Letters of interest to host the Neuroethics 2027 conference were due by April 24, 2026. We are no longer accepting host proposals for this event. An announcement about the location and timing of this event are forthcoming.
Prospective organizers interested in hosting the multi-day, hybrid conference at their institution or in their region in 2028 or beyond are encouraged to contact us and to consider preparing a letter of interest — instructions are below. An updated call for proposals will be issued later this year.
Send your questions and/or completed letters of interest as an attachment to INS Executive Director Robert Beets <beets@neuroethicssociety.org>.
Proposal Format
The conference host proposal should be in the format of a letter, up to 3 written pages. Letters should describe how your institution and location would be a good fit to host the international neuroethics conference that attracts upwards of 175 in-person attendees for a 2-day to 3-day event focused on neuroethics with programming that advances dialogue and research on the ethical, legal, clinical, social, and policy considerations raised by brain sciences and technology.
We welcome proposals from hosts with expertise from any field and who are located in any geographic region. We expect that submissions will propose a topical theme that intersects with the expertise and interests of the hosts and their respective institutions, however this is not a requirement for proposals. See the list of past meetings to reference prior locations and themes.
We expect that potential hosts will have questions about this proposal process. Feel free to reach out to Robert Beets by email, or discuss this opportunity with INS President Debra Mathews or INS President-Elect Marcello Ienca if you’re attending the Neuroethics 2026 conference in-person.
Proposal Components
We encourage prospective hosts to be informative and creative with their letters. It is important to describe your vision, articulate the intended impact, and to sell your ideas.
We specifically expect all proposals to address the following items and requirements.
Leadership – List the key members of your planning team and provide links to their institutional profiles or websites. Also identify any possible volunteers in your area that can provide on-site, day-of support for the event logistics such as registration, technology, wayfinding, etc.
Venues – Host locations must have one or more reservable venues that can accommodate at least 150 and up to 200 in-person attendees. Locations should be accessible to international travelers and venues must be accessible for people of all abilities. Venues need to be available for your proposed dates (or date range) and must be able to be reserved once a decision has been made about the proposal (May/June 2026).
Technology – Potential venues must have the in-house or rentable A/V technology to broadcast the sessions held on-site to attendees participating online. The ability to incorporate virtual speakers in live panel discussions is also essential. It must be possible to run a hybrid conference with in-person attendees and virtual speakers and participants at the proposed venue.
Dates – The proposal should propose a conference over 2-3 days that will take place no earlier than March 31, 2027 and no later than May 15, 2027. The meeting has typically been held during weekdays on any two or three consecutive days of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Proposed dates should avoid major national and religious holidays observed locally or around the world.
Funding – Sponsorships are essential to execute a successful conference. Prospective hosts should identify any potential sponsors and include any funding pledges and amounts in their letters of intent. Successful events receive funds from host institutions and also have a network of potential partners that are willing to provide sponsorship, partnership, expertise, access to local networks, volunteers, etc.
Expenses – The venue cost is the largest expense. It is essential to get an estimated cost for your proposed venue(s) and a list of possible dates. Make sure that they know you will be selling tickets to attend (paid registration can trigger a rental fee) and use 175 people if a count is required for a quote. It’s also important to ask about catering and audio/visual service options that are provided by the venue or that are allowed or available from outside vendors.
Review
INS leadership will review proposals in late April and early May. We do not anticipate having a second round to the application process where host finalists are asked to submit additional information.
The INS Board is expected to make a decision in May or early June 2026, selecting a top proposal received and moving forward with the planning of the Neuroethics 2027 conference with that group.
Planning
The Neuroethics conference is organized by the INS and its partners. The Program Committee, formed for each conference, leads the planning effort which is supported by INS staff and other contributing committees and affinity groups of the INS.
For successful proposals, hosts will be expected to: lead the Program Committee; develop and manage the calls for abstracts and session proposals; and lead local fundraising efforts to secure funds to support the conference and the INS. This work is supported by INS staff and a wealth of assets developed for previous events.