Indianapolis, June 14th – June 17th, 2027

AAS 2027 will be held at the University of Indianapolis, June 14-17, hosted by Marc Milne.

Indianapolis, aka the “Crossroads of America,” is the largest city in Indiana and the state capital. Besides the famous speedway, it is home to the world's largest children's museum, a vibrant food scene, and an award-winning airport. The University of Indianapolis is a small (~4,200 students), private liberal arts college founded in 1902.

Macrophotography workshop – Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13, at Marian University.

Arrival and check-in – Sunday June 13

Opening Reception – evening of June 13 in Enders Hall in the Student Schwitzer Center from 6-9pm.

Soccer game – Mygalomorphs vs. Araneomorphs rematch Monday June 14.

LGBTQ+ social and evening social –Tuesday June 15.

“Taxonomic Family Feud” – There will an identification competition held in the evening on Tuesday June 15th.

Talks and poster sessions – Monday to Wednesday, June 14, 15, and 16. Talks, breaks, and poster sessions in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center.

Advice session – for grad students / post-docs / early career scientists on Thursday June 17.

Banquet and auction – Thursday evening June 17 at the Indy Zoo / Global Center for Species Survival.

Post-meeting excursions – Choose one of two optional post-conference excursions for Friday June 18 – a bioblitz or a trip to the Children’s Museum - details

The two-day workshop, led by four expert hosts, will cover beginner and advanced macrophotography techniques, including field work, nighttime photography, composition, and lightbox use, and will include hours of assisted field time. It will be held Saturday and Sunday June 12-13 at Marian University. See full event details.

Dorm information will be posted in December. For dorm stays, you can purchase a $37 optional linen kit or bring your own linens.

Hotels: Recommended nearby hotels (~5-10 minute drive) include Comfort Inn Indianapolis South I-65, Comfort Inn Indianapolis South, Holiday Inn Express, and LaQuinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Indianapolis.

Other: There are plenty of Airbnb and Vrbo options nearby.

Meals will be held in the Student Schwitzer Center cafeteria. Meals in the cafeteria are buffet, “all you can eat” style. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are always available. There are also other options for dining on campus.

Airport: The Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is located on the SW side of the city while UIndy is located on the SE side, approximately 20 minutes away by car. As of 2025, IND has won the award of “Best Airport in North America” among midsized airports for 13 years in a row. There is a single terminal with 2 concourses and 39 gates. Concourse B serves Allegiant, American, and Southwest. All other airlines fly through Concourse A. The airport also hosts multiple car rental agencies (Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, etc.) and has a pick-up spot for those wanting to use Lyft or Uber.

Parking: If you choose to drive to UIndy, Google Maps or MapQuest should work well for directions. Parking is free on campus during the summer (except for Lots 2 and 4) and there should be plenty of parking spaces near the dorms and near Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center. Indianapolis is about ~3 hours from Chicago or Columbus, Ohio.

Train: Indianapolis has a train station downtown that is only a 15-minute drive to campus.

Choose one of two optional post-conference excursions for Friday June 18 – a bioblitz at Greta Binford’s farm in Crawfordsville (~1 hour away from campus) or a trip to the Children’s Museum (the largest in the world; ~20-minute drive from campus)

Dietary requirements. We will do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions but will not be using caterers who specialize in any specific dietary requirements. If you have a strict dietary requirement (e.g., certified gluten free) you may need to organize alternative meals. Please contact the organizer if you have any questions.
Mobility restrictions. The dorms are all within walking distance of the meeting venue and social venue. Please indicate if you have mobility challenges and will require assistance getting from place to place. 
The registration form will include a place to flag such issues.

To be held at Marian University with most of the photography done at Marian University’s EcoLab, a 55-acre greenspace in the center of Indianapolis. Participants will stay at the University of Indianapolis dorms and will be bussed to Marian U. each day (this way, conference participants will not have to move once settled). It will have four macrophotography expert hosts: Marshal Hedin, Tom Astle, Rick Malad, and Kevin Wiener. It is sponsored by Roberts Camera, a local camera company. The workshop will include talks on beginner and advanced macrophotography techniques, field techniques, nighttime photography tips, and lessons on composition and using a lightbox. We will have a workshop that will teach and demonstrate how participants can create their own simple diffuser – supplies to do so will also be included. It will also include a dinner on day 1, and a breakfast and lunch on day 2. Finally, there will be hours and hours of assisted field time where participants will get the opportunity to take macrophotographs in the field with instructors and on their own. The workshop will be capped at 25 participants.

Read the code of conduct

Questions? Contact the meeting host