EA Summit: Boston is a one-day conference taking place on Saturday, December 12th at The Foundry gathering experienced professionals to explore effective altruism (EA) and how its ideas can shape their career choices and professional impact.
About the Summit
We are living through a period of rapid change and unusually consequential choices. Advances in AI and biotechnology, efforts to improve global health and pandemic preparedness, and work to reduce animal suffering all present opportunities to create meaningful impact. Each raises difficult questions about where attention, talent, and resources can do the most good. When many worthwhile causes compete for limited capacity, deciding what to prioritize becomes a challenge in itself.
EA Summit: Boston is designed for professionals who want to think carefully about those choices using EA's frameworks and introduce them to the EA professional network. The event brings together people interested in using evidence, reason, and a long-term perspective to identify where their time, skills, and resources can do the most good. Through talks, workshops, and small-group discussions, participants will be introduced to EA ideas and have the chance to examine how those ideas hold up in practice.
Rather than offering a single answer about what matters most, the summit is meant to sharpen your questions. You’ll learn from people who have used effective altruism in their careers, discuss difficult tradeoffs with peers, and explore how your own expertise might be applied to especially pressing problems. Our goal is to leave you with clearer priorities, stronger connections, and useful frameworks and resources you can continue drawing on long after the event ends.
Application Process
Applications are now open: don’t miss your chance to attend! Here’s what you can expect:
Complete a short application (~5-15 minutes). We collect basic details about your interests and engagement with effective altruism.
Our team will review your application. We aim to be in touch about your application regardless of outcome within 10 business days.
Register for the conference (~5 minutes). If you’ve been accepted, you’ll receive an email with a link to register and confirm your place at the conference. At this stage you’ll be asked to provide dietary requirements and additional logistical details, and you’ll have the option of donating to offset event costs.
Have questions? Email us at [email protected]. If you want to attend but are unsure whether this event is for you, please apply anyway!
Who is the event for
EA Summit: Boston gives priority to attendees from the Northeast in order to strengthen the local community and deepen connections throughout the region. We also welcome experienced members of the EA community from elsewhere who can contribute useful perspectives, knowledge, and mentorship. The conference is especially well suited for:
- Newcomers who are ready to take action and explore how EA principles can inform high-impact choices in their careers and lives
- Members of the EA community who want to build stronger relationships and share expertise across Greater Boston’s EA networks
- Experienced EAs who are interested in supporting regional efforts while also growing their broader global EA connections
Program
The agenda for an EA Summit typically includes:
- Talks and discussions on pressing global challenges and solutions
- Skill-building workshops
- Meetups and social activities
We’re in the process of designing the event program and want to hear from you! If you have ideas for speakers or topics, let us know through our speaker referral form.
Full event details will be available in the Swapcard app closer to the conference. Swapcard also makes it easy to connect with other attendees, and many find these connections to be one of the most rewarding outcomes of the conference. We recommend using Swapcard to message others and arrange 1-on-1 meetings a week or two before the event begins!
Contact us
If you know someone who might want to attend the conference, please share this event with them and encourage them to apply! Email us at [email protected] with any comments, suggestions, or questions that are not answered in the FAQs.