October 13 is International Skeptics Day!
NCAS will be participating in the Global Skeptics in the Pub, live on Zoom. Pour your favorite beverage and join everyone online.
October 22
Fact-Checking in a World of Misinformation
A Conversation with Glenn Kessler, Formerly The Washington Post's "Fact Checker"
For more than 15 years, Glenn Kessler led "The Fact Checker" team at The Washington Post, examining politicians' claims and researching the facts behind those claims. By providing detailed findings and ratings ("Pinocchios") of the truthfulness of claims, "The Fact Checker" freed its readers from the traditional journalistic approach of simply publishing dueling quotes of rival politicians. However, as of 2025, "The Fact Checker" column has ended. What happened, and what are the prospects for journalists to carry on this work?
Mr. Kessler will be interviewed by Joel Achenbach, former staff writer/science journalist at The Washington Post. The National Capital Area Skeptics will be honoring Mr. Kessler with the 2026 Philip J. Klass Award for outstanding promotion of critical thinking and scientific understanding. The Klass Award was also presented to Mr. Achenbach in 2011.
Thursday, October 22, 2026
7:30 p.m. to 9:30 pm
Media and Public Affairs Building, 5th Floor Studio
805 21st Street NW, Washington DC 20052
Reception to follow.
All are welcome, but advance registration is required.
Pre-registration does not guarantee a seat. Entry is first-come, first-served until the venue reaches its capacity.
Reserve here: https://tinyurl.com/Kessler2026
Before the public program, we are offering a special opportunity: one of just six supporter seats at a private dinner with Glenn and Joel.
The dinner will be held from 5:00–7:00 p.m. in the private State Room at RIS in Washington, D.C., a short walk from the George Washington University event venue. With only ten people at the table—including Glenn, Joel, and their guests—this will be a genuinely intimate gathering and a rare opportunity for extended, informal conversation with two journalists who have spent decades covering science, politics, public policy, and the sometimes difficult business of separating fact from fiction.
We are asking each of the six supporters to make a $500 contribution to NCAS. NCAS will host the dinner, and proceeds remaining after expenses will support the Klass Award and future NCAS programming. Your contribution will also give you a one-year NCAS membership or extend yours if you are already a member. So this is more than an unusual evening: your support will help us bring compelling speakers and programs to Washington, reach new audiences, and build a stronger future for NCAS.
You may request a seat for a guest as well; just note that the $500 contribution applies to each seat.
If you’d like to join us, email us at rsvp@ncas.org, and we’ll send you the contribution details and instructions for reserving your seat(s). With only six supporter seats available, we encourage you to respond soon.
After the dinner, the Klass Award program itself begins at 7:30 p.m. at George Washington University’s Media and Public Affairs Building. This part of the evening is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. The Eventbrite link for RSVP for the public session is https://tinyurl.com/kessler2026.
We hope you’ll join us for what should be a memorable evening—and help make many more NCAS programs possible.
