A forum for students, researchers, and community members to present, dialogue and learn about current research related to aging
The symposium will take place on April 29, 2026 in the Health Expansion building (EXP) at the University of Waterloo. Further details will be available closer to the event.
Registration and abstract submission will open soon! There will be opportunities for both poster and lecture-style presentations.
Call for abstracts
We are now accepting abstracts for the 2026 SoAR conference. The theme of this year's conference is Healthy Aging, though we welcome submissions from all areas of research related to aging. Partial results and proposals are welcomed.
Abstract submissions for oral presentations are now closed.
We have extended the submission deadline for posters until March 16, 2026.
Submit your poster abstract here.
Abstracts should be a maximum of 250 words and include subheadings for: Background, Objective(s), Methods, Results, and Conclusion
Keynote speaker: Dr. Alexandra Fiocco
Program of Research: Dr. Fiocco’s research interests center around cognitive function, brain health, and emotional wellbeing in late life. Her work examines the biological, psychological, and social factors that determine cognitive function and wellbeing in later adulthood. Dr. Fiocco also examines preventive measures that facilitate healthy aging.
Training Background: Dr. Fiocco’s approach to research is multidisciplinary, incorporating different branches of learning, including psychology, neuroscience, and epidemiology. She obtained a MSc in Psychology with a specialization in Neuroscience from Carleton University in 2002, followed by a PhD in Neuroscience from McGill University in 2008. Following her doctoral training, she pursued postdoctoral training at the University of California San Francisco in clinical and epidemiological research and completed a second postdoctoral fellowship at Baycrest in Toronto.
Schedule
SoAR is a one-day conference-style symposium. This year's conference will take place on April 29, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Waterloo. Further details on the event's schedule will be provided soon.