2025 International Conference Agenda

Download the Preliminary Agenda Here!
Agenda Subject to Change

Tuesday, November 11th

9:00am - 12:00pm

AURP Board of Directors Meeting

2:00pm - 3:00pm
Durango Hotel

Registration Check In

3:00pm - 4:30pm
Durango Hotel

Communities of Innovation 101: Meet the Leader Networking Reception (ADDITIONAL FEE)

Chair:
Kate Engel,
Executive Director, Nebraska Innovation Campus

6:00pm - 9:00pm

AURP Board of Directors’ Sponsor Appreciation Dinner
By Invitation Only!

Wednesday, November 12th

7:30am - 8:30am
Durango Hotel

New Member and First Time Attendee Breakfast

9:00am - 10:30am
Durango Hotel - Transportation Provided to Las Vegas Convention Center Following Session

Leadership Roundtable (ADDITIONAL FEE)

Chair:
Erin Koshut,
Executive Director, Cummings Research Park

10:00am - 11:00am

Transportation to Las Vegas Convention Center

11:00am - 12:00pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Group Luncheon

12:00pm - 12:30pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Welcome

Speakers:
Allison Madden
,
Chief Operating Officer & Corporate Secretary, University of South Florida Research Foundation; AURP President
Zach Miles,
Interim Vice President for Economic Development & Executive Director, UNLV Research Foundation
Mayor Shelley Berkley

12:30pm - 1:00pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Presentation of Innovation Award Nominees

1:00pm - 1:30pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Icons of Las Vegas

Speakers:
Guy Martin,
President, Martin-Harris Construction
Don Snyder, Immediate Past President, UNLV
Jan Jones Blackhurst, Executive Director UNLV Black Fire Leadership Initiatives
Betsy Fretwell, 
Interim Chief Executive Officer, Las Vegas Economic Global Alliance

1:30pm - 2:30pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Future of Innovation Districts

Speakers:
Shani Coleman, Director Community & Economic Development, Clark County Office of Community & Economic Development
Jared Luke, Sr. Director of Government Affairs and Economic Development, City of North Las Vegas
Zach MilesInterim Vice President for Economic Development & Executive Director, UNLV Research Foundation

2:30pm - 3:00pm

Break

3:00pm - 3:45pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

D.C. Download: What's Coming Up for Your Campus

Speaker:
Leslee Gilbert, JD, Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates

3:45pm - 4:15pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Biotechnology as a National Security

Speaker:
Monique Mansoura,
PhD, MBA, Global Health Security & Biotechnology, Strategic Advisor (invited)

4:15pm - 4:45pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

The New Frontier - Leveraging Texas HB112

Speakers:
Harold Strong,
Executive Director, STAR Park, Texas State University
Larry Peterson, Executive Director, Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities

4:45pm - 5:30pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Opening Reception

5:30pm

Transportation to Durango Hotel

Evening

Sponsor Hospitalities & Receptions
All events hosted and organized by sponsors (approval required by AURP)

Thursday, November 13th

Morning

Breakfast on Your Own

8:00am - 8:45am 

Transportation to Las Vegas Convention Center

9:00am - 9:15am
Las Vegas Convention Center

Morning Welcome

9:15am - 10:30am
Las Vegas Convention Center

Main Stage Presentations

Rapid Fire | Scaling University-Industry Partnerships Through Innovation

Speaker:
Zoë Gibson, Head of Ecosystems, Halo


Rapid Fire | Research Park: The Tip of the Spear for Campus/Corporate Engagement

Speakers:
Allison Doyle, Associate Director, Iowa State University Research Park; Director of Corporate Engagement, Iowa State
University

Stacy Dreyer, Associate Director of Corporate Engagement, Iowa State University Research Park
Heather Bray, Corporate Engagement Specialist, Iowa State University Research Park


Rapid Fire | AI-Powered Corporate Engagement: Aligning Industry with Campus Strengths

Speaker:
Chase Bonhag, MBA, CEO & Co-Founder, FirstIgnite


Main Stage | Master Planning: Fireside Chat

Speakers:
Aaron Olver, Managing Director, University Research Park, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Erin Koshut, Immediate Past President, AURP; Executive Director, Cummings Research Park

10:30am - 11:00am

Break

11:00am - 11:30am
Las Vegas Convention Center

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Funding & Resources Track
Power of Place: Leveraging University-Industry Partnerships through Co-Location and Core Facilities

Speakers:
Merry Hunter Caudle, CEcD, Associate Director, Economic Development Office of Institute Relations, Georgia Institute of Technology
Tracy Shickel, Associate Vice President, Corporate Engagement, University of Delaware
Jeffery Smith, Director, Research Parks, Michigan State University Research Foundation
      

