Issue 4 – Conference Report

Recap, infographic, and reflection: Dr. Katie Hoemann

SAS 2023 Conference Report: By the Numbers

This year’s annual meeting was incredible, dazzling 460 attendees with 3 pre-conferences and more than 46 regular conference sessions over 3 days.

Congratulations again to the 10 affective scientists honored with the 2023 SAS Trainee Diversity Awards and the 5 affective scientists honored with the SAS 2023 Awards!

It’s already been more than 4 months since we saw each other in Long Beach, in-person for the first time in 4 years. And this time we were celebrating our 10th conference as a society. It felt like a reunion: of colleagues, of friends, of a science family. We shared ideas, viewpoints, and laughter, reconnecting and growing our community. Most importantly, we learned from each other, fueling our personal and collective passion for research on affect and emotion.

Program highlights included a symposium on neglected senses (smell, voice, touch), a keynote dialogue on consciousness, and TED-style talks on emotions for the planet and perspective-changing collaborations. The program also featured the 2022 SAS Awards winners, the second SAS Diversity Science Symposium with Dr. Julian Thayer, and Dr. Maya Tamir’s Presidential Symposium on Culture and Emotion. A bevy of submitted symposia, flash talks, and posters showcased the latest findings and innovations; salons, roundtables, and workshops gave insight into skills and methods; and networking and social events provided opportunities to meet and interact. We congratulated the winners of the 2023 awards – including best flash talk, best posters (new idea, new results), and the ‘goose chase’ scavenger hunt – and we welcomed President Dr. Maital Neta and President-Elect Dr. Kristen Lindquist.

A huge thanks to Dr. Liz DaSilva and Dr. Andrea Samson, the 2023 Conference Program Co-chairs who put together this science feast! Stay tuned for more details about SAS 2024.

Issue 2 – Conference Report

Recap from Stephanie Carpenter and Maria Gendron, 2022 SAS Conference Program Co-chairs
Infographic: Magdalena Rychlowska

 

The SAS 2022 virtual meeting was a great success, featuring 58 regular conference sessions, 2 preconferences, and nearly 700 attendees.

A special shout-out to the awardees of the SAS 2022 Awards! Congratulations!

 

Program highlights included TED-style talks covering broad topics in affective science, invited flash talks highlighting recent scientific innovations, interactive methods events and salons, and professional development events and networking opportunities. 2022 also featured the first SAS Diversity Science Symposium, “Emotion Regulation as a Tool in Coping with Racism and Promoting Healthier Intergroup Relations,” and SAS 2022 President, Dr. Elaine Fox, organized an illuminating symposium on the Affective Science of Mental Health. SAS award winners from the prior conference in 2021 were spotlighted in an inaugural SAS Awards symposium. Beyond the invited programming, SAS 2022 featured 7 poster sessions, 5 Flash Talk sessions, and, for the first time, included symposia in the program. In a joint effort between the SAS student committee and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee to promote and celebrate diversity among trainees, 10 exceptional junior scholars were awarded a Trainee Diversity Award. We were also pleased to have participation from attendees across the globe.

All in all, SAS 2022 was a great success. We look forward to seeing you at SAS 2023 in Long Beach, CA, USA taking place March 30-April 1, 2023.