Participants ease into the day with a newtworking breakfast

Welcome from our presenting sponsor, hosts, organizers

This session focuses on the issues regarding health policy that impacts our daily life now and for those people and families experiencing medical challenges.

Student & Early-Career: Brief Oral Presentations

Lasting improvements in health do not begin only in laboratories or government offices—they begin in communities. The Perspectives on Health panel brings together community leaders, advocates, and practitioners who are working directly with patients, families, and neighborhoods to address real-world health challenges.

This conversation highlights the voices of those closest to the issues: individuals building trust, improving access to care, advancing public health education, and developing innovative community-driven solutions.

Panelists will share lessons learned from the front lines of health advocacy and explore how local engagement can inform stronger policy, more responsive healthcare systems, and healthier communities.

Networking lunch with sponsor BHE Renewables.

Join UCR DeanMark Long‍, Miranda Evans and Fortino Morales from the city of Riverside for a fireside conversation on the opportunities and challenges shaping the transition to green energy. As communities across the country work to expand clean energy, modernize infrastructure, and meet growing energy demand, universities and local governments play a critical role in designing practical solutions.

In this discussion, our guests will explore how innovation, investment, and local leadership can help power a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

This session will highlight the importance of collaboration between universities, government, and industry to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy systems and ensure communities are positioned to thrive in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

What does it take for countries to work together on the biggest challenges of our time? Join this conversation on trilateral cooperation across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, where science, policy, and diplomacy intersect.

This session will explore how cross-border partnerships, treaties, and collaborative research are driving innovation across North America—from energy systems to public health. Panelists will also discuss the critical role of industry and the growing importance of business-to-business collaboration in accelerating solutions.

Learn how governments, researchers, and companies are working together to advance shared priorities and create opportunities that no country can achieve alone.

We often want to make a meaningful difference in our communities but are unsure where to begin. This workshop helps participants move from intention to action by showing how various kinds of expertise (from STEM competencies to knowledge of one’s local community’s needs) can support civic engagement through volunteer opportunities, advisory roles, boards and commissions, community organizations, and other local opportunities.

Participants will learn how local civic structures work, how to identify pathways that match their interests and skills, and how to figure out exactly where they can add value. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to engage locally and concrete steps they can pursue after the session.

Enjoy networking and light refreshments after the conference.