Association for University
Business and Economic Research
A national association of regional
economic research centers
2026 Conference
— Keynote Speakers —
Kana Norimoto
Fidelity Investments
Eric Paley
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Jeffrey Thompson
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
Register for the 2026 Conference
Registration is open now until September 18 for our 2026 fall conference. Please note the following, including some new changes in our registration this year:
- Full conference registration options are currently available for members, nonmembers, their guests, and students.
- NEW! Participants who stay in our hotel block at the Courtyard Marriott Boston Downtown are eligible for the discounted registration rate—offer valid until Sept. 18 or hotel block is full.
- The preconference workshop includes a boxed lunch for all attendees. Please disclose any food allergies and/or dietary restrictions on your registration form.
- Members and nonmembers: workshop registration is a separate (additional) option to conference registration.
- Students: workshop is included with conference registration.
- If you need to pay for your registration via check (from an invoice) instead of online, please contact us for a custom registration link.
- Sponsors at the Silver Level and higher should use their sponsorship code (provided upon payment of sponsorship invoice) when registering to receive registration discount. Contact the business office for more information.
- Registration ends September 18.
Questions? Contact the AUBER Business Office at auber@bsu.edu or 765-285-3401.
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP
"Leveraging Spatial Analysis for Applied Research"
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 • 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Courtyard by Marriott Boston Downtown
Led by experts from Esri, this 3-hour workshop focuses on strengthening analytical workflows through the use of spatial tools. The training is designed for researchers and practitioners interested in improving the efficiency and impact of their data analysis and reporting.
The workshop will highlight the use of Business Analyst Online (BAO) to support more efficient data access, integration, and visualization. Participants will be introduced to practical approaches for incorporating spatial context into analysis, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of economic and demographic patterns.
An overview of the ArcGIS environment will also be provided, with particular attention to ArcGIS StoryMaps as a platform for presenting findings. The session will demonstrate how StoryMaps can be used to communicate complex information in a structured and accessible format.
Given that many institutions already maintain access to these tools, the session emphasizes practical application and integration into existing workflows. Spatial analysis represents an opportunity to extend traditional approaches and provide additional depth to applied research and reporting.
What you’ll take away:
- Faster workflows for data access, analysis, and reporting in BAO.
- Practical techniques for enhancing data visualization outputs.
- A working understanding of StoryMaps for communicating research findings.
- Immediately applicable methods that complement your existing analytical approach.
Workshop Registration
- Select “Workshop” when registering for the conference.
- Workshop fee includes a boxed lunch, available Noon – 1:00 p.m.
- Discount for undergraduate and graduate students (must show student ID at check-in).
Information for All Conference Attendees
Format of Each Day's Events
An optional pre-conference workshop is offered Saturday afternoon (separate fee).
Saturday events officially begin with a welcome reception for all conference attendees and their paid guests (drinks and hors d’oeuvres, business casual attire) in the early evening, followed by dinner on your own. At 9 PM, return to the hotel for a nightcap with fellow attendees in our hospitality suite.
Sunday offers a full day of stimulating conference content. Keynote speakers will present during breakfast and lunch and concurrent sessions will run through the day until 5 PM. Dinner is on your own, and the hospitality suite will offer cocktails and conversation 9 PM until midnight.
Monday offers concurrent sessions in the morning, bookended by keynote presentations at breakfast and lunch. The afternoon is reserved for a group excursion that gives a taste of local commerce and culture. A dinner celebration will provide entertainment and local flavors for all attendees and their paid guests. The hospitality suite will be open after dinner until midnight.
Tuesday is the final day of the conference, offering a keynote presentation at breakfast and concurrent sessions in the morning. The conference concludes before lunch time.
Guest Pass for Social Events
Add your significant other to your conference registration to attend the following social events — Welcome Reception (Sat.), Hospitality Suite (Sat., Sun., Mon.), Local Excursion (Mon. afternoon), and Dinner Celebration (Mon. evening).
Note: For security, your guest should be accompanied by you at all times while attending the social events described above. The guest pass does NOT allow entry to any daytime conference spaces, including presentation rooms, meals, or break areas.
What to Pack
Boston in October
Avg. Daytime High: 65ºF • Avg. Nighttime Low: 50ºF
—
Daytime attire at the AUBER conference is business casual. Event spaces at hotels and convention centers are often a little chilly, so we recommend that you bring a blazer or light jacket or cardigan in case you get cold.
We also recommend that you bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes. The hotel is located in the heart of downtown, so many groups may walk to dinner.
Hotel/Airport Transportation
Our hotel does not offer an airport shuttle, but many options are available, including public transit, taxis, and rideshare services.
Information for Conference Presenters
The Association for University Business and Economic Research (AUBER) invites you to participate in our 79th annual fall conference, October 17-20, 2026, in Boston, Massachusetts.
This year’s theme, “Evidence in an Age of Uncertainty: Data, Communication, and Public Trust,” considers our role as the providers and communicators of data and information and considers this pivotal moment in history where we experience notable shifts in technology, politics, and education.
The 2026 conference will feature engaging keynote speakers, cutting-edge research presentations, and collaborative discussions. Don’t miss your chance to participate in our exciting program!
Call for Presenters
Want to join the 2026 conference program and present your work? Our concurrent sessions include a variety of work, ranging from scholarly papers, surveys, and traditional academic output, to applied/practical work of all kinds—forecasts, impact analysis, policy briefs, data dashboards, project deployment and best practices, and more.
- Include a brief description or abstract of the project, paper, or other work you would like to present.
- If proposing a panel discussion, please include the names of your panelists as well as the topic to be discussed.
