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Far more than an esoteric concept, “public administration” conveys so much in just two words. This work provides for our communities in big ways and small, no matter the policy choices or political winds swirling around us. From emergency management to public finance to public services to transportation to community support and more, public administration makes “it” happen.

During times like these, as change swarms and dominates, public administration holds steady, providing continuity, showing the pride in public service and ensuring that public needs are met. It takes special skill, motivation and talent to do this work. We are called to it. And we are called to come together to learn from each other—public servants, researchers, scholars, students, professors, nonprofit experts and policymakers—to navigate this environment. We are called to provide hope, trust, connection and purpose for our communities, states, country and world.

The 2026 Annual Conference aims to begin building the bridge we need to take us from today’s environment to what comes next. We can do “it” better. It is up to us to figure out how. It is up to us to share our knowledge, build our networks and be ready to help our communities, our workforce and our teams be more efficient, effective, economical, ethical and equitable. In short: Be resilient. We are living in a time of change and uncertainty; now is the time to plan for our renewal.

Seven tracks will guide our conversations and provide space for both research and practice. They appear below and we look forward to your proposals. Workshops, student learning, full research panels and “promising practices” studies are welcome. Contact aspaconference@aspanet.org with any questions.

All proposals are due September 19, 2025.

Proposals for fully formed panels, workshops and individual papers (to be placed within topical panels) will be considered.  

TRACKS

• Citizen Engagement and Participation
• AI and Digital Transformation
• Public Workforce, HR and Organizational Culture
• Democratic Governance and Public Trust
• Emergency Management, Environmental Sustainability and Crisis Response
• Public Finance and Economics
• Global Governance and Administration