Before the Event
The 2025 Digital Media and Developing Minds International Scientific Congress will be held July 13-16, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Sunday, July 13, 2025
4:00pm-8:00pm ET
Monday, July 14, 2025
8:30am – 6:30pm ET
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
8:30am-10:00pm ET
Friday, July 16, 2025
8:30am-1:00pm ET
* Subject to change.
All conference sessions will be held at the Westin DC Downtown, 999 9th Street, NW, Washington, DC. The hotel is located opposite Washington Convention Center, between Capitol Hill and the White House. The Westin DC Downtown is one mile from the Smithsonian Institute and the Air & Space Museum. There are 2 Metro stations within 5 minutes’ walk of the hotel. The Westin DC Downtown is 25 miles from Washington Dulles Airport and 5 miles from Ronald Reagan Washington National. On-site car parking is available at the hotel.
There are three major airports in the Washington, DC region:
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- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (airport code: DCA)
Reagan National Airport is five miles from the hotel. The airport is accessible via its own Metro stop–attendees can take the Yellow line to the Gallery Place-Chinatown station, which is walking distance (0.3 miles) from the hotel. Taxi cabs, Uber and Lyft are also available at the airport. - Washington Dulles International Airport (airport code: IAD)
Dulles Airport has a dedicated access road that makes getting to or from the airport efficient via car, taxi, or airport shuttle. Attendees can also travel from the airport Metro station (Silver line) to the Metro Center stop, which is walking distance (.4 miles) from the hotel - Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (airport code: BWI). Baltimore/Washington Airport (referred to as BWI) is located 34 miles from the hotel, and is accessible via an Amtrak train route to Union Station. Attendees can then transfer to the Metro Red line and travel to the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop, which is walking distance from the hotel. Taxi cabs, Uber and Lyft are also available at the airport.
- Train. Amtrak has frequent daily departures from major cities throughout the Northeast and Southeast. Trains arrive at Union Station, which has its own Metro Station. To take the Metro, take the Red line to Gallery Place-Chinatown stop which is walking distance from the hotel. Union Station also provides easy access to taxis and ridesharing.
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (airport code: DCA)
On-site and valet parking are available. Garage-height clearance is 6 ft. 4 in. For information on parking fees, visit the hotel website. There are 2 Metro stations that are walking distance from the hotel, with access to the Green, Yellow, and Red lines via the Gallery Place – Chinatown station (0.3 miles from hotel), and the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines via the Metro Center station (0.5 miles from hotel).
No. On July 15th, a small shuttle will be available only for attendees with accessibility needs to access the dinner at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, which is walking distance from the Westin DC Downtown (0.3 miles). Should attendees desire to visit DC’s many other attractions, it’s easy to get around via WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority) and/or ride sharing.
Rooms can be reserved at the Westin DC Downtown, 999 9th Street NW, Washington DC. A block of rooms has been reserved for Congress attendees.
- Please note the following:
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- Check in: 4:00pm
- Check out: 11:00am
- Guests must present a valid photo ID and credit card at check-in. Reservations require a credit card guarantee, with a deposit for the first night’s stay. Please note that this property only accepts credit cards and does not accept cash payments.
- Cancellation policy: All cancellations must be received by 11.59PM 3 days before arrival to avoid a penalty of one night’s room and tax.
There is no official dress code, but we suggest business casual.
The average daily high in July is 88 degrees F. The average daily low is 75 degrees F. Locals turn to WTOP weather for up-to-date forecasts.
Registration fees cover two lunches (Monday and Tuesday), exclusive reception and dinner at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and all coffee and snack breaks, including during poster sessions. (Please note: Registrations submitted on or after July 1 are not guaranteed attendance at the reception and dinner at the National Museum of Women in the Arts on July 15, 2025.)
The registration form will have a place to indicate dietary requirements. Conference staff will reach out to you directly with any questions.
Children and Screens strives to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. The registration form will have a place to indicate any accommodations you may need.
If you are interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor, please contact us at tools_expo@childrenandscreens.org.
Children and Screens is pleased to offer a limited number of registration and travel scholarships to support participation at this year’s Digital Media and Developing Minds International Scientific Congress. These scholarships are intended to support those with limited resources who would not be able to attend the conference without assistance, to help diversify participation and ensure inclusivity in our community. To learn more, visit the Scholarships and Financial Assistance page.
Registration
All participants, speakers, exhibitors, media, and attendees must register for the Congress.
Registration includes:
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- Welcome reception;
- 2 (two) lunches (Monday and Tuesday);
- Exclusive reception and dinner at the National Museum of Women in the Arts;*
- All coffee and snack breaks, including during poster sessions;
- Unlimited access to scientific sessions and the Tools and Methodologies exhibition; and
- Participation in the Mentorship Program (optional).
Space is limited.
* Registrations submitted on or after July 1 are not guaranteed attendance at the reception and dinner at the National Museum of Women in the Arts on July 15, 2025.
The deadline for Early Bird Rates is March 30, 2025, and the deadline for Standard Rates is June 30, 2025. Registration will continue to run through the last day of the conference, space permitting. All registrations are first come-first served. Register early to reserve your spot!
No.
On-site registration will be limited, if available at all. We encourage pre-registration to ensure your spot.
Credit cards are the preferred payment type. If you need to use an alternate method of payment, contact Ozzy Whitley at owhitley@infinityconference.com to coordinate payment.
No. The 2025 Congress is an all in-person event.
