At Translational Science 2026, Indiana CTSI leaders connect with national community of translational researchers 

Between April 20-23, researchers and staff leaders from the Indiana CTSI traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for Translational Science 2026, the annual conference hosted by the Association for Clinical and Translational Science.  

Of the group that attended, eleven spoke on a panel or presented their work during a poster session. 

Panel Speakers

Staff and researchers from the Indiana CTSI gave presentations, facilitated group activities, and shared their expertise and perspective during panel discussions. (Not all pictured.)

Four presenters pose in front of presentation screen.
Hannah Calkins, right, and her co-presenters.
Bridget facilitates a session.
Bridget Hawryluk facilitating an activity during a panel that included Sarah Wiehe, second from right, and Karen Hinshaw, far right.
A panel presentation.
Jiang Bian, left, during a panel discussion.

Poster Presenters

The Indiana CTSI was well-represented among the posters accepted for display at the conference. Staff and scholars shared their work over two evening poster sessions. (Not all pictured.)

Bridget and Dustin in front of their poster.
Bridget Hawryluk, left, and Dustin Lynch, right.
Caitlin Thomas in front of her poster.
Caitlin Thomas of University of Notre Dame.
Waqas Amin in front of his poster.
Waqas Amin.
Maddie and Jo in front of their poster.
Madeline Kovarik, left, and Joanne Davies, right.
Leigha in front of her poster.
Leigha MacNeill of Purdue University.
Anne Nguyen in front of her poster.
Anne Nguyen.

Update May 12, 2026: As a requirement of their award, the Indiana CTSI’s K12 Early Career Faculty and T32 Postdoctoral Awardees attend and submit a poster to the ACTS conference each year. This year, five K12 Scholars and three T32 Postdocs attended the conference. Leigha MacNeill, PhD, of Purdue University; Robert Fujiki, PhD, of IU School of Medicine; and Caitlyn Thomas, PhD, of University of Notre Dame, all represented the Indiana CTSI in the Top 50 posters, and they also gave oral presentations during the conference.

Additionally, the Indiana CTSI nominated MacNeill, Thomas, and Ashley Giourdas to participate in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition. Giourdas was selected to compete in the finals of the competition.

Group team-building and travel

When they weren’t conferencing, many members of the group enjoyed socializing and dining together in downtown Milwaukee. Additionally, a large cohort traveled together in a shuttle and stopped at Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and a few other places along the way.

Indiana CTSI leaders and staff at dinner.
Group dinner.
A group from the Indiana CTSI outside of Mars Cheese Castle.
Outside Mars Cheese Castle.
Indiana CTSI staff pose outside their van.
Unscheduled photo opp while troubleshooting the AC.
Avatar photo

Hannah Calkins