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
Registration Check In
Durango Hotel
3:00pm – 4:30pm
Communities of Innovation 101: Meet the Leader Networking Reception (ADDITIONAL FEE)
Chair:
Kate Engel, Executive Director, Nebraska Innovation Campus
Durango Hotel
6:00pm – 9:00pm
AURP Board of Directors’ Sponsor Appreciation Dinner
By Invitation Only!
Wednesday, November 12th
7:30am – 8:30am
New Member and First Time Attendee Breakfast
Durango Hotel
9:00am – 10:30am
Leadership Roundtable (ADDITIONAL FEE)
Chair:
Erin Koshut, Executive Director, Cummings Research Park
Durango Hotel – Transportation Provided to Las Vegas Convention Center Following Session
10:00am – 11:00am
Transportation to Las Vegas Convention Center
11:00am – 12:00pm
Group Luncheon
Las Vegas Convention Center
12:00pm – 12:30pm
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
12:30pm – 1:00pm
Presentation of Innovation Award Nominees
Las Vegas Convention Center
1:00pm – 1:30pm
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
1:30pm – 2:30pm
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 Miles, Interim Vice President for Economic Development & Executive Director, UNLV Research Foundation
Las Vegas Convention Center
2:30pm – 3:00pm
Break
3:00pm – 3:45pm
D.C. Download: What’s Coming Up for Your Campus
Speaker:
Leslee Gilbert, JD, Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates
Las Vegas Convention Center
3:45pm – 4:15pm
Biotechnology as a National Security
Speaker:
Monique Mansoura, PhD, MBA, Global Health Security & Biotechnology, Strategic Advisor (invited)
Las Vegas Convention Center
4:15pm – 4:45pm
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
4:45pm – 5:30pm
Opening Reception
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Morning Welcome
Las Vegas Convention Center
9:15am – 10:30am
Main Stage Presentations
Rapid Fire | Scaling University-Industry Partnerships Through Innovation
Speaker:
Zoë Gibson, Head of Ecosystems, Halo
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
Rapid Fire | AI-Powered Corporate Engagement: Aligning Industry with Campus Strengths
Speaker:
Chase Bonhag, MBA, CEO & Co-Founder, FirstIgnite
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
10:30am – 11:00am
Break
11:00am – 11:30am
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
11:45am – 12:15pm
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
12:15pm – 1:30pm
Group Luncheon
Las Vegas Convention Center
1:30pm – 2:00pm
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.
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
2:15pm – 2:45pm
Concurrent Breakout Sessions | Funding & Resources Track
Real Estate Developments: Factors that Impact Project Feasibility
Speaker:
David Tyndall, Founder & CEO, Collaborative Real Estate
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
3:15pm – 3:45pm
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Las Vegas Convention Center
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Main Stage Presentations
Rapid Fire | Upcoming Programming and Topics in 2026
Speaker:
Vickie Palmer, CEO, AURP
Las Vegas Convention Center
Main Stage | The Blooper Reel
Speaker:
Jordan Peterson, Chief Operations Officer, Collaborative Real Estate
Las Vegas Convention Center
5:00pm – 6:00pm
AURP 29th Annual Awards of Excellence in Innovation
Las Vegas Convention Center
6:00pm – 6:15pm
Closing Remarks
Las Vegas Convention Center
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
Clean Tech Caucus (ADDITIONAL FEE)
Chair:
Brian Darmody, Chief Strategy Officer, AURP
Harry Reid Research and Technology Park
9:00am – 12:00pm
Optional Tours (Included in Full Registration Fee)
Transportation Provided
Switch Datacenter
Kirk Kekorian School of Medicine