March 30, Day 1
Posted On: 03-10-2026
Posted In:
Summit Welcome*
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Welcome to ARIS Summit 2026!
To kick off ARIS Summit 2026, Susan D. Renoe, Ph.D., Executive Director, will share updates from 2025 and give us a sneak peek at what we can expect from the organization in 2026.
Keynote: Dr. Wanda Ward, Executive Associate Chancellor for the Office of the Chancellor – Public Engagement, University of Illinois Urbana – Champaign
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NSF Merit Review for a Changing Landscape
The National Science Board (NSB) recently released a new report titled Merit Review for a Changing Landscape. The report proposes updates to the U.S. National Science Foundation's Merit Review policy to ensure that NSF-funded research advances national priorities and improves American lives. Over the last three years, NSB investigated how to update NSF's Merit Review to reflect major changes to the S&T landscape over recent decades. NSB Commission on Merit Review Chair Wanda Ward will present the Board’s policy recommendations and suggested implementation actions suggestions.
Lunch & Learn: Damon Coyle
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Art in the Service of Medicine: Sculpting the Future of Surgical Training
Grab your lunch and join a session on how creativity, materials science, and simulation design are shaping the next generation of clinical training. Visit: https://damoncoyle.com Warning: The content in this session is simulated, but it may look real. It is intended for training medical and veterinary professionals. No real patients are shown.
Concurrent Session I
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ARIS Summit 2026 registered attendees will need to login to see the Concurrent Session I details.
ARIS Research Fellows 2025 Cohort Plenary*
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Research in Action: Insights from the Inaugural ARIS Research Fellows 2025 Cohort
With an introduction about the ARIS Research Fellowship program, Janice McDonnell will highlight why cultivating faculty engagement in research impact matters. The inaugural Fellows cohort will then share the real-world impact of their research through storytelling, reflect on their experiences, and discuss how they're expanding impact beyond the program, followed by audience Q &A.
Newcomer Welcome Networking Session
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If it’s your first time at an ARIS Summit or you’re new to the ARIS community, we welcome you to join our networking session to meet fellow attendees — both new and experienced. Expand your network, ask questions, and gain ideas on how to seamlessly integrate impact in your work.