Plenary + Innovation Sessions

Innovation is at the heart of the AAPOR 81st Annual Conference, reflecting both the urgency and the opportunity facing our field today. From the opening plenary on reclaiming relevance and rebuilding trust to sessions exploring AI integration, new methodologies, and creative approaches to persistent challenges, this year’s program highlights how innovation is shaping the future of public opinion research.

As data ecosystems evolve and expectations for transparency and impact grow, embracing new tools, ideas, and perspectives is essential. These sessions and poster presentations, focused on innovation, demonstrate not only what’s changing, but how our community is leading that change with intention.

Plenary Session

Reclaiming Relevance: Trust, Innovation, and the Future of Public Opinion
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | 1:45 pm – 3:15 pm PT

INTRODUCTIONS

KEYNOTE/
MODERATOR

AAPOR 2026, An LA Love Story of Data, Innovation, and the Quest for Truth, opens with a welcome from President Jordon Peugh (SSRS), followed by a keynote from Past President Dr. Frauke Kreuter (LMU Munich; University of Maryland), building on themes from her widely discussed presidential address on the role of surveys in an era of generative AI.

Following the keynote address, Dr. Kreuter will lead a thought-provoking discussion with an all-star California-based panel, featuring Dr. Mollyann Brodie (KFF), Dr. Curtiss Cobb (Meta), Dr. Jon Krosnick (Stanford University), Dr. David Wilson (UC Berkeley), and Eric Michael Garcetti (former U.S. Ambassador to India, former Mayor of Los Angeles, and former Los Angeles City Council Member and President). Together, they will explore strategies for reclaiming relevance, rebuilding confidence in data, and communicating insights in ways that resonate with the public.

This opening session sets the stage for a conference dedicated to reclaiming relevance, building trust, and embracing innovation in communicating data to the public.