Annual Meeting

Event FAQs | Traveling FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 NAIRR Annual Meeting
 

What is the event date, location, and address?

The event will be held March 10-13, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, located at 2799 Richmond Hwy, Arlington, VA 22202

What is the meeting format?

This year’s expanded event will cover three and a half days, with Day 1 being newly added tutorials and workshops.  The following 2.5 days will include program sessions, breakouts, and poster sessions. Meals will be provided throughout the event. 

Is this meeting an invitation-only event?

Yes. This meeting is by invitation only. Invited participants from the NAIRR will include:
 

• NAIRR Resource Awardee PIs and their designated students or other trainees
• NAIRR Demonstration Projects PIs
• NAIRR Outreach/Expansion Projects PIs
• NAIRR Operations Teams
• NAIRR Resource Providers
• Federal Agency Representatives
• NAIRR Task Force Members
• National Science Foundation Staff & Leadership

When will registration open?

Registration opens December 4 2025 

Can I bring a colleague or student to the meeting?

Principal Investigators for all NAIRR Resource Awards are encouraged to attend and during registration will be asked to name a student or other trainee from their project to participate in the event. 

Does the meeting have a maximum capacity for registration?

Yes. The event capacity is limited to 600 attendees due to the venue's capacity. If registrations reach the 600 number, a waitlist will be created, and additional registrants may be accommodated on a first-to-register basis.

Is there a registration fee for the event?

There is no registration fee for this event for the majority of attendees. There will be a few exceptions for identified federal agencies.

What is the submission process for hosting a tutorial, lightning talk, demo, or poster session at the meeting?
The 2026 NAIRR Annual Meeting will invite community submissions for program sessions,  hands-on Tutorials, and community-engaging lightning talks, demos, and poster sessions that advance the use of NAIRR and other AI-relevant technology resources. 

Who determines the program schedule?

The schedule is shaped by an established Program Committee composed of a team of NAIRR community leaders who come together to select and plan the event.

Who is eligible for travel support to the meeting?

Travel support funds are available for one NAIRR Resource allocation researcher or educator and one student or other trainee. Please note that this limit applies per individual researcher or educator, regardless of how many projects or awards they currently have. Funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for requesting travel support assistance is Wednesday,  February 18.

How will I find out more information about travel support?

Instructions for booking your air or train transportation to the event were provided during the registration process. To ensure a smooth process, please be sure that you have read and completed the travel support acceptance form included in the registration process. Hotel reservations must be made using this link. Any hotel reservations that are not booked using this link will not be paid for by Internet2.

Do I need to make my own hotel arrangements?

Yes.  All registered attendees will need to make their own lodging reservations using the established hotel block for the Hyatt Regency Crystal City.  We have secured a special event rate for attendees. For attendees eligible for travel support your hotel room and tax will be paid directly by our travel team, but you will still need to make your own hotel arrangements using this link.  Please note: hotel room and tax charges will only be covered for the nights required for your participation in the event, which includes the night of March 9, 2026 if you will be attending the workshops and tutorials on March 10, 2026. The hotel room block cutoff date is Wednesday, February 18.

Whom should I contact if I have questions about travel arrangements or the reimbursement process?

Questions regarding travel and reimbursement can be directed to grants@internet2.edu

Whom should I contact if I have questions about my registration or if I need to cancel my existing registration?

Please contact meetingregistration@internet2.edu, and someone will respond to your question within one business day.

If I am approved for travel support and provide my credit card information to book my hotel room, will my credit card be charged?

The credit card you provide to book your hotel room will not be charged unless you do not show up (no-show fee) or you purchase unallowable items and charge them to your room. These unallowable items include (but are not limited to) valet parking, unapproved additional nights, in-room Wi-Fi, hotel restaurant charges, room service, or any other expense other than the allowable room and tax required for your participation at the event.
 

Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Support
 

Please note that the deadline for requesting travel support assistance is Wednesday, February 18 and the hotel room block cutoff date is also Wednesday, February 18.

How do I know if I am eligible for travel support to attend this event?

If you are eligible for travel support, you will be asked during the registration process to indicate if you require travel support to attend the event. Your confirmation email will then include the necessary information to proceed with having your travel covered through our travel support budget. 

What if I prefer to travel to the event via train instead of airplane?

If you prefer to travel via train, please reach out to grants@internet2.edu, and you will be provided instructions on how to book your train reservation through AllFly.

I am attending the workshops and tutorials on March 10, so I will need to arrive the day before. When booking my flight, I get an error message that states “Out of Policy: Event Travel Window: Your flight must arrive within March 10, 2026 12:00 AM - March 10, 2026, 11:59 PM. What should I do?

Please include a note in the box that states “Please detail any travel circumstances to aid in the approval process,” stating you are attending the tutorials and workshops on March 10 and therefore need to arrive on March 9. We will cross-check the registration list to ensure you are registered for the tutorials/workshops before your flight is approved, and if you are not registered for the tutorials/workshops, your flight will be rejected. 

I am attending the workshops and tutorials on March 10, so I will need to arrive the day before. Will my hotel be covered for the additional night?

Yes, however, we will cross-check the registration list to ensure you are registered for the tutorials/workshops, and we will ask you to modify your hotel check-in date to 3/10/2026 if it is determined you are not registered for the workshops and tutorials.

My return flight will be after March 13 - how should I handle this when booking my flight?

Return flights after March 13, 2026 will not be approved unless you can demonstrate via a screenshot from the AllFly Quest system that there are no flights available on that date to allow you to return to your home on that day after the event OR a screenshot from the AllFly Quest system that shows that the cost of your return flight is less than or equal to the cost of flying on the allowable dates.

I see a message when booking my flight that the flight amount exceeds the allowable budget. Should I proceed with booking my flight?

Yes, we will review your flight and contact you via email if we have any questions prior to approving. In the "Please detail any travel circumstances to aid in the approval process” box, please enter, “I am registered for the NAIRR Annual Meeting, and this flight is being booked for my travel to this Meeting”.

What if the room block is no longer accepting reservations?

Please contact meetingregistrations@internet2.edu, and they will let you know if an alternate hotel option is available. If no alternate option is available, you may book your own reservation for the nights of March 10, 11, 12, 2026, and you will be reimbursed at a MAXIMUM amount of $267 + tax and occupancy fees per night. You will not be reimbursed for any ground transportation to and from the hotel to the Hyatt Regency Crystal City.

If I have to book at a separate hotel due to the room block being closed, will I be reimbursed for ground transportation to and from the event?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide support for any ground transportation other than transportation to and from the local DC-area airport.

Which DC-area airport should I fly into?

The preferred airport is Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) because it is less than 20 minutes from the event hotel.  However, we understand if your home airport does not have reasonable flights to and from DCA, and if that is the case, you are welcome to book flights to and from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).

I need to cancel my flight, how do I do this?

You may log back into the AllFly Quest system that you used to book your flights and select “Trips” on the left navigation menu. After you select this trip, you may click cancel, and your flight will be canceled. If you would prefer to speak to a live agent, you may click “Get Help” in the top right corner of the website, and you will have the option to call, email, or chat with an agent. 

My flight was rejected because I selected a comfort option, but that is the only option that was available. What should I do?

Please send a screenshot from the AllFly Quest system that shows the only available flight option on the travel day(s) is the comfort option.