Research Summit
KWB Summit 2026: Research as Sense-Making in Times of Uncertainty
October 22-23, 2026
Sponsored by the University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies and the Research and Scholarship Enterprise
ABOUT OUR VIRTUAL KWB SUMMIT
Theme: Research as Sense-Making in Times of Uncertainty
The 2026 Summit theme for this year invites us to reconsider the role of research in times of evolving social, economic, and environmental contexts. At the heart of this year’s theme is the call to meaningful research, where a productive lens for interpretation, reflection, and responsible engagement can fill the gap whenever environmental frameworks are strained and when meaning is challenged.
Researchers inquire around such circumstances and social ingressions, adopting innovative approaches, while remaining attentive to the ethical and community implications of their research. And relative to our theme, the fold of uncertainty can embolden and encourage new research. Where periods of uncertainty can sometimes challenge our ways of knowing and being, research becomes a vital piece of sense-making.
The 2026 Knowledge Without Boundaries Virtual Research Summit invites scholars, practitioners, and community partners to explore research as sense-making in times of uncertainty. The Summit creates an interdisciplinary space to reflect on how research is conducted, interpreted, communicated, and mobilized when traditional assumptions, methods, or frameworks are unsettled. Rather than viewing uncertainty solely as a limitation, the Summit foregrounds it as one that reshapes research questions, methods, ethics, and impact.
This 2-day Summit will be held on October 22-23, 2026, and will be entirely online, creating an accessible, international space for dialogue across disciplines, sectors, and career stages. We look forward to seeing everyone in October!
Dissertation of the Year (DOY) Award Nominations Now Open
The College of Doctoral Studies invites nominations for the 2026 Dissertation of the Year (DOY) Award, recognizing outstanding doctoral scholarship that demonstrates rigor, originality, and meaningful contribution to the field.
Submission Deadline: June 30, 2026.
For questions regarding the nomination process, please contact Dr. Mansureh Kebritchi at Mansureh.Kebritchi@phoenix.edu
Call for Proposals
We invite faculty, administrators, students, alumni, staff, and industry partners to contribute to this year’s Summit by submitting a proposal aligned with the 2026 theme. Whether presenting completed research, works in progress, theoretical scholarship, or effective practices drawn from real-world application, the Summit provides a space to engage thoughtfully with how research functions in times of uncertainty. We welcome interdisciplinary perspectives and encourage submissions that explore methodological innovation, reflexivity, ethical responsibility, collaborative inquiry, digital and AI-enabled approaches, and emerging forms of knowledge production. Proposals may be empirical, conceptual, critical, or practice-based.
All presentations are 20 minutes in length, and each proposal contributes to a peer-supported review process that strengthens the overall scholarly experience of the Summit. View the full call for proposals.
Submission Deadline: Sunday, June 14 at 11:59 PM (Arizona Time).
To submit your proposal, please visit the Submission Portal:
KWB Conference Schedule
The KWB Summit schedule will be published here in early September 2026. Stay tuned!
2026 summit benefits:
Questions? Email any of the conference designers:
Kimberly Underwood - Call for Proposals, Submission Process, Presenter Information - kwb.summit@phoenix.edu
Mansureh Kebritchi - Dissertation of the Year Nominees and Selection - mansureh.kebritchi@phoenix.edu
Rodney Luster - Communications/Guest Speaker Selections - rodney.luster@phoenix.edu
General Inquiries - kwb.summit@phoenix.edu
In a world defined by rapid change, competing narratives, and shifting social landscapes, the ability to make sense of uncertainty has never been more essential. The 2026 Knowledge Without Boundaries Virtual Research Summit invites participants from across disciplines, sectors, and communities to explore how research becomes a guiding force when clarity is elusive.
This year’s Summit offers a dynamic, interactive space where scholars, practitioners, and leaders come together to examine how inquiry, evidence, and even the interpretation of that evidence may help navigate complexity while imagining new possibilities for the landscape of research as a utility for helping and empowering our society.
Uncertainty is not simply a challenge, but rather, a catalyst for change. It pushes research to rethink assumptions, examine trends, and engage with communities in more supportive ways. The 2026 Summit highlights research as a practice of:
Interpretation - making meaning from incomplete or evolving information
Connection - bridging disciplines, perspectives, and lived experiences
Responsiveness - adapting to emerging needs, disruptions, and societal shifts
Transformation - using knowledge to spark change and inform action
Participants will explore how research becomes a tool for understanding, resilience, and ethical engagement in times when answers are not always clear.