INNOVATION ACROSS BORDERS: Global Engagement Conference 2026

The Global Engagement Conference opened on May 20th, 2026, at 9:00 AM in William Phillip Hall at the University of Washington Tacoma with a land acknowledgement by Dr. Danica Sterud Miller, welcoming attendees to the ancestral lands of the Puyallup Tribe. The conference featured globally engaging and innovative student research under the theme: “INNOVATION ACROSS BORDERS.”

Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange welcomed attendees with opening remarks addressing imperative global challenges: “This seventh annual Global Innovation Conference reminds us that our world needs informed people who understand our interconnections on a global scale. It takes courage to confront boundary-crossing issues like climate change, human rights, and public health.”

She emphasized the University of Washington Tacoma’s role in global learning and commended the Institution of Innovation & Global Engagement for keeping students engaged across borders.

“Our University is ideally positioned to promote global education, and our programs are expanding thanks to the Institute’s visionary leadership. It’s undeniable that our students are making the most of the experiences available through the Institute’s programming.”

Keynote speaker, UW Global Vice Provost Dr. Ahmad Ezzedine

Keynote speaker, UW Global Vice Provost Dr. Ahmad Ezzedine, shared his journey growing up in Lebanon to international leadership in his keynote, titled “From International Student to Global Steward: Lived Experience, Global Education, and the Work Ahead”. He recalled from his international experience how hungry, engaged, and committed people are to learning, adapting, and building something new. “When you bring people together across borders, not as transactions but as partners, you unlock something very powerful.”

He further emphasized the necessity of global engagement being accessible, beyond the students who have the bearings, resources, and flexibility to. “If global engagement is only accessible to some, then we have not succeeded. When we say global learning for all, we need to mean it.”

Associate Vice Chancellor Dr. Divya McMillin commended student presenters for their urgent and relevant work that brought forward thoughtful recommendations to resolve geopolitical crises and develop equitable solutions to sharing of the commons. Director of the Bamford Foundation Holly Bamford Hunt spoke of the need for community and relationships to build a better future for all.

Student Presentations - Panels and Lunch Poster Session

Morning panels centered on the themes ‘Health and Human Rights’ and ‘Global Civic Engagement’. Students took to the stage to voice their research on gripping topics such as global maternal mortality, Iraqi intergenerational trauma, colonialism and tropicalization of Puerto Rico, and American firearm trafficking.

During the midday poster session, undergraduate and graduate students presented their research on global topics such as study abroad experience, global healthcare access, sustainability, and food culture. A welcoming hot lunch was served. 

Afternoon panels covered the themes ‘Innovation Across Borders’, ‘Climate Change and the Environment’, and ‘Media and Technology’. Students brought forward compelling research on current global challenges, covering topics such as kinetic gray zones, climate change, vector-borne disease, and generative AI’s impact on social media propaganda.