Division of Academic Affairs

Track 1: Artificial Intelligence
Topics include but are not limited to, large-scale machine learning, deep learning, reinforcement learning, robotics, computer vision, natural language processing, collaborative systems, crowdsourcing and human computation, algorithmic game theory and computational social choice, Internet of Things, and neuromorphic computing.

Track 2: Climate Change and Environmental Justice
Topics include, but are not limited to, challenges stemming from climate change such as sea-level rise, stronger hurricanes, heat domes, and increased flood risks; development of resilient communities including energy transition, renewable energy development, electric vehicles, and carbon capture; environmental justice; climate gentrification; the impact of more expensive insurance on affordable housing, environmentally-driven migration, and the Justice40 initiative.

Track 3: Community Violence Prevention and Intervention
Topics include but are not limited to, school violence prevention and intervention, gangs and drug diversion, sexual and gender violence prevention and support, community strengthening, gun violence, crime patterns among youth, emerging mental health conditions for youth, outreach strategies for families, youth substance abuse patterns, drugs, and youth crime, integrated intervention and prevention efforts, social context and patterns of violence and substance use including social support, social networks and neighborhood/community effects, traumatic victimization and re-victimization and the role of conflict resolution and mediation education.

Track 4: Corporate Responsibility and Business Innovation
Topics include but are not limited to, data, AI and machine learning, sustainability, client best practices/use cases, industry best practices, consumer behavior, corporate sustainability and/or social responsibility, economic development and job creation, small and medium-sized enterprises, entrepreneurship and sustainability, innovation and sustainability, rise of social enterprises and social entrepreneurship, and corporate governance.

Track 5: Criminal Justice and Social Justice
Topics include, but are not limited to, reforms to policing, trust in police, diversity and police/policing, recruitment and training approaches for law enforcement officers, funding models for public safety, alternatives to police and policing, law enforcement and public health, restorative justice, access to justice and the legal field, culturally- and gender-responsive policing, cybercrime and cyber victimization and policy development and implementation,

Track 6: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Topics include but are not limited to, diversity-centered approaches to teaching, including instruction and assessment, transformative models that promote resilience and strengths, the impact of political and/or institutional culture on DEI work, initiatives that promote equity, relationships between diversity and identity, identity markers that shape perceptions of diversity, models for climate/cultural transformation and best practices and trends in DEI work.

Track 7: Effect of Health Disparities on Physical and Mental Health
Topics include but are not limited to access to health care and prescription drugs, health disparities and racial/ethnic and gender inequities, clinician workforce and well-being, the impact of health care access on life outcomes and well-being, healthcare policy, collaborative and integrated models of mental health, chronic disease prevention, structural racism and public health and social influences on mental and physical health.

Track 8: Music, Literature & the Arts
Topics include but are not limited to, music, literature, and the arts and their societal implications, such as the healing power of the creative and expressive arts, their role in creating or contributing to an equitable society, and the creative and expressive arts as tools of transformation.

Track 9: Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Considerations
Topics include but are not limited to Long COVID or Post-COVID syndrome, changing consumer behavior post-pandemic (e.g., contactless ordering/payment, off-premises dining), post-pandemic work arrangements and business models, resilience and disruption management, reaction to health care access disparities by race and class, and political, economic, racial and social implications of the pandemic.

Track 10: Public Policy, Politics & Governance
Topics include but are not limited to, science and public policy, globalization of innovation, quality of governance, equity of program implementation and delivery, public and non-profit leadership, organizational theory and management, communications and public engagement, emergency management and disaster preparedness and federalism and intergovernmental relations, and city and local governance.

Track 11: Science, Engineering & Technological Advancements
Topics include STEM-related research from all disciplines, including biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics, and technology.

Track 12: Social Media and Popular Culture
Topics include but are not limited to, theories of media and culture, social media impacts on vulnerability, role of media in contemporary society, changing narratives of media economics, pedagogy and popular culture, the impact of social media on popular culture, celebrity and the construction of persona, analyses of individual/multiple works that engage with popular culture, privacy and anonymity in social media, inclusiveness of social media, immersive social media (such as virtual worlds or the metaverse), network effects in social media, social media, and public health, academic social media ecosystem and use of social media in teaching and learning.

Track 13: Teaching, Learning & Human Development
Topics include but are not limited to, theories of learning, education theory and practices, teaching materials and courseware development, educational measurement and evaluation, pedagogy, teacher education and preparation, comparison of education in different countries, adult education, education policy and leadership, student affairs, e-learning, learning difficulties, and learning psychology.

Track 14: Graduate and Undergraduate Student Research
Students may submit abstracts relevant to any of the topics in Tracks 1-13. Participants in this
track will be eligible for the graduate and undergraduate student competition.