Founded in 1848, the American Association for the Advancement of Science is the world’s largest multi-disciplinary science society, fulfilling its mission to advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people through a broad array of initiatives focused on communication, public engagement, education, scientific responsibility, public policy, and science diplomacy.

Each year, the community of leading scientists, educators, policymakers, and journalists gathers to discuss cutting-edge developments in science, technology, and policy. Next AAAS Annual Meeting will convene in Phoenix, AZ, February 12-14, 2026.

Science is at a pivotal moment in which we are reexamining the role of the federal government in supporting basic research; seeking alternative ways for science to inform policy in the wake of the Chevron Doctrine being overturned; and exploring how science must be implemented at scale for meaningful impact in different contexts at the local, regional, national, and global levels.  Yet, challenges and opportunities, such as energy transitions, the future of democracy, and AI-for-all, persist at unprecedented rates, urgency, and scale.  These initiatives are complex socio-technical systems that require holistic in-depth studies of interdependent phenomena and necessitate multiple disciplines and disparate parties to be at the table. Successful implementation at scale demands ethics and trust as shared core values as well as alignment of competing interests, cultures, timescales, and incentives.

The 2026 AAAS Annual Meeting—Science @ Scale— invites us to celebrate discovery, probe evidence-based policy innovation, and embrace the challenge of implementing science and policy at scale for the benefit of society. We will highlight opportunities for communities of scientists, policy makers, and the citizenry to work together and explore how science and policy can be developed at scale for impact.