Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, APPAM is committed to the world-class conferences you've been used to from us.
The 2020 APPAM International Conference is still going to take place on July 23 – 24, 2020, but it will be virtual. This decision was made after consultation with our co-hosts, American University and University of Toronto, and after taking into account some crucial aspect of meeting in person.
The most important thing for APPAM is the health and safety of our members and attendees, and a large gathering like the International Conference would have been logistically difficult to carry on without endangering the well-being of conference-goers. In addition many countries, states and localities still have travel restrictions in place that would have made attendance difficult for a number of interested scholars. Further, academic institutions have announced steep budget cuts and strict spending requirements, making travel practically impossible for their employees.
Condensed Two-Day Online Format
Even in making such a difficult decision, and with the disappointment that we will not be able to meet at the University of Toronto, we are energized by the quality of submissions and are looking forward to a vibrant exchange of ideas, online. The conference will still be happening on July 23 and July 24, with a modified schedule available next week. The sessions will be transformed into live webinar sessions with audience participation and will be recorded for delayed viewing for all conference attendees.
Submitted a Proposal?
Did you submit a proposal for the 2020 International Conference? We understand that given the changes to the format of this year's conference you might not want to participate, so we are offering you the option to choose if you still want to participate virtually. You will receive a separate email today (Friday, 5/8) that will lay out all the particulars of the conference and you will have the opportunity to opt-out if this new format does not work for you.
Substantially Reduced Registration Rates
The registration rates for the Virtual International Conference are heavily discounted, as the virtual format is, of course, not ideal and some of the aspects of a live conference cannot be replicated in an online format. We also recognize that this is a time of potential financial insecurity for many of us and a professional conference should not add more monetary strain. While online, we are confident this is still going to be an amazing conference with top-notch research, with a primary focus on a timely topic, public health.
Questions about the change to virtual? Email Samantha Oliver Thomason at soliver@appam.org