50th Annual Meeting and Conference
Virtual
Friday, March 6, 2026
In-Person
Monday, March 9 - Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Auburn University
Auburn, AL
SOUTHERN REGIONAL FACULTY AND INSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM
"Back to the Future: Flux Capacities for Human-Centered Innovation"
"Back to the Future: Flux Capacities for Human-Centered Innovation"
CONFERENCE DESCRIPTION
Higher education is in flux, shaped by technological disruption, changing student expectations, and new visions of learning. This year, as we celebrate the 50th annual meeting, the conference theme, Back to the Future: Flux Capacities for Human-Centered Innovation, invites us to imagine the future we want to build and the energy it will take to get there. Together, we will explore how creativity, strategy, and human connection can transform uncertainty into opportunity. To help guide this exploration, acclaimed author N. K. Jemisin will keynote our conference by inviting us to see through a speculative lens to consider how storytelling, imagination, and world-building can help us design the futures we want for education.
Higher education is in flux, shaped by technological disruption, changing student expectations, and new visions of learning. This year, as we celebrate the 50th annual meeting, the conference theme, Back to the Future: Flux Capacities for Human-Centered Innovation, invites us to imagine the future we want to build and the energy it will take to get there. Together, we will explore how creativity, strategy, and human connection can transform uncertainty into opportunity. To help guide this exploration, acclaimed author N. K. Jemisin will keynote our conference by inviting us to see through a speculative lens to consider how storytelling, imagination, and world-building can help us design the futures we want for education.
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
Conference registration will open in January and includes conference attendance and one year of SRFIDC membership.
For those who would like to attend and engage with other members of SRFIDC, our virtual conference participants will have access to the in-person Keynote address and SRFIDC Board Meeting during the in-person conference. The in-person conference participants will also have access to participate in the one-day virtual conference on March 6.
Virtual Conference: $95
In-Person Conference: $195
Conference registration will open in January and includes conference attendance and one year of SRFIDC membership.
For those who would like to attend and engage with other members of SRFIDC, our virtual conference participants will have access to the in-person Keynote address and SRFIDC Board Meeting during the in-person conference. The in-person conference participants will also have access to participate in the one-day virtual conference on March 6.
Virtual Conference: $95
In-Person Conference: $195
KEY DATES
Call for Proposal Deadline: December 17, 2025 (Priority Date)
Proposals Accepted Until: January 9, 2026
Notifications Sent: January 16, 2026
Commitment to Present: February 6, 2026
Call for Proposal Deadline: December 17, 2025 (Priority Date)
Proposals Accepted Until: January 9, 2026
Notifications Sent: January 16, 2026
Commitment to Present: February 6, 2026
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
(Virtual via Zoom)
(Virtual via Zoom)
N. K. Jemisin is a fantasy author and 2020 MacArthur Fellow. Since beginning her professional career in the early 2000s, her short fiction and novels have been recognized with multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. Most of her works have been optioned for television or film, and collectively her novels, including the Broken Earth trilogy, have sold over two million copies. After twenty years working in higher education as an applied counseling psychologist, she “retired” in 2016 to become a full-time writer, writing instructor, and public speaker. Her speculative works range widely in theme, though with repeated motifs: resistance and oppression, loneliness and belonging, and Wouldn’t It Be Cool If This One Ridiculous Thing Happened.
In her spare time, she’s into tabletop and video games, biking, fanfiction, and urban gardening. She lives and writes in Brooklyn, with her son and two cats.
In her spare time, she’s into tabletop and video games, biking, fanfiction, and urban gardening. She lives and writes in Brooklyn, with her son and two cats.
IN-PERSON SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE
Monday, March 9
Tuesday, March 10
Wednesday, March 11
Monday, March 9
- 12:00 – Registration
- 1:00 – Concurrent Sessions 1
- 2:00 – Concurrent Sessions 2
- 3:00 – Concurrent Sessions 3
- 4:00 – Poster Session
- 5:00 – Evening Activity (Optional)
Tuesday, March 10
- 8:00 – Breakfast (Included)
- 9:00 - SRFIDC Business Meeting (Zoom option available)
- 10:00 – Concurrent Sessions 4
- 11:00 – Concurrent Sessions 5
- 12:00 - Lunch (Included)
- 1:00 – Keynote (Zoom option available)
- 2:00 – Keynote Discussion and Reflection
- 3:00 – Concurrent Sessions 6
- 4:00 – Concurrent Sessions 7
- 4:15 – Hotel Reception
- 5:00 – Evening Activity (Optional)
Wednesday, March 11
- 8:00 – Breakfast (Included)
- 9:00 - Concurrent Sessions 8
- 10:00 - Concurrent Sessions 9
- 11:00 – Concurrent Sessions 10
- 12:00 - Lunch (Included)
- 1:00 – Adjourn
HOTEL INFORMATION
Hotel at Auburn University
241 South College Street
Auburn, Alabama 36830
334-821-8200
Google Maps Location
The Hotel at Auburn University offers a discounted rate of $189 per night for conference attendees. To receive the discounted rate, visit the hotel website and the rate will be automatically applied.