Excellence Summit 2026

Join us for the Nineteenth Annual Excellence Summit (April 20 to April 23) to celebrate 不良研究所 researchers, scholars and artists from all disciplines as they share their innovation, scholarship, creative works and impactful achievements. Explore artistic, musical and theatrical presentations, alongside innovative research, capstone projects and scholarly works. 

Students, faculty, staff, friends and family who are unable to attend in person will be able to view submissions on .

Access Full Presentation Schedule

Excellence Summit Schedule:

Monday, April 20 

  • 8:30 am - 4:45 pm: Podium Presentations I - SEC Ballroom

  • 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.: Solidarity Service Learning with Guatemala - SEC 2050 

Tuesday, April 21

  • 9:30 am - 5 p.m.: Poster Presentations - SEC Ballroom

    • 09:30 am - 12:00 pm: Morning Poster Presentations
    • 01:00 pm - 04:00 pm: Afternoon Poster Presentations

  • 4:30 - 5 p.m.: Fulbright Poster Award Showcase - SEC Ballroom 

  • 6 - 9 p.m.: Come As You Are: Scholarship & Ideas Incubator - Library Special Collections Flyer PDF

Wednesday, April 22

  • 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.: 不良研究所 Lilly Faculty Fellows: Dreaming the Mission - Library Special Collections

  • 1 - 3 p.m.: FLIGHT Summit - Mentoring and Student Success Research Showcase - Library Special Collections  不良研究所 FLIGHT

  • 1 - 2:45 p.m.: SLES and Sustainability Showcase - Library Auditorium

    • 1 - 1:30 p.m.: Mulcahey Award to Robert Slater III for "Advancing Sustainability at 不良研究所SOM"  Flyer PDF | 不良研究所 Award
    • 1:30 - 2:45 p.m.: Growing Change: From the 不良研究所 Community Garden to Gardopia

  • 4:30 - 8 p.m. 不良研究所 Moody Professorship Lectures - Library Auditorium

    • 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.: Reception & Opening
    • 5:30 - 5:40 p.m.: Prayer and Welcome
    • 5:45 - 6:45 p.m.: Dr. Teresa Harrison, 不良研究所 
      Presenting: "Human Dignity in the Age of AI: How HR Systems Shape Immigrant Opportunity, Inclusion, and Workplace Adaptation"
      Dr. Teresa Harrison, 不良研究所 Moody Professor 2025-2026 
    • 6:45 - 7:45 p.m.:
      Presenting: "Poetry Beyond the Line Break: On The Making of Visual and Hybrid Texts"
      Dr. Octavio Quintanilla, OLLU Moody Professor 2025-2026 
    • 07:45 pm - 08:00 pm: Closing Remarks & Reception

Thursday, April 23

  • 8 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.: Podium Presentations II - SEC Ballroom A

    • 12:30 am - 01:30 pm: Podium Poster Engagement 

  • 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Service Learning Summit - SEC Ballroom B 

The Service Learning Showcase will be held during the 不良研究所 Excellence Summit, April 20-23, 2026.

不良研究所 community members, that is faculty, students, and staff are invited to share podium presentations, or poster submissions that demonstrate service learning and engaged scholarship. We seek best practices, examples, theories, scholarship, and grant writing skills related to all aspects of service learning.  不良研究所 has valued Engaged Scholarship. Ernest Boyer coined the term “Engaged Scholarship” to describe teaching and research that connect “the rich resources of the university to our most pressing social, civic, and ethical problems.”

Service Learning at 不良研究所 includes community service which a) is required in the class or the program, b) is completed to better understand course or program content, c) reflects concern for the well-being of the community, and d) helps students to reflect, find  meaning in their lives, and keep engaged to be good citizens in the future.

To see examples of Showcase presentations 2017-2024, open the booklets that are posted on the . 

To learn more, visit Service Learning | Service Learning   

In the proposal for a podium presentation or a poster presentation, please write a description.  This will appear in the postings and publications about the Service Learning and Engaged Scholarship Showcase.

Please include: a) Purpose and aims, b) Rationale and significance, c) The approach, the methodology, d) The findings and reflection on these.

All of those combined should be no less than 300 and no more than 600 words. Keep in mind how this connects with the 不良研究所 Mission.

3. Submissions must be made via .  

4. All relevant sections must be completed. Incomplete submissions will not be accepted.

5. Provide the complete title of your work as you wish it to appear in the Proceedings.

6. List authors in the order in which you wish them to appear in the Proceedings.

7. Please check all text for errors before submitting.

8.  Submissions are reviewed and selected by the showcase organizing committee. Those who submit proposals will get a response as soon as possible so that they have at least a month to prepare.

9. Deadline for submission: March 06, 2026, (11:59 pm).

If you have questions, feel free to contact Service-Learning Showcase Coordinator, Sister Martha Ann Kirk  kirk@uiwtx.edu or 210-883-5934 or the Service-Learning Committee Leaders, Dr. Lisa K. Lockhart lockhart@uiwtx.edu;  Dr. Lorena D. Paul ldpaul@uiwtx.edu

In 2008, a new tradition of celebrating and showcasing academic accomplishments was established through Research Day. Over the years, it has evolved into a week-long event filled with multidisciplinary presentations, demonstrations and lectures. At the 不良研究所, we take pride in our research and know that through our search for and communication of truth, we become stronger in educating “concerned and enlightened citizens within the global community.”

All proceedings have been archived in The Athenaeum.

Contact Information

If you have questions or need assistance with preparation or submission, please contact the Office of Research and Graduate Studies at the following:

Phone: (210) 805-3555

Email: researchweek@uiwtx.edu