In the unlikely event that the Congress is canceled, Infinity Conference Group (INFINITY), on behalf of Children and Screens, will promptly notify all advance registrants. In the event of a cancellation, INFINITY and Children and Screens are not liable for any costs incurred by the participant, other than the refund of the registration fee(s) paid.
Yes! Early bird registration is available at a discounted rate through March 30, 2025. See the registration page for additional information.
Registration confirmation will be emailed to you immediately following payment. This email will include a link and a reference number you can use to review and edit your registration information on the registration portal.
Refunds requests will be accepted until June 15, 2025. Registrations cancelled by this date will be refunded, less a $60 administrative fee. After June 15, 2025, refund can no longer be accommodated. Approved refunds will be processed within 30 days following the conclusion of the Congress. To cancel your registration, please use the cancellation link provided in your confirmation email.
A schedule-at-a-glance is available here. Detailed agenda information will be available closer to the event.
If your question is related to the registration site, payment, or technical issues with registration, please email owhitley@infinityconferences.com. If your question is program or event related, please email congress@childrenandscreens.org. If your question is related to the Tools and Methodologies Exposition, please email tools_expo@childrenandscreens.org.
At the Event
Check-in will be available at the registration desk in the Rock Creek Foyer at the Registration Desk.
No, there is not an event app for the Congress. All information will be available from the event page on the Children and Screens website prior to the event.
Breakout sessions will take place Monday afternoon from 4:00pm-5:00pm, Tuesday afternoon from 3:30pm-4:30pm, and Wednesday from 9:00am-10:00am and 10:30am-11:30am. Topics for these sessions will be announced prior to the Congress and participants will be able to sign-up for sessions onsite.
All panels and symposia will be recorded and will be made available to attendees after the event.
Speakers
Details on session timing for all speakers will be provided as soon as possible. Please watch your inbox for more information. It will also be posted in the program-at-a-glance (when available) on the Children and Screens website prior to the Congress.
All slides must be saved in PowerPoint. Widescreen (16:9 ratio) is recommended.
All slides must be delivered to the AV team in advance of your presentation. We prefer that videos included in slide decks are sent separately rather than stitched into the presentation. Please e-mail your final presentation to Children and Screens at congress@childrenandscreens.org by 5:00pm ET on Monday, July 7th. Note that we request no changes to slides be made after submission.
All presentations will be run from a single PC. A remote will be available for slide progressions, and a confidence monitor near the podium will allow presenters to view speaker notes. We recommend you also have your notes available in print, especially if you plan to present from the panel table.
During the session, a timekeeper will be seated in the front row. They will hold up a yellow card when you have five minutes left, a red card when you have one minute left, and both cards when your time is up.
Poster Sessions
Poster sessions will take place in Rock Creek Salon A on Monday, July 14, 2025 from 5:00pm-6:30pm and on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, from 4:30pm-6:00pm.
Size and Orientation: Each poster must not be larger than 36 inches wide and 48 inches tall (vertical / portrait orientation).
Material: Paper or cloth printing is recommended; please do not print your poster on cardboard to ensure easy mounting to the poster board. (Push pins will be provided onsite.)
Please check the final conference program once it is available for your poster number. The poster board number you are assigned will be in the upper left or right hand corner of the display. Important: Do not block your poster number when mounting your poster.
You can hang your poster on the designated board anytime after 3:30 pm ET on the day of your assigned poster session (Monday, July 14 or Tuesday, July 15). Your poster must be removed promptly at the end of the session so that the room can be prepared for the next day’s events. Please take your poster and any additional items with you when you leave the poster area.
Presenters should plan to remain with their posters (or have a representative at the poster) for most of the session. If you do need to leave your poster for any reason, ensure your contact information is prominently displayed, so interested meeting attendees know how to reach you.
Design your poster to be visually appealing and easy to read.
- Use a clean layout with headings and subheadings to organize the content.
- Choose a font that is legible from a distance and use contrasting colors to make your text and visuals stand out.
- Consider using bullet points or numbered lists to convey information concisely.
- Test readability:
- Title banner should be legible from 20 feet away.
- Body text should legible from 6 feet away.
Content: All posters should include sections for the background, methods, results, and discussion. Be sure to include the abstract title, author and coauthor names, COI disclosure, and the institution(s) where research was conducted. Tables, charts, or other informative graphics are encouraged.
Logical Flow: Organize your content in a logical and sequential manner, guiding the viewer from one section to another. Consider using arrows or lines where appropriate to indicate the flow of information.
Captions and Labels: Provide clear captions and labels for all figures, graphs, and tables used in your poster. Make sure they are self-explanatory and easy to understand.
White Space: Utilize white space effectively to avoid overcrowding your poster. Leave some empty space between different sections and elements to enhance readability.
Proofreading: Carefully proofread your poster for any grammatical or typographical errors. Ask a colleague or mentor to review it as well to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Be creative!
Professional Development
Unfortunately, we cannot offer CAE credits for attendees at this time. However, we can provide certificates of attendance. Please e-mail congress@childenandscreens.org with “certificate of attendance” in the subject line.
Yes! The Digital Media and Developing Minds Congresses are known as great opportunities to network with professionals in other fields and disciplines. The mentorship program, breakout groups, cocktail receptions, poster sessions, and evening social events all provide structured times for networking. Some incredible collaborations have grown out of previous Congresses!
The registration form has a checkbox for attendees to indicate interest in joining this year’s conference mentoring program. To learn more, visit the Mentoring Program page.
