2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This evidence-based practice paper describes how to intentionally design an interactive, in-person conference that fosters leadership skills, encourages the sharing of best practices, and builds a sense of community that benefits education leaders and graduate student leaders in National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Centers (ERCs). To strengthen the network of such leaders across ERCs, particularly after the disruption of COVID-19, four ERC directors who had been organizing monthly ERC-wide virtual meetings for educational leaders, proposed and received NSF funding for a 2 ½-day ERC Conference for Leaders held in February of 2024. Each center was invited to send 4-6 participants, including at least two graduate student leaders, ensuring representation of emerging voices. A former ERC graduate student leader joined the four organizing committee members to help plan and facilitate some dedicated student sessions focused on their unique interests and challenges. The conference, designed to be interactive, was built around four goals: 1) to enable leaders to share programs, best practices, outcomes, and lessons learned; 2) to foster mentoring and collaboration for joint programming, research, publications, and/or funding opportunities; 3) to inspire and strengthen the ERC community; and 4) to establish sustainable structures beyond individual ERC lifespans. Seventy-two leaders from 15 ERCs, including 24 graduate student leaders, attended the ERC Conference for Leaders. Sessions were built around a facilitated discussion model in which most of the educators served as facilitators, opening each session with an activity and guiding conversations that drew on the collective expertise of participants and cultivated an environment of connection and trust. An external assessment yielded a 93% survey response rate (N = 67) and 8 completed interviews from 24 volunteers as planned. Results confirmed the four conference goals were met. In addition to 82% or more of respondents rating each of the sessions as very useful or useful, 92% of respondents reported a strong sense of community, 95% of respondents learned a lot from other leaders, and 89% of respondents made several new professional connections. Importantly, 77% of respondents indicated they were likely or very likely to collaborate with another ERC leader post-conference, with more than half already planning joint efforts. From survey comments made, graduate students and newer ERC leaders reported the greatest benefits, noting increased confidence, clearer understanding of their roles, and stronger motivation to implement new ideas. Based on these outcomes, the organizing team plans a 2025 ERC Meeting for Graduate Student Leaders to build on these foundations. Notable, as well, survey and interview findings suggest that both the facilitated discussion model and intentionally designed interactive environment were key to the conference’s success. NSF has expressed interest in adopting more of a facilitated discussion model approach for their future ERC Biennial Meeting. In conclusion, the ERC Conference for Leaders suggests that intentional, in-person engagement is essential for sustaining the innovation, collaboration, and leadership development that defines the NSF ERC community. Institutionalizing such ERC-wide leadership conferences is therefore recommended to enhance collaborations, disseminate best practices, and strengthen educational impact across ERCs.