Mpact Conference: Understanding Regional Opportunities and Partnerships to Drive American Competitiveness
March 25-27, 2026
Riggs Alumni Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Md.
Day 1: March 25 | Day 2: March 26 | Day 3: March 27
DAY 1: Wednesday, March 25
8:30-9:30
Registration and Breakfast
9:30-9:45
Welcome and Introduction: Jean McGloin, Associate Dean & Professor and Trevor Parry-Giles, Associate Dean & Professor, University of Maryland
9:45-11:00
Panel Session:
Optimizing and Assessing the Societal Impact of Community-Engaged Research on Policy, Practice, and Economic Development
Presenters:
Jessica Bennett, Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (APLU)
Michael Holland, Vice Chancellor, University of Pittsburgh
Susan Renoe, Associate Vice Chancellor, University of Missouri
Moderator:
Sarah Rovito, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
11:00-11:15
Refreshments and Networking Break
11:15-12:15
Parallel Breakout Sessions
Breakout Session 1:
Building Regional Collaborations to Accelerate Innovation and Economic Development
Presenters:
Catherine Fazio, Associate Dean and Clinical Assistant Professor, Boston University
Additional presenter to be named
Moderator:
Mark Turner, CEO, Optimal Solutions Group
Breakout Session 2:
Incentivizing Public Impact Research
Presenters:
Jennifer Renick, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University
Taylor Scott, Director of Research Translation, Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative, Penn State University
Moderator:
Michael Dougherty, Professor and Chair, University of Maryland
Breakout Session 3:
Optimizing Community-Engaged Collaborations
Presenters:
Amy Cohen, Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director, Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service, George Washington University
Romy Hübler, Director, Office of Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility, Towson University
Moderator:
Garrett Zink, Director, Community Impact, Marriott International
12:15-12:45
Lunch
12:45-1:15
Lunchtime Remarks by Erwin Gianchandani, Director, Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships, National Science Foundation
1:15-2:30
Panel: Developing Trustworthy, Human-Centered AI Technologies
Presenters:
Alexis Bonnell, Partnership Manager, Open AI
Janet Haven, Executive Director, Data & Society
Frauke Kreuter, Professor, University of Maryland
Xiaoli Nan, Professor, University of Maryland
Moderator:
Robert Townsend, Humanities/Arts/Culture Program Director, American Academy of Arts & Sciences
2:30-2:45
Refreshments and Networking Break
2:45-3:45
Parallel Breakout Sessions
Breakout Session 1: AI and Empathy
Presenters:
C. Daryl Cameron, Penn State University
Additional presenter and moderator to be named
Breakout Session 2:
AI and Trusted Information
Presenters:
Filipe Campante, Johns Hopkins University
Philip Resnik, University of Maryland
Moderator:
Theresa Harris, Director, Center for Scientific Responsibility and Justice, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Session 3: AI for Global Good
Presenters:
Catherine Nakalembe, University of Maryland
Kumba Sennaar, William Kelly Consulting, LLC
Moderator to be named
3:45-4:00
Break
4:00-4:15
Closing Remarks by Patrick O’Shea, Vice President for Research, University of Maryland
______________________________________________________________________
DAY 2: Thursday, March 26:
8:30-9:30
Registration and Breakfast
9:30-9:45
Welcome Remarks by Susan Rivera, Dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, and Stephanie Shonekan, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, University of Maryland
9:45-11:00
Panel Session: Addressing Grand Challenges Through Partnerships
Presenters:
Megan Barnett, Vice Provost for Pan University Initiatives, University of Virginia
Cinda Christian, Executive Director, Research Collaborations and Impact, University of Texas at Austin
Michelle Popowitz, Executive Director, UCLA Depression Grand Challenge, University of California, Los Angeles
Moderator to be named
11:00-11:15
Refreshments and Networking Break
11:15-12:15
Parallel Breakout Sessions
Breakout Session 1:
Key Drivers of Successful Cross-Sector Research Partnerships for Societal Impact
Presenters:
Adam Seth Levine, Johns Hopkins University
Michael Nestor, Government-University-Industry-Philanthropy Research Roundtable, NASEM
Moderator: Florence Rabanal, National Science Foundation
Breakout Session 2:
Addressing Grand Challenges Through the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts
Presenters:
Wiebke Denecke, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Heidi Schmalbach, University of Texas at Austin
Moderator to be named
Breakout Session 3:
Technology Partnerships for Increasing Access
Presenters:
Yi Ting Huang, University of Maryland
Irina Muresanu, University of Maryland
Moderator: Geanie Umberger, National Science Foundation
12:15-1:15
Lunch and Networking
1:30-3:00
Panel Session: The Future of Funding for Public Impact Research
Presenters:
Christina Borba, NIMH
Randi Chmielewski, Rita Allen Foundation
Ben Miyamoto, Pew Charitable Trusts
Khara Ramos, Dana Foundation
Moderator:
Jamie Vernon, Sigma Xi
3:00-3:15
Break
3:15-4:30
Closing Panel Discussion: Building Community Around Public Impact Research
Presenters:
Stephen Kidd, National Humanities Alliance
Hironao Okahana, American Council on Education
Toby Smith, American Association of Universities
Moderator:
Tania Mitchell, University of Maryland
______________________________________________________________________
DAY 3: Friday, March 27:
8:30-9:00
Registration and Breakfast
9:00-9:15
Welcome
9:15-10:10
Panel Session: Do Good
Presenters:
Nathan Dietz, Do Good Institute, University of Maryland
Additional presenter to be named
10:10-10:20
Break
10:20-11:15
Panel Session: A Case Study: University Leadership Buy-in for Research Translation
Presenters:
Susanna Campbell, American University
Marie DuMond, American University
11:15-11:25
Break
11:25-12:20
Panel Session: How Can Institutions Best Support Faculty for Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship, & Enterprise?
Presenters:
Melanie Killen, University of Maryland
Elizabeth Sheckler, University of Maryland
12:20-12:30
Closing Remarks
12:30
End of Conference