Visa delays, funding cuts, and geopolitical tensions are driving scientific conferences out of the U.S. Some are relocating. Others are canceling.
The International Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (IACBT) canceled its August 14-17 conference in Nashville — its first U.S. meeting in 40 years. Approximately 900 were expected.
Organizers cited visa uncertainty, federal funding cuts, and concerns about U.S. policy as reasons for the cancellation.
In a message to registrants, the IACBT wrote: “It’s with sorrow that I must inform you that the IACBT conference, as was planned, must be canceled due to the actions and regulations of the Trump administration related to funding and international relations. These factors were neither present nor foreseeable when the conference was planned.”
U.S. Seen as Unwelcoming
“We started hearing from attendees who said they couldn’t risk buying a ticket as they were not sure if the U.S. would be welcoming and if they could even get a visa,” said Aaron Brinen, PsyD, a psychologist who was the conference chair.
IACBT is reviewing its venue contract with the Renaissance Nashville, site of the conference. Organizers hope to invoke the impossibility clause to avoid penalties tied to shifting U.S. policies.
“This is frustrating, heartbreaking even, as we had an opportunity to bring together thought leaders in the world of cognitive and behavioral therapy to discuss how we can help people recover from mental illness,” said Brinen. “We had the conference in place. Everything was set, and we were registering people, and now it’s all gone. I worked so hard on this conference, and so did my team.”
Stephanie Woodrow, LPC, the owner and clinical director of the National Anxiety and OCD Treatment Center, who was scheduled to present at IACBT, said the cancellation reflects a broader crisis.
“Given the current administration’s actions — canceling university research funding, terminating NIH grants, pressuring reputable peer-reviewed journals, and censoring NIH researchers’ language across all forms of communication — the outlook for science and public health is deeply concerning,” said Woodrow.
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. reports the city has lost less than 1% of its convention business to date.
Canada Benefits as Conferences Shift North
Some conferences planned for the U.S. are moving north to Canada. The International Society for Research on Aggression (ISRA) has moved its 2026 biennial meeting from Atlantic City, NJ, to St. Catharines, Canada.
“Many [members] expressed concerns about hostility toward international people visiting the U.S. After polling our members, it was revealed we couldn’t have a conference anywhere in the U.S,” said Brad Bushman, professor of communication at The Ohio State University, and ISRA’s executive secretary.
Three Canadian members stepped in to help with the relocation. “They saved our conference,” said Bushman. The meeting typically draws around 250 attendees and has previously been held in Ottawa and Munich.
“The future is grim for conferences in the U.S. Scientists work together to solve problems and will not meet in places where they feel excluded,” said Bushman.
Others are following suit.
The International Conference on Comparative Cognition (CO3) will hold its 2026 gathering in Montreal. This is the first time the event will take place outside the U.S.
This year’s meeting, held in Albuquerque, NM, drew 210 attendees. While there were no issues, concerns lingered. “Many expressed hesitation about crossing the border,” said Caroline Strang, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Western University in London, Ontario.
A travel advisory from the Canadian Association of University Teachers urging academic staff to visit the U.S. only when essential ultimately tipped the scales in favor of relocating.
CO3 will add a virtual component to the 2026 conference to expand access and participation.
Montreal Replaces Boston
Additionally, the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN) is moving its 2026 biennial conference to Montreal. Initially scheduled for Boston, the event is expected to attract around 500 attendees.
The North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) was set to meet in Seattle in November. But there was an issue. Some 40% of its members are Canadian, and many don’t want to attend due to Trump administration’s policies.
The solution? A three-part format. NASSS will host a smaller Seattle event, a parallel in-person gathering at UBC Robson Square in Vancouver, and a virtual option.
