Conference Theme

Evidence & Encounters – Two Paths to Exploring the Unexplained

The Society for Scientific Exploration (SSE) invites you to join us in Westminster, Colorado—nestled between Denver and Boulder—for our 44th Annual Conference. This year’s theme, Evidence & Encounters, explores two complementary approaches to frontier science:

• Evidence – grounded in empirical data, rigorous analysis, and theoretical insight
• Encounters – based on personal experiences that challenge conventional scientific paradigms

Together, these tracks aim to deepen our understanding of anomalous phenomena, their cross-disciplinary relevance, and their potential real-world impact.

Why Participate?

The SSE fosters bold inquiry, spirited debate, and hands-on investigation of scientific controversies in an era of accelerating technological innovation. This conference brings together scholars, researchers, practitioners, experiencers, and curious minds to examine how empirical data and lived experiences shape scientific understanding.

Topics of Interest

• Alternative or anomalous energy
• Consciousness and intelligence beyond human
• Cryptozoology
• Healing and holistic medicine
• Near-death experiences, reincarnation, consciousness beyond death
• New physics
• Psi & parapsychology
• Sociology and philosophy of science
• Synchronicity & non-causal correlations
• UAP

Presentation Types

• Keynote talks (45 - 60 minutes)
• Invited talks (25 - 30 minutes)
• Contributed talks (15-20 minutes)
• Poster presentations

We welcome abstracts for both Evidence and Encounter presentations.

Evidence Presentations

Research-oriented submissions should describe experimental, empirical, or theoretical work that has not been previously published or presented.

• Title
• Author name, affiliation, and email
• 500-word narrative including: Introduction, Objective/hypothesis, Methods, Results, Implications
• Keywords (3–5)
• Author biography (100 words) + head shot
• References (up to 5, APA style)

More detailed instructions are in the Evidence Template for Word, below.

Encounter Presentations

Submissions should describe your personal experience that challenges current scientific paradigms, introduce the phenomenon, explain how the experience inspired your scientific research, and encourage others to use their own encounters as a foundation for inquiry.  

• Title
• Author name, affiliation, and email
• 500-word narrative including: Introduction, Literature, Methods, Results, Implications
• Keywords (3–5)
• Author biography (100 words) + head shot
• References (up to 5, APA style)

More detailed instructions are in the Encounters Template for Word, below.

Important Dates

• Abstract Submission Deadline: February 20, 2026
• Notification of Acceptance: March 23, 2026
• Confirmation Deadline: April 6, 2026

Submission Process

• Membership in SSE is required to submit an abstract. If you are not a member, you can join or renew online.
• Download and complete the Word Template that contains instructions for your submission type:

• Upload your completed template submission

Submission Selection

The program committee will evaluate proposals and determine which type of presentation accepted proposals will be offered based on the quality of the abstract, originality and alignment with the program theme and topics. 

Program committee: 

Daching Piao (Chair)
Garret Moddel
Mark Rodeghier
Paul Sperry
Mark Urban-Lurain

Questions?

Contact the Program Chair:

Daching Piao

Email: conference@scientificexploration.org

Subject line: Questions on SSE-2026 Abstract Submission