Looking Ahead: What’s Changing for RosettaCons in 2026

As the Rosetta Commons community continues to grow, the Executive Board has been actively rethinking how we plan and structure our annual gatherings. The goal is to create events that are more sustainable, inclusive, and responsive to today’s evolving challenges.

After careful discussion, the board has outlined five guiding priorities for future conferences:

• Maintain at least one major annual event in the U.S. while controlling overall costs
• Adapt to shifting federal funding and travel restrictions
• Support equity and accessibility through thoughtful location and structural choices
• Streamline events to focus on quality over quantity
• Reallocate planning capacity to other strategic initiatives

With these goals in mind, two experimental changes are on deck for 2026:

Winter RosettaCon 2026 will be replaced by a Community Hackathon

Instead of the traditional Winter RosettaCon, we’ll be piloting a community hackathon. This lighter-weight format is designed to foster collaboration and innovation, reduce costs, and encourage greater student involvement. The shift also reflects current funding and travel dynamics, offering more flexibility in content and structure.

We’re currently exploring potential projects, locations, and dates for the hackathon and we’d love your input HERE

Looking ahead: The tentative plan for Winter RosettaCon 2027 is to partner with Keystone conferences again.

Summer RosettaCon 2026 will move to the University of Washington Campus

Summer RosettaCon will return in 2026 — this time at the University of Washington Campus (UW). This change is driven by:

• Lower registration at recent WRC and SRC events due to funding and travel constraints
• A desire to consolidate resources into one flagship event, while regional gatherings expand (e.g., ERC 2024 drew 340 attendees, with additional meetings in South America and Asia)

We’re aiming to preserve the spirit of traditional Summer RosettaCons while offering a more sustainable experience. And yes, Hike / Activity Day is staying as a chance to connect, reflect, and recharge.

Share Your Thoughts

We recognize these changes are significant. While the board made these decisions based on the goals outlined above, your input matters. If you have feedback, questions, or ideas, please let us know HERE.

Thanks for helping shape the future of Rosetta events with us.
— The Rosetta Commons Board