Biology Leadership Community

BLC 2026 Agenda

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Friday, March 27
 

2:00 PM  Registration Opens                                                                 

2:30 – 3:00 PM  Orientation for Newcomers                                                                                 

3:00 – 4:00 PM  Welcome Reception and Group Activity (meet at Avalon Room, snacks and drinks served)

                                                            

4:00 – 5:30 PM  Welcome to the BLC (opening comments and icebreaker)

 

6:00 PM Welcome Dinner         

 

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Saturday, March 28
 

7:00 – 8:00 AM Breakfast 

 

8:00 – 8:15 AM Catch-Up Ice Breaker                                                                

8:15 – 9:15 AM  Keynote Address: How do we pandemic proof the future when we can't even agree?

Jennifer Nuzzo, Brown University

 

9:15 – 10:30 AM  Keynote Debrief/Application 

Lizabeth Aliison, William & Mary

 

10:30 – 10:45 AM Break 

                                                                                                                                               

10:45 – 11:45 PM Workshop 1:  Designing and testing AI-enhanced biology activities

Keefe Reuther, University of California, San Diego

 

11:45 – 12:30 PM Lunch 

 

12:30 – 2:00 PM Workshop 1 cont’d

Keefe Reuther, University of California, San Diego

 

2:00 – 2:30 PM Gen AI Workshop Discussion/Q and A

 

2:30 – 4:00 PM Free Time

Birds, bio-polymers, and the beach! A faculty field-test of new outdoor learning modules (special optional activity, led by Anna Klimes, Gerardo Carfagno, and Dawn Holmes, 2025 Catalytic Grant winners)

 

4:00 – 6:00 PM  Poster Session: Ideas and Discussion (snacks and drinks/A and B sessions)                    

                                    

6:00 PM Dinner                                                                                                 

 

 

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Sunday, March 29
 

7:00 – 8:00 AM Breakfast 

8:00 – 9:30 AM Brief But Spectacular

*Dawn Holmes, Anna Klimes, Gerardo Carfagno. Thrive outside: Cultivating well-being and academic success with digitally supported experiential learning modules

*Cayle Lisenbee, Brad Mehrtens, Katie Johnson. Can an AI chatbot custom-designed to help students develop strong study skills improve their academic independence?

*Anne Casper. Vertical non-permanent surfaces and visibly random groups in Intro Bio lecture and lab

*John Wilford. Saddle up biology: A pre-matriculation course experience to improve student success

 

9:30 – 9:45 AM Break

 

9:45 – 11:45 AM  Workshop 2:  Building and leveraging your specialized teaching expertise

Tessa Andrews, University of Georgia

 

11:45 – 12:00 PM Wrap-Up/ Boxed Lunches to Go  

 

12:00 – 1:00 PM Mastering Biology/AI Workshop (optional)