The Boston University Conference on Language Development will be held at Boston University each November from 2012 through 2016. The conference is an internationally recognized meeting for researchers in the areas of first and second language acquisition, bilingualism, language disorders, and literacy development. It is attended by 500-600 researchers from around the world each year, providing a venue for dissemination of research, collaboration, and networking. The attendees typically include an even mix of young and senior researchers. The presentations are chosen by anonymous peer review, with a published proceedings. Since 1976, the faculty and students of Boston University's Applied Linguistics Program have organized and run the conference. Dr. Paul Hagstrom leads the team of organizers for the 2012 conference. The National Science Foundation award contributes to the support of the student organizers, travel assistance for student presenters, and accessibility through sign language interpreters.
