If you're a psychologist, educator, or student looking to stay up to date in the field of psychology, consider attending APA's 2026 conventionopens in new window. This year's event takes place August 6–8 in Washington, DC. APA 2026 brings together people who are passionate about psychological science. It's a valuable opportunity to learn, network, and build new connections in the field.
This year's program is built around leading through today's most pressing challenges, from AI's rapid integration into daily life, to the developmental impact of growing up digital, to the realities of aging in a changing society. Educators will find hundreds of sessions across every subfield of psychology, plus main stage and feature stage events, hands-on CE workshops, dynamic networking opportunities, and so much more. We hope that you have the chance to join us in Washington, DC, and be a part of these conversations.
The sessions listed below are those sponsored by APA’s Board of Educational Affairs (BEA), Committee on Association and Baccalaureate Education (CABE), and the Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS). The Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP; APA Division 2) and the honor societies in psychology also sponsor sessions at APA. These sessions represent additional sessions from which educators can benefit.
Visit the APA 2026 website for information on registration and other details. Early bird registration ends May 20.
APA 2026 Workshop for High School Psychology Teachers
Wednesday, August 5, 20269 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
APA Headquarters, 750 First Street, NE, 9th Floor Conference Room
Workshop registration is separate from APA 2026 registration.
Building student resilience in times of turmoil: Strategies for teachers
TOPSS Invited Address
Thursday, August 6, 2026
10–11 a.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Street Level, East Salon F
Session Chair: Natasha N. Alston, MPS, Mountain Pointe High School
Presenters: Ronald Palomares-Fernandez, PhD, Texas Woman's University, and Laurel A. Jones, BS, Texas Woman's University
Teaching belonging in today’s classrooms
TOPSS Invited Address: The Lee Gurel Lecture
Thursday, August 6, 2026
1–2:00 p.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Street Level, Room 143C
Session Chair: Natasha N. Alston, MPS, Mountain Pointe High School
Presenter: Gabrielle P.A. Smith, PhD, Texas Woman's University
A(I)ll in good time: Scalable strategies for teaching psychology with AI
CABE Symposium
Thursday, August 6, 2026
2:30–3:30 p.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Street Level, Room 140B
Session Chair: Beth M. Schwartz, PhD, Senior Director, Precollege and Undergraduate Education, APA
Presenters: Albee O. Mendoza, PhD, Delaware State University, and Liza Veliz, MA, South Texas College
Public education and its discontents: Psychological science and PK-12 education
BEA Symposium
Friday, August 7, 2026
8:30–9:30 a.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Street Level, Room 143A
Moderator: Timothy Cavell, PhD
Presenters: Robin Codding, PhD, Northeastern University; Sharon Nichols, PhD, University of Texas at San Antonio; Pamela Fenning, PhD, Loyola University of Chicago; and Francesca Lopez, University of Wisconsin
Teaching in the Age of Misinformation and Self-Diagnosis
TOPSS Invited Address: The Randal M. Ernst Lecture
Friday, August 7, 2026
2:30–3:30 p.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Street Level, Room 143A
Session Chair: Katie Grobman, PhD, California State University, Monterey Bay
Presenter: Tania Thomas-Presswood, PhD, NCSP, ABSNP, Gallaudet University
Teaching Research Early: A Strategy to Secure Psychology’s Future
CABE Invited Address: The Diane Halpern Lecture
Friday, August 7, 2026
2:30–3:30 p.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Street Level, Room 140B
Session Chair: Liza Veliz, MA, South Texas College
Presenter: Todd A. Joseph, MA, Psi Beta National Honors Society
CABE Breakfast and Awards Ceremony (with Psi Alpha, Psi Beta, Psi Chi, and TOPSS)
Saturday, August 8, 2026
8–9:30 a.m.
Marriott Marquis Washington, Level Two, Salon 12
Transferable Talent: From Psychology Major to Marketable Employee
CABE Symposium
Saturday, August 8, 2026
10:30–11:30 a.m.
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Street Level, Room 140A
Chair: Albee Mendoza, PhD, Delaware State University
Presenters: Karen Z. Naufel, PhD, Georgia Southern University, and Stacie M. Spencer, PhD, MCPHS University
For information about programs offered by the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, please visit the STP websiteopens in new window for a comprehensive schedule.
About the author
In spring 2026, Dilan Ashar is a junior at the University of Maryland, majoring in psychology. He spent a semester interning with APA’s Psychology Team, supporting work focused on psychology educators.