We're excited to announce and highlight the #2025APPAM conference activities! These events are taking place November 13-15, 2025 in Seattle, Washington as part of our Annual Fall Research Conference.
APPAM members and conference attendees are invited to attend one of our 2025 APPAM Communities Gatherings. These get-togethers focus on shared interests or experiences, including, but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, geographical location, methodology, innovative research topic, or research approach. The one-hour gatherings below are open to all conference attendees.
Learn about the yearlong APPAM Communities here.
The APPAM Career & PhD Program Fair is back this fall! Student and job seeker attendees are invited to this complimentary event that hosts employers and PhD programs from around the world. The fair will take place on Friday, November 14 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM ET at the Hyatt Regency in Seattle, Washington. Learn more about the Career & PhD Program Fair.
APPAM will host a Speed Mentoring Session to increase mentoring opportunities for students and young professionals. This is a separate event from the APPAM Mentoring program, and Mentees participating in the APPAM Mentor Program are not required to attend but are encouraged to participate!
Friday, November 14th, 6:45 - 8:00 pm
Refreshments Provided
Agenda:
6:45 pm - 7:05 pm: Check-in and informal networking
7:05 pm - 7:20 pm: Round 1
7:20 pm - 7:25 pm: Move to Round II
7:25 pm - 7:40 pm: Round II
7:40 pm - 7:45 pm: Move to Round III
7:45 pm - 8:00 pm: Round III
8:00 pm: Wrap-up
About the event:
Mentors will be assigned a topic for discussion, and three to four students will sit at a table with a mentor. Each round will last 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, a bell will ring, and students will move to their next topic of interest. There will be three rounds total.
Check-in will begin at 6:45 pm, giving participants an opportunity to enjoy refreshments and network. The program will begin at 7:00 pm.
How is this different from the APPAM Mentoring Program?
This one-day event will allow participants to gain insights, expand their networks, and navigate their careers in public policy and management in a fast-paced format. Students and Young Professional mentees do NOT need to be APPAM members to attend. Participation in the APPAM Mentor Program was only open to members.
Why should you participate in Speed Mentoring?
Mentors will engage with students and young professionals, helping them gain insights, expand their networks, and navigate their public policy and management careers.
Mentees will engage with mentors to gain insights, expand their networks, and navigate their careers in public policy and management.
Mentorship matters!
Mentee sign-up deadline: October 31st
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Mentor sign-up deadline: October 31st
Wednesday, November 12
First Timers Session
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Thursday, November 13
Wellness Session: Fun Run & Walk
6:30 am - 7:30 am
Membership & Awards Lunch
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
The Future of the U.S. Department of Education: Reform, Reinvention, or Retrenchment?
In an era of political polarization, educational inequality, and growing public scrutiny of federal authority, the role of the U.S. Department of Education faces renewed debate. In the first 6 months of his second term, President Trump reduced the size of the Department by half and withheld the distribution of billions of education dollars to states. These actions represent a substantial shift in education policy and funding in the U.S. This session convenes leading education policy experts to examine the fundamental question: What should the federal role in education be over the next decade?
Panelists will explore competing visions for the Department—from expanding federal leadership on equity, student debt, and accountability, to decentralizing control and returning more authority to states and localities. Should ED lead on issues like curriculum, civil rights enforcement, and higher education financing? Or should its scope be narrowed in favor of local innovation? The session will surface key tradeoffs in federal education policy and provide a platform to assess how research and political feasibility can shape the future of the Department.
Moderator: Erdal Tekin, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM) and Fotis Family Distinguished Professor of Health Policy, School of Public Affairs, American University
Panelist: James Kvall, Former Under Secretary, US Department of Education
Panelist: Amy Ellen Schwartz, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, Education, and Economics, NYU-Wagner
Panelist: Michael Shires, Vice Chair, America First Policy Institute’s Center for Education Opportunity
Presidential Address
5:00 pm - 6:15 pm
Presidential Toast
6:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Equity & Inclusion Fellowship Meet-Up (Invite Only)
7:15 pm - 8:15 pm
Affiliate Receptions
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Friday, November 14
Wellness Session: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
7:00 am - 7:30 am
Exhibit Hall Refreshments
8:00 am - 9:45 am
Equity & Inclusion Fellows Luncheon
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Career & PhD Program Fair
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Student Seminar
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Poster Reception
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Student Mixer
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Speed Mentoring (invite only)
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Saturday, November 15
Wellness Session: Yoga
7:00 am - 7:30 am
Poster Luncheon
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Questions? Email [email protected]