The AEA Annual Conference relies on volunteer reviewers to help ensure a high-quality, engaging conference program. Reviewers play a vital role in identifying strong proposals and helping create a balanced, meaningful conference experience for attendees.
We invite all AEA members and evaluation professionals to serve as reviewers for the Evaluation 2026 proposal review process.
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Who can participate in the review process?
We welcome a wide range of reviewers, including both experienced evaluators and those newer to the field.
Reviewers should have some familiarity with the evaluation field, AEA, or the AEA conference. However, we recognize that people bring diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, all of which strengthen the review process.
If you are interested in contributing and helping create a balanced, meaningful conference experience for attendees, we encourage you to volunteer. Reviewer training and guidance materials will be provided to support all reviewers.
How can I participate in the review process?
There are two ways you can participate in the review process: as a reviewer or as part of a stream team.
Reviewer expectations: Reviewers will be assigned proposals within a single and asked to evaluate them using standardized review criteria. Reviewers should expect to review approximately 10-20 proposals during the review period, depending on submission volume. We expect each proposal to take between 10 and 30 minutes to review. Reviewers are expected to:
- Attend the reviewer training session or review the training materials in early May
- Apply the review criteria consistently and fairly
- Provide constructive feedback to each proposal
- Complete all assigned reviews by the review deadline (Friday, May 22)
Stream Team Expectations (Optional): In addition to reviewers, AEA will coordinate Stream Teams to help oversee the review process for each . After all proposals are reviewed, stream teams will meet virtually in early June to review the highest-rated proposals and help ensure each stream forms a cohesive program with minimal overlap. Stream team members should expect approximately an estimated 10-hour commitment in June. Of those who express interest, up to 10 people will be selected to serve on each stream team.
How will reviewers be recognized for their volunteer contributions?
To recognize their contributions, reviewers who complete their assigned reviews will be recognized on the conference website. Stream Team members will also be recognized for their leadership contributions.