2026 Northern California Regional Phi Alpha Theta Conference
SJSU's Beta-Lambda Chapter Invites You to the 2026 Northern California Regional Phi Alpha Theta Conference!
We look forward to hosting you at our society’s Northern California Regional Conference at San Jose State on April 17th, 2026! We are excited to welcome students from across Northern California (and possibly further afield!) to our campus for a day of panels showcasing student research. This conference provides a wonderful opportunity for students to present in a supportive environment and to network with peers and professionals, activities which are transformative in one’s academic and professional development. Additionally, don’t miss out on exploring San Jose’s History Park and connecting with fellow historians at our reception on the evening of Thursday, April 16th!
Reception Details
COMING SOON!
Conference Details
The conference will begin the morning of Friday, April 17th in San Jose State’s Diaz Compean Student Union with registration, a light breakfast spread, and a welcome address. The day will go on to feature student research panels, professional development workshops, and an awards ceremony in the afternoon.
Digital program COMING SOON!
Registration
Please register here.
The cost of registration is $35 per attendee through Friday, April 3rd. After April 3rd, the cost of registration will be $40 per attendee. Please note that all panel chairs, presenters, and visitors must register to attend the conference. The registration fee covers breakfast, lunch, and souvenir swag!
The deadline for presenter registration is Friday, April 3rd. Visitors may register through the morning of the conference, though we cannot guarantee lunch or swag for late registrants. Those registering at the door may pay by card via the above site or with cash.
We expect all registration fees to help cover conference expenses, but any unlikely remainder of funds will benefit our university’s Beta-Lambda Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta.
Submissions
We welcome paper and multimedia project proposals on any historical topic or period by both undergraduate and graduate students. Independent scholars are also welcome to participate. You do not need to be a member of Phi Alpha Theta to present. Participants will have about 15 minutes to present their research.
Papers are to be written in a 12-point font and double-spaced, with citations in Chicago
/ Turabian style. Undergraduate papers should be at least 10 pages long, while graduate
papers are not to exceed 25 pages.
In addition to traditional papers, we encourage students to submit multimedia presentations
of historical research, such as short documentary-style or educational videos, podcast
episodes, websites, or blog series. For videos or podcasts, submissions should be
no more than 20 minutes long. For websites or blog series, they should contain content
equivalent to a 10 to 25 page research paper.
Please submit titles and abstracts of no more than 200 words here by Friday, March 6th.
Prizes will be awarded to the best papers in Undergraduate and Graduate categories
submitted by Phi Alpha Theta members. Non-members are not eligible for paper awards.
A prize will also be awarded to the best submission in the Multimedia Project category,
for which you do not need to be a member of Phi Alpha Theta.
Please submit completed papers and multimedia projects here by Friday, April 3rd.
Directions & Parking
For directions, SJSU’s main campus address is One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192.
You will also find our campus map useful. The majority of conference activities will take place in the Diaz Compean
Student Union, with some panels being held in Clark Hall.
The nearest university parking garage to the Student Union is the North Garage, located
at 65 South 10th Street. Parking in SJSU garages is $12 (maximum) per weekday and
can be purchased via the ParkMobile app or from in-garage permit machines, which accept
Visa, Mastercard, and cash. Note that you will need exact change. More information
can be found here.
Nearby city garages are also available, the closest being the ParkSJ Fourth Street
Garage at 44 South 4th Street. Parking in city garages is $25 (maximum) per weekday
and can be purchased from in-garage permit machines. For more information on parking
in downtown San Jose, please visit ParkSJ’s website.
SJSU is also accessible via public transit, including bus and light rail. For more
information, check out the Valley Transportation Authority’s site here.
Lodging
COMING SOON!
Local Eats
COMING SOON!
Questions?
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at sjsuphialphatheta@gmail.com with any questions you may have. We can’t wait to welcome you to our campus!
