Major Lectures and Speakers
The 2019 AERA Annual Meeting—scheduled for April 5–9 in Toronto—is the single largest gathering of scholars in the education research field and is a showcase for groundbreaking, innovative work in a diverse array of areas.
The AERA Opening Plenary:
The AERA Opening Plenary on Friday, April 5, “Truth and Reconciliation in Education: History, Narratives, and Pedagogy,” will highlight the work of the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, juxtaposed to various efforts in the U.S. to reconcile our history of slavery, segregation, and racial oppression and the role of schools and universities in either denying or examining that history.
The AERA Opening Plenary on Friday, April 5, “Truth and Reconciliation in Education: History, Narratives, and Pedagogy,” will highlight the work of the Canadian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, juxtaposed to various efforts in the U.S. to reconcile our history of slavery, segregation, and racial oppression and the role of schools and universities in either denying or examining that history.

AERA Presidential Address:
Delivered by AERA President Amy Stuart Wells on Sunday, April 7, the AERA Presidential Address, "An Inconvenient Truth About the New Jim Crow of Education," will feature a student-researched and -written play on the meaning of standardized tests in the lives of youth, and the world premiere of a new film by Stanley Nelson on the interconnectedness of testing, curriculum, discipline, and segregation.
Delivered by AERA President Amy Stuart Wells on Sunday, April 7, the AERA Presidential Address, "An Inconvenient Truth About the New Jim Crow of Education," will feature a student-researched and -written play on the meaning of standardized tests in the lives of youth, and the world premiere of a new film by Stanley Nelson on the interconnectedness of testing, curriculum, discipline, and segregation.

AERA Distinguished Lecture:
Solorzano, an AERA Fellow, will give the AERA Distinguished Lecture. He is a preeminent scholar in Critical Race Theory and race and racism in higher education. While his work centers on Chicano and Latino experiences, he explores intersections with African American and feminist perspectives in educational access, equity, and diversity. Solorzano is a professor of education at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the director of UC/ACCORD (All Campus Consortium on Research for Diversity). He also holds professorships in the Chicana and Chicano and women’s studies departments at UCLA.
Solorzano, an AERA Fellow, will give the AERA Distinguished Lecture. He is a preeminent scholar in Critical Race Theory and race and racism in higher education. While his work centers on Chicano and Latino experiences, he explores intersections with African American and feminist perspectives in educational access, equity, and diversity. Solorzano is a professor of education at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the director of UC/ACCORD (All Campus Consortium on Research for Diversity). He also holds professorships in the Chicana and Chicano and women’s studies departments at UCLA.

Wallace Foundation Distinguished Lecture:
O’Connor will present the Wallace Foundation Distinguished Lecture. A sociologist of education, she is a leading expert in the areas of African American achievement, cultural studies, urban education, and ethnographic studies. She examines how Black students’ identities, educational outcomes, and perceptions of opportunity vary across social, institutional, and historical contexts. O’Connor is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan. She directs the Wolverine Pathways, a free year-round program that partners with families, schools, and communities to support academic success, college admission, and career exploration.
O’Connor will present the Wallace Foundation Distinguished Lecture. A sociologist of education, she is a leading expert in the areas of African American achievement, cultural studies, urban education, and ethnographic studies. She examines how Black students’ identities, educational outcomes, and perceptions of opportunity vary across social, institutional, and historical contexts. O’Connor is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan. She directs the Wolverine Pathways, a free year-round program that partners with families, schools, and communities to support academic success, college admission, and career exploration.
Additional information about these and other noteworthy sessions will become available in the coming weeks. More than 14,000 attendees are expected at the 2019 Annual Meeting. The meeting’s theme is “Leveraging Education Research in a ‘Post-Truth’ Era: Multimodal Narratives to Democratize Evidence.”
Click here to register for the Annual Meeting. The registration fee is lower if you are a 2019 AERA member. Be sure to obtain or renew your AERA membership before registering for the meeting to receive the discounted registration rate.
Click here to register for the Annual Meeting. The registration fee is lower if you are a 2019 AERA member. Be sure to obtain or renew your AERA membership before registering for the meeting to receive the discounted registration rate.