Connected Minds Annual Research Retreat
The Connected Minds Annual Retreat 2026 is a two-day event designed to foster partnerships, showcase innovative research, and strengthen collaboration across disciplines. Day 1 will highlight funded projects through a poster session, art showcase, and spotlight stories, providing structured networking opportunities for researchers, trainees, and partners. Day 2 will focus on emerging ideas, interdisciplinary collaboration, and knowledge sharing through dynamic lightning talks, panels, and discussions that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion. The retreat offers a unique forum for engagement, learning, and the development of actionable research and partnership opportunities.
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM - Welcome & Day 2 Overview
9:10 AM – 9:30 AM – Directorate Remarks
Session Description: Presentation of the new Leadership Committee and reflections on the leadership transition from Pina D’Agostino to Shayna Rosenbaum.
Presenters: Pina D’Agostino (Scientific Director, Connected Minds) , Shayna Rosenbaum (Vice-Director, Connected Minds), Doug Crawford (Senior Advisor, Connected Minds)
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM - Seed Grants in Motion: Designing for Partnership, Equity, and Impact
Session Description: This session highlights four Seed Grant projects from the second round of Connected Minds Seed Grant awards that are at early stages of research and partnership development. Rather than showcasing completed outcomes, the panel focuses on how teams are designing for collaboration, equity, and real-world relevance from the outset, and what questions they are navigating as their work evolves.
Moderated by: Sean Hillier, Associate Director of Connected Minds
Presenters:
- Elham Dolatabadi - Multimodal neural models for accessible BCIs
- Usman Khan, ML-QMRA for water treatment optimization in humanitarian response
- Kayrel Edwards (on behalf of Ozzy Mermut) - Erasing racism in optical technologies
- Laleh Seyyed-Kalantari - Fairness benchmarks for large language models
10:30 AM – 10:55 AM – Networking Break
10:55 AM – 11:45 AM – Research Enhanced Hires Panel Discussion: Introducing New Voices & Shaping the Techno-Social Future
Session Description: This session will be a moderated panel that will formally introduce Connected Minds’ most recent Research Enhanced Hires to the Connected Minds community and invite collective discussion around pressing techno-social questions shaping interdisciplinary, partner-engaged research today.
Moderated by: Gunnar Bholm, Vice Director of Connected Minds
Presenters:
- Anne Sullivan
- Sze Yuh Nina Wang
- Aimi Hamraie
- Hannah Tarder-Stoll
- Shweta Mahajan
11:45 AM – 12:30 PM - Prototyping Panel Discussion: Prototype to Practice: Partnering for Trust, Adoption, and Impact
Session Description: Prototype Grant winners share how they are moving innovations toward real-world use, focusing on the partnerships, user engagement, trust-building, and equity considerations that shape responsible innovation. The session will emphasize practical lessons in co-creation, specifically how prototypes become usable, adoptable tools through collaboration with the people and systems they are designed to serve.
Moderated by: Shayna Rosenbaum, Vice Director of Connected Minds
12:30 PM – 12:40 PM – EDI Awards
Session Description: Recognition of outstanding contributions and impact within
the Connected Minds community.
Moderated by: Sylvia Bawa, EDI Committee Lead of Connected Minds
12:40 PM – 12:45 PM – Closing Remarks
Session Description: Led by Caitlin Mullin, Executive Director of CM, thanking everyone, summarizing the day, and wishing everyone safe travels.
Complete the retreat survey for a chance to win a Connected Minds Sweater!
