“Show Me the Incentive, and I’ll Show You the Outcome”: Mapping the Forces Shaping Knowledge Creation and Dissemination

Meeting date & location: October 7 & 8, 2025
AGU Conference Center | Washington, DC + Online
2000 Florida Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009

Thirty years ago, Charlie Munger delivered his now-famous “Psychology of Human Misjudgment” speech at Harvard, where he argued that the behaviors we observe—whether in individuals, organizations, or markets—are the natural result of underlying incentive structures. This theme will delve into how different stakeholders such as researchers, institutions, publishers, funders, and governments create and respond to incentives. From the evolution of open access models to the business strategies behind publishing workflows, we will examine the systemic forces steering the future of scholarly publishing and ask how these incentives align with our values and what we can do to impact the forces that shape the knowledge ecosystem. 

View the program below. 

Accommodations

SSP has arranged a courtesy rate at the Churchill Hotel at a rate of $269/night + tax (15.95%). The hotel is located about a 5 minute walk from the AGU. The deadline to reserve the courtesy rate is September 3, 2025.

Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors: Cadmore Media, Data Conversion Laboratory, Digital Science, and Silverchair.

Additional opportunities are available. Contact Christen Pruitt at [email protected] for more information. 

New Directions Seminar Working Group

Ginny Herbert, AIP Publishing (co-lead)
Lettie Conrad, LibLynx (co-lead)
Carrie Clark, IEEE
Jason Pointe, International Anesthesia Research Society
Jennifer Kemp, Stratos
Lauren Kmec, AAAS
Nicola Hill, AACR
Randy Townsend, Origin Editorial
Annie Gering, RTI International
Avriel Licciardi, Wiley
Betsy Donohue, Silverchair
Jamie Devereaux, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers
Janaynne Carvalho Do Amaral, University of Illinois
Jon Gurstelle, American Political Science Association
Jordan Schilling, Springer Nature
Matt Cannon, Taylor & Francis
Zsolt Silberer, Delta Think
Heather Staines, Delta Think
David Myers, Wolters Kluwer (Education Committee co-chair)
Sophie Reisz, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers (Education Committee co-chair)
Rebecca McLeod, Harvard Data Science Review (SSP President)

Health & Safety Information

In person attendees must adhere to SSP’s Infectious Disease Waiver. 

Event cancellation policy 
Cancellations received in writing prior September 22, 2025 will be issued a refund less a $30 processing fee. Allow up to 10 business days for the processing of refunds. No refunds will be processed for cancellations less than two weeks before the event. SSP encourages you to send a substitute in your place if you cannot attend. 

• No refunds will be processed for cancellations less than two weeks before the event. SSP encourages you to send a substitute in your place if you cannot attend or to convert your registration to the virtual attendance option which will offer all content on-demand as well as some content live-streamed. 
  Registrations can be converted from in-person to virtual at any time before October 7, without any additional fees. Registrant will be refunded the difference in the registration rate. 

Cancellation or Format Change by SSP

SSP reserves the right to cancel any program or session or to change the format of the meeting to virtual. In the event of cancellation, SSP will refund registration fees, but is not responsible for any costs, damages, or other expenses of any kind, including and without limitation, transportation and/or hotel costs incurred by registrants. Speakers are subject to change without notice. In the event the format changes to virtual only, in-person attendees will be refunded the difference in the registration rate or they can cancel their registration less a $30 processing fee.

Accessibility

SSP is dedicated to making the 2025 New Directions Seminar as accessible as possible. We wish to ensure that as many participants as possible can meaningfully engage with all program content, whether in person or online. All attendees and speakers are asked to join us in supporting and implementing accessible practices. 

The seminar venue is fully ADA compliant, including front door & meeting space entrances, restrooms and public spaces. Service animals are welcome, but please let us know in advance if you will be bringing one. Accessible parking is available at Universal North Parking garage which is across the street from the AGU building. If on site parking is required, please contact us. 

Automated captions will be enabled for all presentations.

If you have additional questions about event accessibility, please contact [email protected]. 

Registration Information 

The early registration deadline is September 12, 2025.

In-person registration includes coffee and pastries on October 7 and 8, lunch on October 7, access to the event via SSP Engage, and access to session recordings for 90 days.  

Individual virtual-only registration includes access to the live-stream, access to the event via SSP Engage, and access to session recordings for 90 days.

Organizations that purchase a group watch party can have unlimited viewers watching in one location on one device. Organizations will be given one login to access session recordings for 90 days. 

Registration Fees:

Note: Individuals at SSP Sustaining Organizational Members are eligible for a 20% discount and individuals at SSP Partnering Organizational Members are eligible for a 10% discount on registration fees.

In-Person Registration 

Virtual Registration 

Discounted Bulk Registration Packages (Virtual) 

In person and virtual attendees are required to review and adhere to the SSP Code of Conduct.