2026 Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference
Schedule-at-a-Glance
The 2026 AAC&U Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference will be held virtually. All times listed below are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Registration includes on-demand access to more than 100 peer-reviewed session recordings for three months following the conference.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
9:00 am - 9:45 am EDT
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Kelly Mack, Vice President for Undergraduate STEM Education and Executive Director of Project Kaleidoscope, AAC&U
Keith Besterman, Project Director, AAC&U
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT
Session Block 1: Innovation/Ideation Sessions
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
Lunch
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Session Block 2: Innovation/Ideation Sessions
3:15 pm - 4:45 pm EDT
Opening Keynote
David Asai, Former Senior Director, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
5:00 pm - 6:15 pm EDT
Session Block 3: Workshops
Thursday, March 19, 2026
9:30 am - 10:00 am EDT
Daily Briefing
10:15 am - 12:30 pm EDT
Session Block 4: Practice and Research Sessions
Keith Besterman, Project Director, American Association of Colleges and Universities
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm EDT
Lunch
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm EDT
Session Block 5: Poster Presentations
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm EDT
Session Block 6: Practice and Research Sessions
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT
Mid-Conference Keynote - The Real Work Chat: Naming Academic Workplace Nonsense One Story at a Time
Robin S. Broughton, Podcaster
Isaac Agbeshie-Noye, Podcaster5:15 pm - 6:30 pm EDT
Session Block 7: Workshops
Friday, March 20, 2026
9:30 am - 10:00 am EDT
Daily Briefing
Keith Besterman, Project Director, AAC&U
10:15 am - 12:30 pm EDT
Session Block 8: Practice and Research Sessions
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm EDT
Lunch
1:30 pm - 3:45 pm EDT
Session Block 9: Practice and Research Sessions
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm EDT
Session Block 10: Workshops
5:30 pm - 6:45 pm EDT
Closing Keynote
Kamau Bobb, Senior Director of the Constellations Center for Education in Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology
6:45 pm EDT
Closing Remarks
Kelly Mack, AAC&U