- Multiple ideas may be submitted for consideration.
- Presentations are to be given in-person at the conference. All accepted presenters must register and attend in-person.
The first call has closed. Submissions remain open as space allows. Use our online submission form: https://forms.gle/p2nTf5rwkffLYnLo6
Questions? Contact 2026 Conference Program Chair Rod Motamedi (RMOTAMEDI@donahue.umass.edu).
Important Deadlines for Presenters
For general reference; dates subject to change.
- May 15 – Submitters will receive notification of acceptance
- June 1 – Tentative program posted online
- Sept. 1 – Deadline to register for conference and reserve room in hotel block, or risk removal from program
- Oct. 1 – Final presentation slideshow or other materials uploaded in preparation for conference
- Oct. 17-20 – Conference held
- Nov. 1 – Recap and conference archives posted
Presentation Guidelines
Each presenter is given approximately 30 minutes during their session. We recommend you prepare 15-20 minutes of material and allow 5-10 minutes for audience questions.
Most presentations make use of slide deck software, such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Apple Keynote. Please upload your finished slide deck to the AUBER Google Drive by Oct. 1. Contact your session moderator for the upload link. This deadline allows us to save time and stress at the conference by troubleshooting technical issues in advance.
Technology
Wifi should be available in the conference rooms, but internet speed/bandwidth may be limited.
Each conference room will use a screen projector and have a laptop at the presenter podium. Your presentation files will be saved onto the desktop to save time between presentations. At this time, we do not know what kind of accessory ports will be available.
Please contact your session chair if you have specific technical needs.
Popular Topics
- Applied research projects
- Community resiliency
- Data visualization and dashboards
- Data delivery tools and techniques
- Demographic analysis
- Financial markets
- GIS mapping and output analysis
- Industry analysis and forecasting
- Public policy analysis
- State and local economies
- Statistical modeling and analysis
- Survey research
- Working with public and private sectors
- Center operations and challenges
- Center publicity and communications
Why Present at AUBER?
The AUBER conference is a great environment for students and junior researchers to present their work (finished or ongoing) and receive mentorship from experts. Likewise, established researchers and practitioners can “talk shop” with peers from across the nation and beyond.
Since 1947, the Association for University Business and Economic Research is the premier professional organization for economic research centers across the United States, with members from more than 65 universities and affiliate organizations.
Who Should Participate?
- Practitioners and students in the fields of regional economics, business forecasting, industry impact, financial markets, statistical modeling, output analysis, survey research, GIS mapping, data delivery, data visualization, and more.
- Developers of statistical modeling software, data analysis and visualization tools, primary data libraries, and relevant applied research technologies.
- Applied researchers employed by academia, government agencies, nonprofits, and private industry.
- Established and aspiring economists, from graduate students and junior professionals to senior experts.
Conference Hotel
Courtyard by Marriott Boston Downtown
275 Tremont Street • Boston, MA 02116
Room Block Details
The Courtyard by Marriott Boston Downtown is a boutique hotel with modern rooms and historical touches. It sits across from Tufts Medical Center on Tremont Street and offers easy access to Boston Common, the theatre district, Fenway Park, TD Garden, and the Harvard University campus.
AUBER room rate: $269 per night plus applicable tax/fees. Rate available through Friday, September 18, or until rooms sell out.
New this year, participants who register online using our hotel reservation link—or by phone using the AUBER code—are eligible for the discounted conference registration rate.
When you use the conference hotel using one of these two methods, you help AUBER meet our contractual quotas and avoid penalties.
Hotel Amenities
- Free high-speed internet
- Post No. 10 (breakfast only, sit-down and to-go options)
- Fitness center
- Barber and beauty shop
- Laundry and valet dry cleaning
- Valet parking
Transportation and Parking
- Valet parking $75 per night
- Self-park garage available across the street
- Uber or taxi recommended
- City bus line SL4 (Tufts Medical Center)
Logistics, Travel, & Visitor Information
Sponsor the 2026 Conference
AUBER conferences provide a unique opportunity for companies to network with university-based researchers and professionals who heavily use economic modeling, database, and document design software and services.
Our sponsorship options include the following:
Contact us to discuss additional opportunities not listed above.
Note: Conference sponsors at the Silver Level and higher will receive a discount code to redeem during the conference registration process. Please contact us before registering if you have not received a registration discount code.
2026 Conference Contacts
- General Information, Registration & Sponsorship Opportunities
Lisa Goodpaster, AUBER Business Office – auber@bsu.edu - Program Content
Rod Motamedi, 2026 Conference Host and Program Chair – rmotamedi@donahue.umass.edu - Best Paper, Publications, & Individual Awards
Jennifer Green, Awards Committee Chair – jennifer@parcalabama.org
Michael Hicks, AUBER Secretary-Treasurer – mhicks@bsu.edu - Website Updates
Victoria Meldrum, AUBER Business Office – VRMELDRUM@bsu.edu
Boston 2026 Conference Planning Committee
- Rod Motamedi (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
- Vanessa Fry (Boise State University)
- Nicole Gislason (University of West Florida)
- Lisa Goodpaster (Ball State University)
- Jennifer Green (Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama)
- Monica Haynes (University of Minnesota Duluth)
- Michael Hicks (Ball State University)
- Benjamin McKay (Georgia Southern University)
- Victoria Meldrum (Ball State University)
- Sarah Quintanar (University of North Texas)
- Andrew Woods (University of Nevada Las Vegas)
Hosted by
Diamond Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Supporter
Sponsor the 2026 Conference
Conference sponsors connect with faculty, students, and practitioners who conduct research, analyze data, and communicate economic issues that affect businesses, governments, and households.