The 51st Annual Convention Preview

We are so excited for the Association for Behavior Analysis International’s 51st Annual Convention in Washington, DC! The convention will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and the Marriot Marquis Washington, DC from May 22-26, 2025.

Washington, DC is a unique destination, famous for its political history, iconic monuments, and vibrant cultural scene. We hope you will join us for enlightening sessions, interesting poster sessions, numerous networking opportunities, and exciting reunions.

Highlights

The 2025 Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA) Awards will highlight the significant contributions of Michael Perone (Distinguished Service to Behavior Analysis), Timothy Hackenberg (Scientific Translation), Julio de Rose (International Dissemination of Behavior Analysis), Alexandra Kurland (Effective Presentation of Behavior Analysis in Mass Media), and the Center for Research and Studies in Behavior at the University of Guadalajara (Enduring Programmatic Contributions in Behavior Analysis). The SABA award ceremony is part of the opening of the convention at 8:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday, May 24 – all are welcome and invited to attend!

The presidential address, “Found in Translation,” will be presented by Dr. Mark Galizio, from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He will discuss the role of translational research in bridging the gap between experimental and applied behavior analysis, emphasizing the interdependence of science and practice in advancing the field.

Additionally, we are very happy to feature presentations from many of the 2024 SABA grant recipients. Their projects can be viewed on www.saba.abainternational.org. SABA is proud to fund research to advance the field of behavior analysis.

The Program

Start the convention off on the right foot with a welcome and overview from the convention chairs, Drs. Mitch Fryling and Linda Hayes! Drs. Fryling and Hayes will go over the convention highlights and schedule at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 23. Join them for a helpful orientation to the convention!

Invited presentations will highlight some of the field’s most important and interesting leaders and trends. This year, the convention will feature presentations on self-injurious behavior, considerations for nontraditional animal research, accomplishment-based performance improvement, Skinner’s legacy, providing services to older adults with disabilities, interbehaviorism, and more.

The B. F. Skinner Lecture Series – presentations curated by the Program Board and delivered by non-behavior analysts who work in complimentary fields – will provide convention attendees with a sense of how behavior analytic findings and methods contribute to broader scientific topics including brain injury, education, neuroscience, behavioral economics, technology, and the cognitive world of honeybees.

The program includes 272 panels and symposia, 52 workshops, 40 invited presentations – including 10 B. F. Skinner Lectures – and over 450 posters. Opportunities to collaborate and learn about other programs and organizations will be found during 25 business meetings, 21 reunions and receptions, and the expo poster session, which features over 90 posters.

The annual convention will also include many opportunities to connect and network with peers, colleagues, and new friends. Please be sure to check the program for scheduled business meetings for ABAI affiliated chapters and special interest groups. Sunday evening will be a perfect time to socialize with reunions and receptions happening for many organizations. Additionally, visit the ABAI Career Fair and the exhibit hall to explore new professional connections! Finally, the ABAI Social will take place on Monday evening – be sure to stick around to enjoy music, drinks, and laughter with the whole community.

For Students

ABAI strives to create a welcoming environment for students at our events! We encourage our Student members to start off the convention by attending the Student Welcome and Trivia event on Friday night. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. – make sure to join your fellow students to network, pick up helpful convention tips, and win prizes!

We also encourage Student members to attend talks that are part of the Professional Development Series (PDS). The PDS is an initiative of the ABAI Student Committee, which invites panels to address topics of special interest to Student members. Topics at this year’s convention include dissemination, accessing research, successful grant writing, finding your research niche, and sustainability.

Thank You!

The 51st Annual Convention would not be possible without the work of ABAI’s Program Board. Coordinator Mitch Frying and Committee Chair Linda Hayes have overseen the completion of an impressive program with the assistance of 29 area coordinators in 15 program areas. This year’s coordinators are Denys Brand, Adam Briggs, Jennifer Bruzek, Andrew Bulla, Alison Cox, Darlene Crone-Todd, Andresa De Souza, Claudia Drossel, Jovonnie Esquierdo-Leal, Andres Garcia-Penagos, Brett Gelino, Kieva Hranchuk, Yanerys Leon, Caio Miguel, Kerri Milyko, Amanda Muñoz-Martinez, Jonathan Pinkston, Elizabeth Preas, Sharlet Rafacz, Samantha Riggleman, Patrick Romani, Kathryn Roose, Alice Shillingsburg, Eric Thrailkill, Maria Valdovinos, Marco Vasconcelos, Mindy Waite, and Kim Zonneveld.

Finally, thank you to the extraordinary ABAI staff for their work in the planning, preparation, and execution of the convention.

We are looking forward to all of this and more at ABAI’s 51st Annual Convention on May 22-26, 2025, in Washington, DC.