2026 Conference FAQ

The 2026 WGSC Conference will convene at the Memorial Union on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus; all sessions and conference events will be hosted on-site.

Memorial Union, University of Wisconsin-Madison
800 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

The closest hourly parking lot is Helen C. White (Lot 6) at 600 N. Park St. This garage is directly across the street from Memorial Union. The next closest public parking is the City of Madison State St. Campus parking garage at 430 N. Frances. Please see this interactive map for parking spot availability and directions for these and all surrounding university lots, or click to learn more about UW-Madison visitor parking.

On weekdays, campus lots cost $1 per 30 minutes for the first 3 hours, then $1 per hour after, with a $15 per day maximum.

Drivers with State of Wisconsin disabled permits or DIS and VET plates may park in the City of Madison’s parking stalls.

Yes, we ask all presenters to register for the conference. Register here.

• Presenters are asked in advance to submit their slideshows/other presentation visuals ahead of time. They will be organized by session name on the laptops in each room. Presenters should not plan to use or connect their own devices during the conference.
• There is a business card in each room with a number to contact if tech assistance is needed.

There are blocks of rooms available at two lodging locations near the Memorial Union. You can find more information on the lodging conference page.

Please note that most of the hotel blocks will be released to the general public in the first half of March 2026.

Registration and check-in open at 8:30am on Thursday, April 9, 2026; the first concurrent session is at 9:00am. The conference concludes on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 6:00pm. An overview of the schedule is on our schedule conference page.

Yes, we are taking steps and making recommendations to protect the health of all attendees. The Memorial Union has open-air access available on a balcony behind the registration area on the fourth floor. Open-air dining is available on Tripp Deck off of Tripp Commons dining hall where lunch is served. We will also have free N95 masks available for all attendees, and we encourage mask wearing for the general health and safety of the community. Additionally, some sessions may be “masks required,” depending on the needs of presenters.

Anyone with COVID symptoms or a recent COVID exposure should not attend the conference.

Please note that early bird registration ends on Friday, March 20, 2026. Registration that includes lunch ends on Thursday, March 26, 2026.  Registering early allows us to plan for space, food, and other conference logistics. Walk-in registrations are welcome.

The keynote and plenary will be recorded and available on the conference website approximately one week after the event.

A morning snack and coffee will be provided from 8:30am-10:30am Thursday and 8:00-10:00 Friday for all conference attendees on the fourth floor of Memorial Union. For guests who included lunch in their registration, lunch will be provided from 12:00pm-1:15pm on Thursday and 12:30pm-1:30pm on Friday. Lunch will be on the second floor of the Union in Tripp Commons, and there will be outdoor dining spaces overlooking Lake Mendota and the Terrace, as well (weather permitting).

Afternoon refreshments will be served each day, as well.

The first floor of Memorial Union offers an array of dining options, including coffee. Additional options within 5-10 minutes of the Union include Moka coffee, food trucks on the mall by the University Bookstore (usually includes Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Peruvian, American, and more), and chain and local restaurants on State Street.

Please see our accessibility conference page for a full list of access considerations. To request ASL, CART, captioning, or other access supports, please contact tlemaster@wisc.edu.

Children, under the supervision of a caregiver, are welcome to attend the conference.