Conference Events - 2025 AAAR Annual Conference

Community Engaged Research and the Empowerment of Disadvantaged Communities and their Scholars - Continuing the Conversation

Monday, October 13, 2025 | 5pm-6pm | Exhibit Hall South

This panel continues the discussion about community engaged research (CER) that we started in 2024. The panelists will share first-hand experiences related to their pursuit of careers in STEM that support their communities. We will also share experiences of female scholars of color conducting CER as documented by the counter stories project of the NSF-funded SPACES grant.

Moderators:

Cliff Davidson, Professor Emeritus, Syracuse University.

Wendy Flores-Brito, PhD candidate, Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies, Carnegie Mellon University.

Panel members:

Jason Brady, MPH student, Public Health, SUNY Buffalo.

Karla Rojas García, PhD candidate, Chemical and Atmospheric Chemistry, UC San Diego.

Franklyn Telles, PhD student, School of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University.

Lupita Montoya, Chair of the AAAR Committee for Representation & Equity Affairs, SPACES Co-PI, San Diego State University.

Geeks Who Drink Trivia

Monday, October 13, 2025 | 7pm-8:30pm | Exhibit Hall South

Are you ready to showcase your knowledge of pop culture and aerosols? Come join us for a special trivia quiz hosted by Geeks Who Drink. The quiz will include 6 rounds of 8 questions with 2 rounds specifically themed for AAAR. This event is free and open to all Conference Attendees. But please register in advance to attend. You can sign-up to participate during Registration. All participants will be randomly assigned to teams.

New PI Gathering

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 | 12pm-1pm | Exhibit Hall South

Did you recently become an Assistant Professor or start running your own research group? Starting a new position as an independent PI is exciting but can also be challenging and overwhelming. If you are within a few years of starting a position, please join us at The New PI Gathering. This is a space for new PIs to meet and get to know each other, form future research partnerships, and support one another in our exciting new journey as PIs. If you are interested in building relationships with others who just started their positions, sharing successes and challenges, discussing grants applications, chatting about student recruitment, lab equipment purchases, or the tenure process, please join us for this inaugural event. A box lunch will be provided. If you have any suggestions or questions, please reach out to Kaisen Lin at kaisen@msu.edu and Sarah Haines at s.haines@utoronto.ca.

BC/UFP Research and Policy Implications Meetings

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 | 1pm-2pm | 101 BG

Colorado became the first state in the USA to identify Black Carbon (BC) and Ultrafine Particulate Matter (UFP) as Toxic Air Contaminants (TACs) which is the first step to regulation and research for BC/UFP to be monitored and reported to address health concerns of residents. More information on BC/UFP spatial distributions, modeling, emissions factors, health effects, and control efficiencies of various control technologies is needed before these pollutants can be regulated. The aim of this group is to bring together technical expertise from state agencies, academia and industries from across USA and Europe to assist in collaboratively developing common policies and standards for BC/UFP monitoring in USA.

Please join us in Room 101BG at Buffalo Convention Center during AAAR Annual Conference to talk about the future of research of BC and UFPs and how this research can be used to inform policies and regulation within USA. The meeting is open to all AAAR attendees interested in this topic.

Virtual Meeting Invite Link: MS Teams Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 355 675 601 172 8

Passcode: Y69dk6Au

AAAR Musical Bingo Bash & Food

Open to all Conference Attendees!
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Exhibit Hall South

Get ready for a lively evening of music, food, and fun at the AAAR Musical Bingo Bash—a one-of-a-kind celebration and good times! Start the night with Music Bingo, a high-energy twist on the classic game where music lovers can sing along, match their cards, and win exciting prizes.

Grab a bite from one of our food stations, serving up a fun mix of flavors that’ll keep you coming back for more.

Capture the moment with a keepsake from one of our professional caricature-artists or simply relax and soak in the festive atmosphere with friends and fellow attendees. With live entertainment and plenty of chances to win raffle prizes, this event promises an unforgettable evening of laughter, music, and connection with collaborators and old friends.

ASCENT Meeting

Thursday, October 16, 2025 | 12pm-1pm | 101 DE

The Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT) is a new comprehensive, high time-resolution, long-term monitoring network in the U.S. for characterization of aerosol chemical composition and physical properties. Leveraging existing networks, a total of 12 sites have been established across the country, including rural/remote/background, urban, and tribal sites. Each site is equipped with a suite of advanced aerosol instrumentation for real-time measurements of fine aerosol chemical composition and properties: Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM, non-refractory aerosols), Xact (trace metals), Aethalometer (black/brown carbon), and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS, aerosol number size distribution and concentration). A comprehensive publicly-accessible database is also being developed. At this meeting, we will share ASCENT updates (including database development) and discuss potential collaborations with attendees who are interested in working with ASCENT. All AAAR attendees are welcome to the meeting. To register, simply add this to your registration.

LGBTQIA and Ally Event

Thursday, October 16, 2025 | 12pm-1pm | Exhibit Hall South

This is a new event this year that aims to bring together junior (e.g., students, postdocs, new professors), mid-career and senior scientists from the LGBTQ community, along with any supporting allies, to build community and mentoring capacity for aerosol scientists. Inspired by other scientific organizations (e.g., AGU), we felt it was time for LGBTQ members to have an opportunity to meet one another at the conference, and discuss ongoing issues the community faces in academic, government, and industry research. Please pick-up your box lunches and proceed to Exhibit Hall South to meet one another, discuss opportunities to build community/mentoring capacity for our LGBTQ members, and discuss potential future initiatives that can help this community within AAAR.

AAAR at Niagara Falls

Friday, October 17, 2025 | 1:30pm-7:30pm | Niagara Falls, NY

Buses will depart from the Convention Center Main Entrance at 1:30 pm

Cost: $149 per person (includes roundtrip transportation and boat tour) This trip is non-refundable, however attendees may transfer their purchase to another attendee.

The deadline to register for this event is Sunday, August 31st.

Prepare for an unforgettable adventure on the Niagara Falls Guided Tour! Join fellow attendees for a breathtaking day trip to one of the natural wonders of the world.

Your journey begins with the iconic Maid of the Mist boat ride, taking you right to the base of the roaring falls for a one-of-a-kind experience. Next, head up to the Observation Tower, where panoramic views of the American Falls and Prospect Point await.

After taking in the sights, guests will re-board the buses with expert local guides and continue on to Goat Island, where you'll explore Terrapin Point, Luna Island, and the serene Three Sisters Islands, each offering unique perspectives of the falls and surrounding landscapes.

The tour concludes with a visit to Whirlpool State Park, home to the world’s largest natural whirlpool. Witness the incredible power of nature from scenic overlooks and capture unforgettable memories.

Spots are limited, so be sure to reserve your place when registering for the conference. Open to all AAAR 2025 attendees and guests—don’t miss this chance to make memories that will last a lifetime!