Organized by the Office of the Provost on Thursday, January 15, 2026, faculty and staff gathered in the Memorial Union for the 2026 URI Academic Summit, a full-day event focused on resilience in academic life. The theme this year was Cultivating Resilience During Times of Change. Throughout the day, participants engaged in thoughtful discussions on core academic principles, resilience in teaching and research, coping with loss and adversity as a community, and the importance of compassion and self-care. 

URI faculty and staff joined were joined by the event’s keynote speaker, Dr. Mays Imad, Associate Professor of Biology at Connecticut College and Senior Fellow of the AAC&U STEM, as well as a Teaching & Learning Fellow at the Gardner Institute, who share her research on the neuroscience of resilience.

We extend our sincere appreciation to all presenters, facilitators, and participants whose engagement and contributions made the 2026 URI Academic Summit a meaningful and impactful experience. Thank you for your continued commitment to fostering a supportive, resilient, and collaborative academic community.

Photos Courtesy of ATL