Your Guide to Making the Most of AAA 2026

By Hector Sanchez

It’s almost time for the most anticipated event of the year and one of the best places to learn, meet, and network with fellow audiologists and students from across the nation: the annual AAA convention! It’s one of the few places where everyone you meet shares your passion for audiology. However, even though the conference is such an unforgettable event, it can understandably require a lot from students to get there. In this blog, I’m going to share with you all that AAA 2026 and the SAA Conference, sponsored by Starkey, has to offer!

San Antiono

For starters, the conference is in the beautiful city of San Antonio, Texas. Best known for its rich culture and heritage, the Alamo, beautiful sightseeing opportunities on the famous Riverwalk, and its 11-day city-wide party called Fiesta San Antonio, which will be happening during this year’s convention. Although traveling can be difficult for some, travel awards may be available to help you get to the conference. While the Academy doesn’t offer travel assistance, many universities, departments, and even state organizations fund opportunities for students to attend conferences each year. You can also check out this helpful blog post for a few savvy, cost saving traveling tips.

Student-Focused Programming

This year, the student-focused programming is exceeding expectations by including speakers on hot topics, such as auditory processing disorder, neuroatypical patient populations, externship panel, and so much more. Also featured is an in-person “quiz bowl” style session to help individuals prepare for their national audiology exam! If that wasn’t enough to get your attention, the conference will also feature speakers on topics like virtual cochlear implant surgery and music in audiology.

Lastly, if you can stick around for the entirety of AAA 2026, you are really in for a treat! Every year, the Academy does an incredible job making the convention experience enjoyable for all. With countless sessions and activities to choose from, there is something for everyone, but here are a few of my favorites:

Audiology Connects: Specialty Networking Meet-Ups

Hispanic Students in Audiology Meet-Up: I love this opportunity because it makes me feel seen, and I love being able to talk about and relate to our unique shared experiences! There are several meet-ups for a variety of groups this year – check out the conference planner to learn more.

Research Poster Session
The creativity and curiosity that goes into this session every year never ceases to amaze – be sure to stop by and check out all the posters.

Foundation Fiesta and Audiology’s Night Out
These two events are incredible opportunities to hang out with legends in our field and students from all over the world. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you still have time to add it to your convention registration.

I hope to see you there!