AynRandCon-USA 2025 Official Site

feb. 28 – Mar. 2, 2025   |   Austin

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AynRandCon is an annual conference where the best young minds come together to explore Ayn Rand’s ideas.

Ready for an intellectual adventure? AynRandCon-USA 2025 is a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of Objectivism, where you’ll connect with like-minded individuals, engage in profound philosophical discussions, and participate in an intimate gathering that fosters growth and a shared passion for Objectivism, including:

  • A chance to explore life-changing ideas in an atmosphere of growth and camaraderie
  • Unparalleled access to approachable, enthusiastic lecturers for meaningful conversations about the concrete applications of Objectivism
  • Opportunities to easily connect with others who share fundamental values and apply Objectivist ideas every day in their lives

Designed for students of Objectivism ready to take the next step on their journey, AynRandCon-USA will give you a chance to:

Meet Ayn Rand University faculty, including prominent Objectivist intellectuals such as Ben Bayer and Gregory Salmieri

Talk with current ARU students about their experiences studying Objectivism at ARU
Learn more about pursuing an intellectual career in Objectivism
APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

AynRandCon is an annual conference where the best young minds come together to explore Ayn Rand’s ideas.

Ready for an intellectual adventure? AynRandCon-Australia 2024 is a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of Objectivism, where you’ll connect with like-minded individuals, engage in profound philosophical discussions, and participate in an intimate gathering that fosters growth and a shared passion for Objectivism, including:

  • A chance to explore life-changing ideas in an atmosphere of growth and camaraderie
  • Unparalleled access to approachable, enthusiastic lecturers for meaningful conversations about the concrete applications of Objectivism
  • Opportunities to easily connect with others who share fundamental values and apply Objectivist ideas every day in their lives

Designed for students of Objectivism ready to take the next step on their journey, AynRandCon-Australia will give you a chance to:

Meet Ayn Rand University faculty, including prominent Objectivist intellectuals

Talk with current ARU students about their experiences studying Objectivism at ARU
Learn more about pursuing an intellectual career in Objectivism
APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP
“It’s like being in the Valley. It’s wonderful. I think coming away from it, I’ll know that there are real-life Objectivists out there . . . that beyond just the pages of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, there are real people in the modern day that are practicing this.”
Claire
Claire
“It’s shown me, actually, ways in which things that I have wanted to do for a long time are possible. I see a clearer path, and I can’t express how grateful I am. It’s truly life changing.”
Connor
Connor
“I found it’s very rare that you can have such intellectual intensity be effortless as well . . . . This experience of joy and connection and productivity really is something I will try to keep up when I go back to Germany.”
Daphne
Daphne
“I am beyond excited to experience the marketplace of ideas with a group of like-minded individuals.”
Ethan
Ethan
“I have had the opportunity to meet . . . a myriad of amazing people—bright, youthful minds with goals, ambitions and drives to achieve them. These individuals have improved my outlook on life immensely.”
Nicholas
Nicholas
“For the incredible experience I have had, all that it has meant to me, and all that I hope to use it to kindle a brighter future for myself and my convictions—thank you.”
John
John
“The lectures have been insightful, the people I’ve met brilliant and kind, and—I hope—the community here permanent. This was truly, in a not-kitsch manner, a soul-nourishing experience.”
Jordan
Jordan

Meet the Experts

Dr. Ben Bayer
Fellow and Director of Content,
Ayn Rand Institute

Dr. Bayer is a fellow and director of content at the Ayn Rand Institute. He teaches at Ayn Rand University and gives talks and interviews for ARI. He writes and edits for ARI’s online publication, New Ideal. Dr. Bayer's writing focuses primarily on the application of philosophy to contemporary cultural and political controversies.

Dr. Michael Mazza
Associate Fellow,
Ayn Rand Institute

Dr. Mazza is an associate fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute. He teaches at Ayn Rand University. Dr. Mazza has a PhD in philosophy and writes on Rand’s philosophy, including its application to science and technology.

Dr. Gregory Salmieri
Senior Scholar of Philosophy,
Salem Center

Dr. Salmieri is the co-editor of A Companion to Ayn Rand (2016), Foundations of a Free Society (2019), and Aristotle and Ayn Rand (forthcoming). He has published and lectured on many aspects of Objectivism and on Aristotle’s ethics and epistemology.

