day symposium on Affective Science
- Panel discussion
- Roundtable or other informal discussion on an affective science-related topic
- Networking session with opportunities for brief presentations (e.g., blitz talks, posters)
- “Watch parties” of affective-science related activities (e.g., recordings of methods events)
- Dedicated SAS networking event hosted during a related conference (e.g., ISRE, Cognitive Neuroscience Society, Society for Neuroscience, Society for Social and Personality Psychology, Society of Experimental Social Psychology; applicable permissions may be necessary)
- Presentation or fireside chat on an affective science topic
- Other creative events proposed by SAS members
Requirement for Supported Events: Each SAS-supported event must include the following elements:
- At least one scholarly activity (e.g., presentation given by an affective scientist, panel or roundtable discussion related to affective science, fireside chat with an affective scientist, discussion of an affective science related article, blitz talk or poster session).
- A networking event, whether formally through an academic “speed dating” or “mentoring” event, or informally over a meal, reception, or coffee hour.
- Both faculty and trainees (e.g., students, postdocs) must be in attendance.
- Host(s) pitch benefits of SAS membership and annual meeting attendance in a brief presentation during the event.
- Host(s) include SAS logo on event materials and acknowledge SAS as a sponsor.
- Post-event evaluation survey distributed to all attendees to provide data on event success.
Other guidelines:
For larger events (e.g., day or half-day long symposia with 50+ attendees), hosts must seek outside funding from their institutions or from Affective Science-related industry or community partners to supplement the support received by SAS. Individuals will be asked to address in their application where outside sources of funding will be sought if event costs exceed the amount awarded by SAS.
When appropriate, both SAS members and individuals who are not currently members of SAS should be included as part of events to bolster membership and outreach recruitment efforts.
Hosts should be amenable to social media posting through SAS channels and consider submitting relevant materials (e.g., recordings, programs, photos) after their event for distribution to the broader SAS member community.
Application Amount: SAS members can propose between $100-$1000 for a SAS-supported event. Applications must include a detailed budget and justification (see below). Events may be awarded either full or partial funding, depending on the needs of the proposed event and number of meritorious applications submitted.
Allowable Costs:
- Food (e.g., breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, appetizers)
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Venue space (e.g., private room in a restaurant, university conference room or public room)
- Audio-Visual equipment costs (e.g., for presenting, recording)
- Costs for producing event materials (e.g., recruitment materials, programs)
- Honorariums for invited speakers
Timeline:
Applications due: April 30, 2026 by 11:59 PM Baker Island Time
Award notifications: June 15, 2026
Events held: July 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027
Final report of event due to SAS (including description of how the event went, evaluation results, and event-related receipts): 30 days after event
If applicable, submit relevant materials from event to share with broader SAS member-base: 60 days after event
Application Requirements:
Submitted applications should be a maximum of 2 single-spaced pages, no smaller than Arial 11-point font and 0.5” margins, and should include the following:
- A detailed description of the event, including how it relates to Affective Science
- Proposed event location
- Anticipated number of attendees (and their career stages)
- Justification for anticipated number of attendees
- Proposed timeline (both for planning and hosting)
- Detailed budget estimate and justification, including information on any additional funding being sought for the event
- Plans for sharing relevant materials from the event with SAS for distribution to the member base
Please direct any questions to Rita at sas@podiumconferences.com. If you do not have a Google account and wish to submit an application, you may email the application directly to Rita at sas@podiumconferences.com with the subject line “2026 SAS Regional Events Competition Application”.
We look forward to receiving your application to the SAS Regional Events Competition!