#wallace26

May 18-20, 2026
University of Iowa - Iowa City, IA

 

Keynote Speaker: Cathy O'Neil
Mathematician, data scientist, and NYT bestselling author.
She is the author of the New York Times best-seller Weapons of Math Destruction, and opinion columns in Bloomberg View.

Keynote Speaker: David Eagleman
Neuroscientist at Stanford, NYT bestselling author, #1 science podcast in US: Inner Cosmos
Eagleman's research encompasses brain plasticity, sensory substitution, time perception, synesthesia, and the intersection of brain science with the legal system.

Opening Panel: What Research Do We Need for the Health of the Field?
Todd Kettler, Rebecca Lubin, Kyra Wilcox, and Dorn Wilkins-McCorey with Susan Johnsen as moderator

Featured Speakers: Matt Makel – Canada (Giftedness: Removing Barriers to Knowns and Unknowns), Karen Rambo-Hernandez - U.S.A. (Do Classrooms have Glass Ceilings? Exposing the Limits of Grade-Level Instruction for High-Achieving Learners), Heidrun Stoeger – Germany (Leveraging Digital Ecosystems for Systemic Gifted Education: Insights from a Large-Scale STEM E-Mentoring Program for Talented Girls), and M. Alexandra Vuyk - Paraguay (Building a National High Ability Research Program in Ten Years (2016–2026)

Julian C. Stanley Distinguished Lecture: Del Siegle

Call for 2026 Wallace presentations closes Friday, October 10

• Call for presentations opens – July 14, 2025
• Call for presentations closes – October 10, 2025 
• Presentation acceptance notifications sent – December 4, 2025
• Registration opens – December 8, 2025
• Early bird registration deadline – March 2, 2026
• Registration closes – May 8, 2026
• Conference at University of Iowa – May 18-20, 2026

Proposed 2026 Schedule

MONDAY, MAY 18, 2026

• Breakfast on your own
• 8:00 – 9:00 Registration / Check-in
• 9:00 – 9:30 Opening and Welcome
• 9:30 – 10:30 Panel on What Research Do We Need for the Health of the Field: Possibilities (Rebecca Lubin, Dorn Wilkins-McCorey, Kyra Wilcox, and Todd Kettler with Susan Johnsen as moderator)
• 10:30 – 10:45 Q&A
• 10:45 – 11:15 Refreshment Break and Group Photo
• 11:15 – 12:15 Paper Sessions (5 sets of 2 papers)
• 12:15 – 1:30 Lunch
• 1:30 – 2:45 Invited Featured Sessions: Karen Rambo-Hernandez (Do Classrooms have Glass Ceilings? Exposing the Limits of Grade-Level Instruction for High-Achieving Learners);  Alex Vuyk (Building a National High Ability Research Program in Ten Years (2016–2026)).
• 2:45 – 3:15 Refreshment Break
• 3:15 – 4:45 Paper Sessions (5 sets of 3 papers)
• 5:30 – 6:45 Dinner
• 6:45 – 8:00 Keynote: David Eagleman
• 8:00 – 9:00 Dessert Reception

TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026

• Breakfast on your own
• 9:00 – 10:15 Invited Featured Sessions: Matt Makel (Giftedness: Removing Barriers to Knowns and Unknowns); Heidrun Stoeger (Leveraging Digital Ecosystems for Systemic Gifted Education: Insights from a Large-Scale STEM E-Mentoring Program for Talented Girls)
• 10:15 – 10:45 Refreshment Break
• 10:45 – 12:15 Paper Sessions (5 sets of 3 papers)
• 12:15 – 1:30 Lunch
• 1:30 – 2:30 Julian C. Stanley Distinguished Lecture: Del Siegle (Searching for Magic)
• 2:30 – 2:45 Q&A
• 2:45 – 3:45 Paper Sessions (5 sets of 2 papers)
• 3:45 – 4:15 Refreshment Break
• 4:15 – 5:00 Networking
• 5:00 – 6:30 Poster Presentations and Reception
• Dinner on your own

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2026

• Breakfast on your own
• 9:00 – 10:00 Paper Sessions (5 sets of 2 papers)
• 10:00 – 10:30 Refreshment Break
• 10:30 – 11:30 Closing Keynote: Cathy O'Neil
• 11:30 – 11:45 Q&A
• Lunch on your own

The 2024 Wallace Symposium program, including presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and speakers. 2024 Wallace Symposium on Talent Development Attendees (UConn photo by Peter Morenus)
View more photos from here.
PDF of the 2024 Wallace Symposium Printed Program

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