The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for APEX 2026!
APEX 2026 brings together students, educators, researchers, practitioners, and institutional partners to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping Operations in the Information Environment and to advance education, research, and professional development in the field of Cognitive Security.
This educational forum is designed to create opportunities for collaboration, shared learning, and the development of ideas that strengthen our collective understanding of cognitive security and information-related competition.
Conference Highlights:
- Paper competitions for undergraduate, graduate, and researchers/practitioners
- Discussions and panels exploring the future of Cognitive Security professional certification
- Guest speakers and expert panels representing government, academia, and industry
- Networking opportunities designed for students, faculty, institutions, and practitioners
- Working groups supporting initiatives that advance education and professional development across the information environment
APEX 2026 Student Research Competition
As a featured component of the conference, IPA is launching a student paper competition for undergraduate and graduate students.
The paper competition is intended to encourage collaboration and scholarly engagement among students, researchers, and practitioners across the national security community. Selected finalists will have the opportunity to present their work before leaders, practitioners, and researchers from across the Cognitive Security community.
Submissions are invited on topics including:
- Cognitive Security
- Cognitive Warfare
- Operations in the Information Environment
- Information Operations
- Information Warfare
- Foreign Influence and Malign Information Activities
- Political Warfare
- And more!
Learn more about the research competition and submission requirements:
https://information-professionals.org/apex-2026-research-competition-call-for-papers/
Registration Information
To register for APEX 2026, please submit an RSVP through our events page.
The RSVP process will collect your name and email address. Following submission, the registration team will contact you directly to complete registration and collect any additional information required.
Registration for APEX 2026 is $120 per attendee.
Registration includes:
- Breakfast and lunch on both conference days
- Light refreshments throughout the event
- Access to the conference reception following the conclusion of programming
The registration fee is intentionally aligned with the Washington, D.C. per diem meal rate. Additional conference expenses are underwritten by IPA and event sponsors to maximize accessibility for participants.
RSVP for APEX 2026 here:
https://information-professionals.org/event/apex-2026-educational-forum/
We are excited to welcome the APEX community in 2026 and look forward to your participation and support. Together, we can advance the education, research, and professional practice needed to secure advantage in the cognitive dimension.
Questions regarding registration or conference events may be directed to:
apex@information-professionals.org