The IDEAS Program
AABA 2026 IDEAS PROGRAM
The AABA IDEAS Program provides a team, a space, and a suite of activities to engage issues of scholarship, professional preparation, and community building. The Program includes 15 IDEAS Student Scholars (both undergraduate and graduate), 9 IDEAS Faculty Scholars (postdoctoral researchers, adjunct faculty, early career full-time faculty, and advanced career faculty), and 6 IDEAS Core Faculty.
The Student Scholar program begins with a Wednesday Workshop that includes scientific presentations, individual and group-level mentoring opportunities, and an introduction to tools, resources, and practices to help meet the challenges and opportunities faced by underrepresented scholars in biological anthropology and allied disciplines.
The IDEAS Program continues with programming throughout the Annual Meetings. Student Scholars will be matched with a Meeting Mentor who will provide mentorship before and during the Annual Meetings.
The IDEAS Faculty Scholars program will allow selected faculty to engage in the student-oriented Wednesday workshop, attend a faculty-specific break-out session on Thursday morning, and connect with peer mentorship circles both during and after the Annual Meetings.
Throughout the duration of the AABA meetings, IDEAS Student and Faculty Scholars will have access to the IDEAS Café where participants past and present can congregate and network in addition to attending specific scheduled networking events.
All IDEAS Student Scholars will receive $650 towards their travel costs, an additional $250 stipend, 4 nights of hotel accommodation, and AABA membership and meeting registration fee waivers. Faculty Scholars will receive a $250 stipend to cover the cost of their additional night’s lodging. Childcare is also available free of charge for student and faculty participants throughout the AABA meetings.
Application
Fill out the Faculty Scholars application (https://forms.gle/9LXrGajSFaVrDdLe9) by Wednesday, October 15, 2025, by midnight EST. Applicants must be postdoctoral researchers/adjunct faculty, early career full-time faculty, and advanced career faculty in programs in biological anthropology or related disciplines.
Fill out the Student Scholars application (https://forms.gle/RLMUZ45AhcW3cgoz7) by Friday, October 31, 2025, by midnight EST. Applicants must be graduate or undergraduate students in biological anthropology or related disciplines. Complete applications must include the name of a recommender (see below).
Recommendations
Student Scholar applications should include the name and email of a supervisor or professor who can provide a recommendation. Recommenders will only need to complete a short recommendation form by Friday, November 7th, 2025.
Timeline of Application Decisions
We will announce Faculty Scholar decisions by mid-November, 2025, and Student Scholar decisions by mid-January, 2026.
Questions?
Please contact us at ideasprogram@bioanth.org.
Organized by the IDEAS Program Core Faculty (in alpha order):
Susan Antón
Jada Benn Torres
Graciela Cabana
Agustín Fuentes
Ripan Singh Malhi
Zaneta Thayer
