The Symposia selected for this year's conference are:

• Artificial Intelligence Applications in Nematology: Identification, Education, Extension, and  Molecular Discovery.

Designed to address growing interest within the nematology community regarding the responsible and practical use of artificial intelligence (AI) across core disciplinary activities, this symposium will focus on applied, evidence-based uses of AI that support, rather than replace, nematological expertise. Topics include nematode identification and diagnostics, development of educational resources, extension and decision-support applications, and molecular and genomic analyses. Each presentation emphasizes expert oversight, data quality, reproducibility, and biological validation, with explicit discussion of limitations and risks associated with AI-assisted approaches.. ~Brought to you by the Education Committee.

• Methods for Characterizing Nematode Communities – from extraction methods to AI and high throughput sequencing.

   This symposium will integrate methodological approaches used to assess nematode community structure across ecological and applied systems. Presentations will examine foundational sampling and extraction techniques, including comparative considerations of Baermann versus sugar flotation methods, as well as Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative (GSBI) and Soil BON standards. Speakers will address critical sampling design questions—what constitutes a representative soil sample, whether litter layers should be included or excluded, and under what conditions mist chamber extraction is warranted. The session will additionally discuss emerging analytical tools, using artificial intelligence applications for image-based identification. Finally, advances in next-generation and high-throughput sequencing will be discussed, including taxonomic resolution, and the feasibility of deriving nematode community indices from metabarcoding datasets. ~Brought to you by the Ecology Committee.

• Advancing Entomopathogenic Nematodes for Next-Generation Pest Management 
  

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are increasingly recognized as key biological control agents in sustainable pest management. This symposium will bring together senior and experienced researchers to highlight recent advances in entomopathogenic nematode research, spanning fundamental biology, mass production and formulation technologies, application strategies, and expansion of target pest systems. Presentations will address both laboratory and field-based innovations, with emphasis on translating scientific discoveries into effective and scalable pest management solutions. The symposium aims to foster cross-disciplinary discussion, identify research gaps, and outline future directions for advancing the deployment and impact of entomopathogenic nematodes in agriculture and beyond. Brought to you by the Entomophillic Nematology Committee.

• Bridging Disciplines: Insights from Academia, Industry, and Government 
  

This workshop aims to provide graduate students with a comprehensive understanding of the diverse career opportunities in nematology.  By engaging with professionals from different sectors, students will gain the necessary insights to make informed career decisions, understand the qualifications and skills that are most valued, and develop a network of contacts to help guide their future career paths. Brought to you by the Student and Post-Doc Committee.

• Innovations & Industry Updates 

The symposium provided a comprehensive overview of current advancements within the industry, highlighting both new product development and key updates to established technologies. Presenters will showcase recently released or soon to be released products designed to improve efficiency, performance, and sustainability. Brought to you by the Industry Committee.

• Host plant resistance and evolution of nematode virulence in a changing world 
  

In the face of global environmental changes, many plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) and their host plants are shifting their geographical distributions. This may bring about novel combinations of PPN and host plant genotypes, as well as change how PPNs and their host plants regulate gene and protein expression, with potentially drastic effects on PPN virulence and host plant resistance. Our symposium will showcase the latest developments in this exciting field of study. Brought to you by the Plant Resistance to Nematodes Committee.

• Linking Diagnostic Laboratories, Extension, and Growers for Nematode Solutions 
  

The symposium will bring together growers, extension specialists (i.e., nematologists), and representatives from plant diagnostic laboratories to discuss diagnostic workflows, referral pathways, and decision-making across clinics. While the case study presented originates in ornamental crop production, the discussion will emphasize transferable lessons applicable to agronomic, horticultural, and specialty cropping systems. The session underscores the importance of integrated diagnostic capacity and extension-driven collaboration in improving nematode detection, interpretation, and management across diverse production environments. Brought to you by the  Extension Committee and sponsored by Syngenta.

Special thanks to our Sponsors: