The Art & Science of Aging Conference provides a one-day educational event that focuses on the experiences and realities of aging, and the opportunities and alternatives available to individuals as we age.

We rely on community agencies and university units as sponsors to underwrite the event, enabling us to keep the costs for attendees low. 

We seek to build a collective understanding of how strength is demonstrated, cultivated, and celebrated in all phases of the aging experience—physical, social, emotional, mental, spiritual, and financial. We will also feature the power of older adult wisdom, resilience, and intergenerational ties.

Keynote Speaker: Jeanette Leardi 

Date: Friday, March 13th, 2026, 9 am - 4 pm

Location: GVSU Richard M. DeVos Center, 401 Fulton St W, Grand Rapids, MI

Registration: Registration for 2026 is expected to open by December 19.

Call for Presentation: Call for presenters

Call for Student Presentation: Student Researcher Signup Form

Sponsor Sign Up Form: Sponsor Sign Up Form

Sponsor Packages: Sponsor Packages

Sponsors: Sponsors

Registration Fees:

• Students and adults 60 and over - $40
• General Admission - $60
• Additional Cost for CEUs - $35

Continuing Education

CEU units are being considered for Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Therapeutic Recreation, Nursing, and Nursing Home Administrators. Each of these will require prior approval of the professional body governing their continuing education units. Each session will be evaluated for CEUs. Typically, a person can gain 5 CEUs for attending this event.

Our goal is to share all available resources from past conferences to enrich the aging-related knowledge base of Grand Rapids community and worldwide. We want to encourage multidisciplinary research, while discovering and presenting evidence-based best practices on healthy aging to the community. Please, see below our archive with conference programs, presentation materials of our speakers, and students' research.

Presentations

Student Posters

Conference Programs