Neuroscience 2023: A Return to Washington, D.C.
Neuroscience 2023 enticed 25,808 neuroscientists — and one princess — from 76 countries to gather in Washington, D.C., November 11–15. The annual meeting was the largest gathering of neuroscientists since 2019 and marked SfN’s first return to the city since 2017.
Connecting With Peers, Policymakers, and a Princess
Attendees took full advantage of the concentration of neuroscientists in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center by using many tools to connect with one another. The Neuroscience 2023 Mobile App enabled users to share contact information and submit questions to lecturers, symposia and minisymposia presenters, and featured panelists. Networking opportunities were seemingly everywhere with 27 SfN-Sponsored Socials, 10 Neuroscience Meet-Ups, and 55 satellite events. Back for a second year and available for 30 days after the in-person programming concluded, the Neuroscience 2023 Virtual Component offered virtual attendees a screen into 41 livestreamed lectures and other sessions. At the same time, it provided a place for all poster presenters to share their work before the meeting kicked off and long after their in-person poster session concluded.
Bringing a touch of regality to the proceedings, Her Royal Highness Princess Marie of Denmark visited the annual meeting to express her strong interest in neuroscience.
Taking advantage of the proximity to U.S. policymakers, SfN worked with the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus (CNC) and the American Brain Coalition to host a briefing on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on Capitol Hill. Experts spoke about the latest fundamental research and discoveries related to PTSD, how to recognize and treat this neuropsychiatric disorder moving forward, and how Congress can play a role in advancing new discoveries and therapies for PTSD. The briefing was attended by Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), co-chairs of the CNC, who both made remarks in support of SfN and its members.
Bringing a touch of regality to the proceedings, Her Royal Highness Princess Marie of Denmark visited the annual meeting to express her strong interest in neuroscience. The visit was facilitated by the Danish Neuroscience Center.
Sponsoring A Network of Innovation
The meeting was not just a convergence of minds, but also a showcase of groundbreaking products and innovations. Anchoring the center of the packed Exhibit Hall of nearly 500 companies, the new Product Theater provided exhibitors more space to showcase their latest research methods, platforms, and tools.
Offering another location to purchase ever-popular SfN products, SfN introduced a pop-up store by Attendee Services. Rather than requiring attendees to find the SfN booth in the Exhibit Hall, new arrivals could quickly pick up their meeting badge and SfN merchandise — including a free tote bag — next to each other. Rounding out any shopping trip was the Art of Neuroscience, a dozen booths hosting neuroscience-inspired clothing, paintings, jewelry, needlework, and more.
Annual meeting advertisers, supporters, and sponsors played an important role in the event’s success. The support from one Gold (Janssen), three Silver, and three Bronze sponsors elevated the overall quality of Neuroscience 2023, while over 20 sponsors enabled individual lectures, events, and awards.
Press Coverage Amplifies Neuroscience
The impact of Neuroscience 2023 extended far beyond the convention center’s halls. Over 150 journalists and reporters registered to document cutting-edge science on the poster floor, in lectures, and in the 10 press-only events. Coverage in outlets such as Scientific American, Nature, The Economist, and elsewhere served to bring the exciting developments in neuroscience to a broader audience.
