Call for Papers – North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International, San Diego, California, November 11-14, 2020

Smart Cities and Connected Regions

Join us in San Diego, California for the 67th North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI) sponsored by the North American Regional Science Council (NARSC) and co-hosted by the Western Regional Science Association.  The deadline for submission of abstracts is July 5. The theme for this year’s meetings is “Smart Cities and Connected Regions”. While we encourage submissions that fit this theme, all topics that are of interest to regional scientists are welcome”.  The conference will be held at the beautiful Westin Hotel in San Diego’s Historic Gas Lamp Quarter, November 11–14, 2020.  You can learn more about the conference, submit an abstract, and register for the conference and workshops at the NARSC Website at http://www.narsc.org/.

San Diego’s historic Gas Lamp Quarter

There will also be a field trip to San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, which has been described as the “epicenter of the city’s Mexican-American culture”. The field trip will include a guided tour of Barrio Logan, as well as a visit to some of the neighborhoods excellent craft breweries.

We are in the process of organizing several pre-conference workshops, as well as keynote speakers. This year’s keynote speakers will include Sergio Rey of the University of California, Riverside, Kara Kockelman of the University of Texas in Austin, and Bhārat Dahiya of Thammasat University (Thailand)

Sergio Rey	Kara Kockelman	Bharat Dahiya

This year we are planning several special sessions and events focused on graduate students and young scholars. There is a special section of the conference website devoted to these sessions and events. This will be updated as new sessions/events are confirmed, so please check the website frequently.

We are also planning to have numerous organized sessions devoted to specific topics. Do you have an interest in organizing a special session or a series of special sessions? If you do, please contact NARSC Executive Director, Neil Reid (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), as soon as possible.

For overseas attendees, we are offering expedited abstract acceptance to anyone coming from a country that requires a visa to enter the United States. Once you have submitted your abstract, and you need an acceptance letter, please contact NARSC Executive Director, Neil Reid at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We understand that the current Covid-19 pandemic has created a lot of uncertainty about conferences, and that a number have been cancelled. At this point in time, our plan is to proceed with the conference. We will, of course, continue to monitor the situation and adjust our plans if conditions necessitate. If you do register for the conference and are unable to attend because of restrictions related to Covid-19, we will refund your registration fee.

Abstract Submission and Registration

Click on the link to the conference section for general information on the conference.  To register for the conference or submit an abstract/session online you must first login to the User Area. If you attended a NARSC conference over the past couple of years or are a member of a North American regional science organization, when you reach the login page of the User Area, you will be asked to enter your provided username and password.  Otherwise, when you reach the login page of the User Area, you will be asked to click on a link and enter your e-mail address so we can check if you are already in our database. If you are in our database, your username and password will be e-mailed to you so you can login. If you are not in our database, you will need to register for a free NARSC user account and then you will be able to register for the conference and submit an abstract.

Once logged, you can change your password, update your profile, submit an abstract/session, register for the conference, and check the status of your registration.  You will be able come to your account in the User Area subsequently using your valid username and password.  In case you forget your password, just contact technical support at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your e-mail address and your password will be e-mailed to you so you can login.

Please note that there is a surcharge for individuals who are not members of RSAI. When you are ready to register for the conference please check your RSAI membership status. You can do that by consulting the RSAI Members List. If you have any questions regarding your RSAI membership status or would like to join RSAI please contact Elisabete Martins (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) at the RSAI Central Office.

Individual papers and organized sessions must be submitted online in the abstract submission section of the website between now and JULY 5, 2020. The conference registration section is open and allows secure electronic financial transactions. Information about the workshops will be posted in late June. If you are potentially interested in attending any workshops it is suggested that you wait until information about them is available before registering for the conference. Be sure to consult the conference website for additional information and details.

Conference organizers welcome individual papers and organized sessions relating to a wide variety of topics that are included within the diverse realm of regional science.  As usual, there will be several organized sessions. If you are interested in participating in one of these organized sessions, please contact the session organizers. Details about these can be found here. Please note that the list of special session is updated on a regular basis, so please check back.

NARSC an international scholarly organization that focuses on regional analysis, ranging from urban and spatial theory to applied problems in regional development, sustainability, environmental management, and rural land use.  We are an interdisciplinary association, with members representing fields as diverse as economics, agricultural economics, public policy, urban planning, civil engineering, geography, finance, and demography.  The annual North American RSAI conference is the premier regional science meeting in North America and attracts scholars and practitioners from around the world.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the The Westin San Diego Gas Lamp Quarter at a specially negotiated rate of $229 (plus applicable taxes and fees) for a double-occupancy room. Please book the conference hotel through the NARSC website.  By doing so, NARSC will get credit for your booking.  Bookings can be made here.

If you have questions, here is contact information:

• Local arrangements: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Program Chair: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Overall Arrangements: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

We look forward to seeing you in San Diego.

http://www.narsc.org/newsite/conference/special-session-call-for-papers/.

Photo credits for Gas Lamp Quarter photographs – left to right - By Visitor7 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31271319; By Winwinintl - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8532220; By Leandro Neumann Ciuffo - Gaslamp district - 2, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28377633.