Nexus 2026: Making an Impact

Nexus 2026 aims to foster interdisciplinary collaborations that amplify the real-world impact of academic research, creative work, and innovation. At a time when the value of higher education is under scrutiny, this theme invites scholars to work across disciplines to translate ideas and discoveries into meaningful societal benefits. 

Potential areas of exploration include but are not limited to:

• Ethical technology: How can emerging technologies be deployed to maximize societal benefits while minimizing unintended consequences? What interdisciplinary strategies can reduce the environmental impact of large-scale infrastructures such as AI data centers? How can data science, machine learning, and analytics be leveraged to improve quality of life while safeguarding privacy and fairness?
• Human-centered design: What frameworks ensure ethical and equitable access to advances in health, education, and technology? How can design, humanities, and creative practices shape innovations and policies that resonate with diverse cultural contexts and community needs? How can infrastructure and places be shaped to foster human and environmental flourishing?
• Translating policy: What strategies can bridge the gap between research findings and actionable policy implementation to address pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges? How can business models, economic strategies, and community partnerships support the scalability and sustainability of socially impactful innovations? How might technological advances enable bridging community-university, theory-practice divides?
• Institutional impact: How can universities measure and communicate the societal impact of research across disciplines? What metrics, methodologies, and forms of participatory or community-engaged scholarship best capture real-world outcomes and needs? What is the role of universities in addressing societal challenges?

By bringing together faculty with diverse expertise to network and brainstorm ideas, Nexus 2026 seeks to catalyze collaborative research teams committed to advancing knowledge and generating transformative societal change.