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Programming Track
Quantum Computing: Why You Should Prepare for a Quantum-Inspired Future

Speakers:
Laura Appenzeller, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Innovation, Research Park Executive Director, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
John Sawyer, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance; Director, Strategic Research Initiatives, University of Maryland
Zachary Yerushalmi, CEO and Regional Innovation Officer, Elevate Quantum Tech Hub
Moderator: Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, AURP
         

11:45am -  12:15pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Funding & Resources Track
Fueling Innovation Districts in Times of Change

Speakers:
Amy Adams, Executive Director, Institute for Biohealth Innovation, George Mason University
Thomas Flynn, CEcD, Economic Development Advisor, Prince William County Economic Development and Tourism
Sarah Sheppard, Director, Office of Talent and Workforce, Division of Innovation and Growth, Maryland Department of Commerce
Moderator: Laura O’Blenis, President & CEO, Stiletto: Make A Point
         

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Programming Track
Bridging the Valley of Death: Funding Strategies for Tech Transfer

Speakers:
Bruce Hunter, JD, MBA, Chief innovation Officer, University of Utah
Zach Miles, JD, MBA, Interim Vice President for Economic Development, UNLV; Executive Director, UNLV Research Foundation
Katie Pettinger, MBA, Chief Innovation Officer, SWSIE / Arizona State University
Moderator: Maggie Bachenberg, Consultant, Franklin Advisory
         

12:15pm - 1:30pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Group Luncheon

1:30pm - 2:00pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Funding & Resources Track
Implementing Research Security Best Practices in Research Parks, Innovation Districts and Hubs

Speaker:
Allen Phelps, CPP, PCI, CISSP, CISA, Founder & CEO, IPTalons, Inc.

Concurrent Breakout Sessions | Programming Track
Research Parks Partnering with DOD and Intel Community: What You Need to Know

Speakers:
Rod McSherry, Associate VP for Innovation and Economic Development, University of Texas at San Antonio
Tom Sadowski, Executive Director, Maryland Economic Development Corporation
Mark Sharpe, Executive Director, Montana State University Innovation Campus
Moderator: Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, AURP
         

2:15pm - 2:45pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Funding & Resources Track
Real Estate Developments: Factors that Impact Project Feasibility

Speaker:
David Tyndall, Founder & CEO, Collaborative Real Estate

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Programming Track
The Bioscience Collaborative – An Innovative Approach to Building Biotech

Speakers:
Len Jessup, Managing Director, Desert Forge Ventures
Ray Liu, CEO & Co-Founder, Vena Vitals
Jeffery Talbot, Vice President for Research, Roseman University of Health Sciences
      

3:15pm - 3:45pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Funding & Resources Track
The Community-led Innovation Community: A Conversation with Three County Leaders

Speakers:
Shani Coleman, Director of Community & Economic Development, Clark County Office of Community & Economic Development
Amanda Clavijo, MPA, Assistant County Manager, Osceola County Government, Florida
Neil Schneider, MPA, Director, Churchill Technology & Business Park Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission, Louisiana
Stephen Coulston, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Perkins&Will
         

Concurrent Breakout Sessions Programming Track
What’s Next? Reimagining and Reinventing in Real Time

Speakers:
Randal Froebelius, Project Executive and Senior Advisor, MaRS Discovery District
Greg King, CEcD, Associate Vice President, Economic Development, Georgia Institute of Technology
Laura O’Blenis, President & CEO, Stiletto: Make A Point
Carol Stewart, Vice President, Tech Parks Arizona, University of Arizona
         

4:00pm - 5:00pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Main Stage Presentations

Rapid Fire | Upcoming Programming and Topics in 2026

Speaker:
Vickie Palmer, CEO, AURP


Main Stage | The Blooper Reel

Speaker:
Jordan Peterson, Chief Operations Officer, Collaborative Real Estate

5:00pm - 6:00pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

AURP 29th Annual Awards of Excellence in Innovation

6:00pm - 6:15pm
Las Vegas Convention Center

Closing Remarks

6:15pm

Transportation to Durango Hotel

Evening

Sponsor Hospitalities & Receptions
All events hosted and organized by sponsors (approval required by AURP)

Friday, November 14th

8:00am - 12:00pm
Harry Reid Research and Technology Park

 

Clean Tech Caucus (ADDITIONAL FEE)

Chair:
Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, AURP

9:00am - 12:00pm

Optional Tours (Included in Full Registration Fee)
Transportation Provided

Switch Datacenter

Kirk Kekorian School of Medicine