2027 Conference for Advancing the Participatory Sciences
Join us in Louisville, Kentucky for a week of exciting collaboration.
The Conference for Advancing Participatory Sciences (CAPS) is the premiere annual gathering of scholars, practitioners, and facilitators in the field of participatory sciences. This year’s event will take place in Louisville, Kentucky, 17-21 May 2027, and is your opportunity to expand and share your perspectives and skills with the broadest possible audience.
CAPS engages leaders who are catalyzing the field to enrich research and serve community priorities. The event bridges diverse traditions— from community science to volunteer-monitoring to engaged research—and unites key partners, including community organizations, scientific institutions, researchers, and platforms. To engage expertise across sectors, CAPS blends traditional academic sessions with interactive formats like facilitated poster discussions, fishbowl dialogues, and storytelling.
Known for its vibrant culture, famous food, and welcoming spirit, Louisville is the perfect backdrop for this exchanging of ideas. Conference activities will take place on the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus—a Hub for research innovation, community partnership and public engagement, located just minutes from downtown.
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Conference Hosts, Partners, and Sponsors
Partnerships of all shapes and sizes are an essential part of CAPS. Thank you to some of the University of Louisville units who are already bringing their expertise and leadership to this event:
Healthy Places
Community Engagement
Scientists of Today and Tomorrow
Innovation Spaces
Science for Solutions
Program Overview and Session Types:
Help shape the program-submit your idea for an Organized Session by 20 October 2026.
Symposia
Symposia are panel-style discussions that provide space for deep, field-building discussions on a topic of broad relevance.
Propose an idea for this session type via the Call for Organized Sessions (closes 20 October 2026).
Workshops
Workshops are hands-on, interactive, experiential, engagement-focused sessions with stated learning objectives. These longer format offerings demonstrate and teach tools, techniques, and/or methods. Workshops take place on Monday before or Friday after the conference. Workshop fees may apply to ensure participation and cover needed expenses.
e an idea for this session type via the Call for Organized Sessions (closes 20 October 2026).
Collaborative Sessions
Collaborative sessions offer unique opportunities for community collaboration, collective problem solving, or generative discussions. Offered in a variety of formats such as fishbowls, gallery walks, or listening sessions, these engaged formats have become a hallmark of AAPS events.
e an idea for this session type via the Call for Organized Sessions (closes 20 October 2026).
Talk Sessions
Talk sessions will feature 6-8 individual presentations on relevant practice focused topics. Individual can share research findings, stories of lessons learned, or emerging work via a talk. All talk sessions will close with a facilitated discussion for the audience and presenters to discuss their work collectively.
Submit an idea for a Talk via the Call for Individual Presentations (opens late fall 2026).
Poster Sessions
CAPS poster sessions are spaces for one-on-one discussions, exchanging ideas, and building relationships. Presenters will share their work in a large-scale visual, print format in the conference poster gallery at one of two afternoon poster sessions.
Submit an idea for a Poster via the Call for Individual Presentations (opens late fall 2026).
Field Trips
Field trips provide an opportunity to explore regional ecosystems, cultural landmarks, and showcase regional projects. Field trips are primarily held on the Monday before and Friday after core conference programming with select evening excursions during the conference week.
Field trip details will be available prior to registration.
Special Programs
Special programming may include the Opening Reception, movie screenings, meet-the-author events, and sponsored events.
Maui Hudson
Director, Te Kotahi Research Institute, University of Waikato
Opening Keynote:
CARE and the use of Indigenous Knowledge in Open Science
Prof. Hudson will present June 3rd, launching a conversation about work in this field at the intersection between big data and local knowledge.
Ideas to Action session will immediately follow.
Insights from across this field and beyond
Registration rates:
Estimated Attendee Costs :
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) offers convenient non-stop service from major hubs across the country. Standard domestic round-trip flights typically range between $350 and $600 depending on your origin region. The airport sits just 3 miles from the University of Louisville Student Activity Center—a 5-minute rideshare ($10–$15)—and only 10 minutes from downtown.
Located along I-65, I-64, and I-71, Louisville is within a single day’s drive for over 60% of the U.S. population. Major hubs like Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Nashville, St. Louis, and Chicago all offer a quick, direct drive straight to campus.
The UofL Student Activity Center is located just 3 miles south of downtown. Attendees can easily take a 7-to-10-minute Uber/Lyft ($10–$16) or hop on the TARC Route 4 Bus, which offers direct 15-minute rides from downtown straight to campus for $1.75. For those driving, visitor parking is available at the Floyd Street Garage right next to the SAC.
Numerous hotel options are available in downtown Louisville offering discounted university rates (~$119-$170), and low-cost lodging in on-campus university dorms will also be available for attendees. The event team is currently working to finalize transportation options between downtown hotels and the Student Activity Center. Full booking details, special rates, and shuttle schedules will be posted here as soon as arrangements are finalized.
AAPS offers several opportunities for those seeking equitable participation options. These include:
- reduced rate tickets
- volunteer options to offset ticket costs
- no-commitment fee waivers
- LIMITED stipends to support costs of travel or participation
All eligibility and (where relevant) application details are available on the registration rates page. For those requiring the application form, submit by 15 January 2027 for best chances of support.
AAPS offers several opportunities for those seeking equitable participation options. These include:
- reduced rate tickets
- volunteer options to offset ticket costs
- no-commitment fee waivers
- LIMITED stipends to support costs of travel or participation
All eligibility and (where relevant) application details are available on the registration rates page. For those requiring the application form, submit by 30 January 2025 for best chances of support
CAPS 2027 Planning Team
Program Committee:
Symposia and Workshop Subcommittee:
- Cheyanne Olson, Northeastern State University (committee co-chair)
- Anna-Rebecca Lopez, Woodland Park Zoo
- Jennifer Skyrsky, USE-CitSci Network Steering Committee (committee co-chair)
Individual Presentations Subcommittee:
- Rachael Mady, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (committee co-chair)
- Katie Remine, Woodland Park Zoo (local host committee liaison)
- James Sprinks, Earthwatch Europe (committee co-chair)
- Julie Tuttle, Ecologist and Biogeographer
- Rylee Wernoch, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Equity and Access Subcommittee:
- Caroline Nickerson, SciStarter
- Linda Silka, University of Maine
Local Host Committee
- Heather Fischer, Oregon State University STEM Research Center (Conference Chair)
- Martin Storksdieck, Oregon State University STEM Research Center
- Jessica Sawyer, Oregon State University STEM Research Center
- Kristin Kinman, Oregon State University STEM Research Center
- Melony Beaird, OMSI
- Sarah Cameron, Oregon State University Extension (Field Trip Coordinator)
- Patrick Edwards,
- Todd Harwell, EPA
- Tim Hecox, World Forestry Center
- Chelsea Korbulic, Oregon State University/ Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Natural Resources
- Annie Lindgren, Portland State University
- Peder Nelson, Oregon State University
- Katie Remine, Woodland Park Zoo
- Rick Tankersley, Portland State University
- Zuriel van Belle, Portland Urban Coyote Project
EQUITY STATEMENT:
AAPS is committed to providing an equitable and inclusive conference and celebrating the diverse voices in our space. AAPS strives to ensure that all our members and participants feel welcome and comfortable sharing their insights and contributions with the larger citizen science community and that all our participants can meaningfully engage in our events.
If you are interested in shaping how equity is woven into our events, please consider joining the planning team. Contact events@citizenscience.org for more information.
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