Steven Warden
Researcher,
Salem Center

Mr. Warden is a former junior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute and currently works for the Salem Center at the University of Texas at Austin. His work focuses on themes in moral and political individualism and Objectivism

(More experts coming soon)

Meet the Experts

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Venue

AT&T Hotel and Conference Center
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin is booming and The University of Texas at Austin is at the heart of its innovation ecosystem. Located on The University of Texas at Austin campus and steps from the iconic UT Tower, the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center provides easy access to the city’s technology and business offerings and internationally renowned music, film, and art scene. The hotel is just 20 minutes by rideshare, shuttle, or taxi from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
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SPONSOR STUDENTS

Your generous sponsorship finances travel scholarships to AynRandCon for promising students of Ayn Rand’s philosophy. Simply start your registration and add sponsorships when prompted.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Major funding for this Ayn Rand Conference is provided by the Michael and Andrea Leven Family Foundation.

Registration

Ticket to 3-day conference (Feb. 28–Mar. 2, 2025). Opening reception on Friday, all talks at the venue, Saturday and Sunday buffet lunches, and a social event on Saturday evening that will include drinks and heavy appetizers.

Note: All prices are in USD.

Tickets

The numbers below include tickets for this event already in your cart. Clicking "Get Tickets" will allow you to edit any existing attendee information as well as change ticket quantities.
ARCUS 2025 Student Ticket
Full-time students of any age with a valid student ID.
$ 150.00
Unlimited
ARCUS 2025 Adult Ticket
$ 500.00
Unlimited
ARCUS 2025 Sponsorship
Your generous sponsorship finances travel scholarships to AynRandCon for promising students of Ayn Rand’s philosophy.
$ 500.00
Unlimited
Quantity: 0
Total: $ 0.00
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FAQ

We designed the content to appeal to young people who have read at least one of Ayn Rand’s novels and want to study Objectivism in depth. Attendees should be familiar with Ayn Rand’s fiction and have an interest in her nonfiction works.
Yes! In addition to taking questions during their sessions, AynRandCon speakers are happy to make themselves available for discussion whenever there is a break in the conference programming. We encourage you to interact with speakers during breaks, receptions, and meals.
Day passes will not be sold and you should plan to attend both Saturday and Sunday programming. To ensure scholarship funds are put to full use, we require attendees receiving a scholarship to attend all lectures and events included in their scholarship package.
The registration fee will be refunded for cancellations made by February 14, 2025. Please contact us at events@aynrand.org if you are no longer able to attend the conference.

Student pricing is available for full-time students of any age with a valid student ID, including current and new students enrolled as graded students in ARI’s Ayn Rand University. Attendance at student events may be required to receive the discounted student pricing. Exceptions may be granted for unique circumstances (e.g., one is returning to school after an absence but not yet a current student). Contact us if you have a question about your eligibility.

The main way to interact with attendees before the conference is to join the AynRandCon-USA WhatsApp group. There, you can meet other attendees and chat about plans for the conference.

Post a message on the AynRandCon-USA WhatsApp group to connect with other attendees concerning rooms and travel.

The conference includes a Friday night reception with light fare, Saturday and Sunday buffet lunches, and a social event on Saturday evening that will include drinks and heavy appetizers. Please contact us at events@aynrand.org if you have further questions about meals.

The conference will be photographed and filmed and has a “smart“ or ”smart casual” dress code, which means casual but presentable and neat. If you have questions, contact us at events@aynrand.org.

No private audio or video recording is allowed. ARI may record conference events and make them available later through our YouTube channel and other outlets. However, you are encouraged to take photos and post on X (#AynRandCon)! We only ask that you refrain from using flash photography during the talks so as not to disturb the speakers and other attendees.

We will not be livestreaming AynRandCon-USA 2025.

We are excited to welcome you to AynRandCon-USA at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center. Directions to the hotel can be found here. If you have any questions or need further assistance with your travel arrangements, please email events@aynrand.org. 

AT&T Hotel and Conference Center
1900 University Avenue
Austin, TX 78705
512-404-1900

Parking Information: Valet and self-parking are available at the hotel for an additional fee. For more information, please contact the hotel directly at 512-404-1900.

Send us an email at events@aynrand.org and we’ll be happy to help.

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