Societal Impact of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts 2025

Following the success of previous conferences in  Cape Town (2024), Cardiff (2023) and  Stockholm (2022), AESIS is excited to announce the 9th edition of the Societal Impact of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (SSHA) Conference, taking place in Maryland, United States. This year, the annual conference will be hosted by the University of Maryland on October 20-22, 2025. 

This conference is designed to delve into a range of topics that focus on generating concrete and measurable societal impact on global challenges. Conference attendees exchange experiences and best practices in order to catalyze advancements in strategies, policies, methods, tools and approaches that are being used to ensure that research, education, and innovation in the social sciences, humanities, and arts can have the most positive and inclusive impact on societal wellbeing, economic development, environment, climate, health, culture, and education. 

This year's conference location in College Park, Maryland is located just a few miles from Washington, D.C., a global center for thought leaders, policymakers, and influential organizations with international reach committed to societal impact. This setting provides an exceptional opportunity for attendees worldwide to network with one another and explore how the SSHA fields can drive transformative societal change in collaboration with diverse sectors and institutions.

Together, our conference participants will help answer important questions about how we use evidence, data, and experiential knowledge to respond to the greatest challenges affecting nations around the world. Some examples of themes we plan to explore in the October 2025 event at the University of Maryland include:

• Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Involving the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts
• Grand Challenge Inspired Research Aimed at Societal Impact
• The Importance of the Inclusion of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts in Developing & Optimizing Technologies
• Public-Private Partnerships Between Academia, Industry, Government, and NGOs to Advance the Public Good
• Trust, Ethics, and Social Responsibility in Research and Technology
• Inclusive Research and Innovation for a Sustainable Future
• Cross-Sector Collaboration for Societal Change

In a world where social, cultural, and ethical challenges are increasingly complex, a focused conference on the societal impact of SSHA is more critical than ever. While scientific and technological advancements often dominate the conversation, SSHA disciplines provide essential insights into the human dimensions of these changes, addressing issues in inclusive, culturally aware, and ethically grounded ways.

• How do we foster trust and credibility in SSHA research, particularly in light of global challenges like misinformation and ideological polarization?
• How can regional collaboration accelerate development and address specific societal challenges unique to different areas?
• What role does inclusivity play in engaging broader communities in research, and how can we ensure diverse voices are heard?
• What are the key drivers of successful transdisciplinary research, and how can they be applied to enhance societal outcomes?
• How can SSHA disciplines contribute to addressing environmental sustainability and climate change, and what role do SSHA disciplines play in creating solutions?
• What are the critical challenges in fostering trust between academic research, policy, and society, and how can they be overcome?
• How can we promote inclusive engagement with communities typically underrepresented in research and innovation initiatives?
• What unique contributions can SSHA fields make in AI's ethical development and application?

Participants will engage in skill-building workshops, interactive roundtables, and thought-provoking panels, each designed to equip them with strategies to expand their work in the field of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts.

In addition to convening a diverse group of researchers and innovators from all corners of the world, the conference will establish common approaches and methodologies, and result in actionable steps to further build and expand a global community aimed at achieving and measuring societal impact through collaborative research, education, and innovation.

As a community, we look forward to connect, exchange knowledge and further advance the societal impact of social sciences, humanities & arts.

About The University of Maryland:

The University of Maryland, College Park is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 40,700 students, 14,000 faculty and staff, and nearly 400,000 alumni. UMD is committed to social entrepreneurship, partnering for the public good, and taking on humanity’s grand challenges, as described in the university’s Fearlessly Forward strategic plan.