Gateway Affective Science Summit
You are invited to the inaugural Gateway Affective Science Summit hosted at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) on Saturday, October 24, 2026, 9am-5pm. See attached flyer for more details. This regional conference will bring together up to 100 affective scientists from universities across Missouri and Illinois with the goal of fostering new interdisciplinary collaborations and connections. The conference is generously supported by the Society for Affective Science and WashU's Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.
Please share this invitation with your graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, and colleagues. Attendance is open to faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers from affective science and related disciplines across MO and IL. Registration is required and will remain open until we reach our capacity of 100 registered attendees. Registration is free and will include coffee breaks, light breakfast, and lunch. Attendees are responsible for covering their own travel and accommodation costs, if applicable.
In addition to our featured keynote speakers (see attached flyer), we are accepting abstract submissions for flash talk presentations from registered attendees. Each flash talk presenter will have 5-7 minutes to share their research or creative work on emotion and related phenomena (e.g., moods, stress, attitudes, valuation, motivation). Flash talk submissions are encouraged from attendees of all career levels. Please use the link below to register for the conference. After you register, you will receive an invitation via email to submit a flash talk abstract (this is optional). Flash talk abstract submissions are due by September 15, and decisions will be communicated by September 21. If you have any questions, please email Dr. Kristen Petagna (petagna@wustl.edu).
Register for the summit via this link: https://washu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b2sFXS6yDWTdbwO
On behalf of the full WashU co-organizing team:
Emily Willroth, Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences
Tammy English, Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences
Kristen Petagna, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Psychological & Brain Sciences
Hillary Anger Elfenbein, John K. Wallace, Jr. and Ellen A. Wallace Distinguished Professor and Professor of Organizational Behavior
Chenyang Lu, Fullgraf Professor of Computer Science & Engineering
Joan Luby, Samuel and Mae S. Ludwig Chair in Psychiatry