2026 STEMM Mentorship Symposium

2026 Agenda

Friday, January 16, 2026 | SUNY Global Center | 116 E 55th St, New York, NY, 10022

9 AM Registration and Breakfast 

9:30 AM Welcome and Introductions 

9:45 AM Keynote Address, Sherilynn Black, PhD, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement, Duke University

10:45 AM Coffee Break 

11:00 AM Plenary Session I - Translating Insight Into Action

• This interactive plenary builds on the keynote’s themes by guiding participants through structured discussions on how to strengthen resilience within their own institutions, departments, or programs. Using facilitated questions and small-group breakouts, attendees will identify practical strategies to adapt, innovate, and sustain mission-driven mentorship in a rapidly shifting landscape.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM Lunch

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Speed Mentoring/CV review

• Mentees who have signed up for CV review will meet with their assigned mentors (15 min slot).

1:45 PM Concurrent Sessions

Panel [for Mentors/Administrators] - 

Purposeful Pivots: Staying Mission-Driven in a Changing Landscape

Facilitated by Erik Simmons, PhD, Senior Behavioral Designer, ideas42

Panelists:

Paul Campbell, PhD - Scientific Director, Cell Biology and Preclinical Cancer Research, American Cancer Society (ACS)

Robert Walker, PhD - Senior Advisor to the Director, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIH

Irene Hulede - Director of Education, American Society for Microbiology, Project Director and Co-PI for ABRCMS

Priya Date, PhD - Director of Graduate Affairs, University of Virginia

Toufeeq Syed, PhD - Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Education, Department of Health Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, UTHealth Houston

Leaders from academia, nonprofits, industry, and other sectors share practical examples of how they have adapted to shifting mentorship environments while staying grounded in their core mission. This conversation offers administrators and mentors actionable insights on navigating change with clarity, resilience, and purpose.

Workshop [for Mentees] - Mentoring Up and Effective Communication 

Facilitated by Fátima Sancheznieto, PhD

This session will empower trainees with strategies to proactively manage their mentoring relationships through 'mentoring up.' Participants will learn effective communication techniques to ensure clear, productive, and mutually beneficial interactions with their mentors. 

3 PM Plenary Session II - Sponsored Funding Updates and Future Directions

Facilitated by Sharon Sealy, Executive Director and Deputy Operations, The Research Foundation for SUNY; Laurian Bradford, Director, Sponsored Programs Administration, The Research Foundation for SUNY

Hear directly from Sponsored Programs leadership about new developments in the funding ecosystem. This presentation will equip attendees with actionable strategies to navigate evolving NIH, foundation, and institutional requirements while advancing research and training missions.

4 PM Summary, Concluding Remarks, and Next Steps - Meeting adjourned 

4:15 PM SPNSOR Program Meet and Greet