NECSS
| Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Status | Active |
| Genre | Science and skepticism |
| Location(s) | New York City |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2009 |
| Attendance | 500~ |
| Organized by | New York City Skeptics, New England Skeptical Society & Society for Science-Based Medicine |
| Website | |
| NECSS.org | |
The Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism (NECSS, pronounced as "nexus") is a four-day conference focusing on science and skepticism held annually in New York City. Its purpose is exploring the intersection of science, skepticism, the media, and society for the purpose of promoting a more rational world. It was founded in 2009, run jointly by the New York City Skeptics (NYCS) and the New England Skeptical Society (NESS). The Society for Science-Based Medicine joined as a full sponsor of the conference in 2015. Attendance is estimated at almost 500 people.
The New York City Skeptics wanted to have a skeptical conference and invited magician James Randi to speak at their one-year anniversary. That lecture attracted over 400 attendees and so it was determined that there would be enough interest for a scientific skepticism conference in the area. The NYCS and NESS organizations began talks about combining to form NECSS. The conference began in 2009 as a one-day event, popular science writer Carl Zimmer was the keynote speaker. Over the years, the conference has grown to include Skeptics in the Pub events, fundraising dinners, separately ticketed workshops and live-podcast recordings.
According to Steven Novella and Evan Bernstein, the NESS was asked to speak for the New York City Skeptics, September 12, 2009. That lecture was a tribute to Perry DeAngelis (died 2007), and as it was near the anniversary of both his birth and death in August, they continued the tradition of celebrating Perry at each conference. Even after the NECSS organizers decided to move the conference to April, the SGU cast continues to celebrate the life of Perry DeAngelis each year at NECSS.
New York City Skeptic's co-founder Jamy Ian Swiss writes that the conference was created "because we felt there was a need for a regional skeptic conference in the Northeast", and because the organizers "were intrigued by and attracted to the prospect of creating the concept and content of such an event". The first evening in 2009 was sold out with 400 attendees. According to emcee Jamy Ian Swiss, organizers turned people away.
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