
WiDS Cambridge
2026 Agenda
8:00am - 3:00pm EST

8:00am
8:45am
9:00am
9:45am
11:00am
11:15am
12:15pm
12:30pm
1:45pm
2:30pm
3:00pm
REGISTRATION AND NETWORKING BREAKFAST
OPENING REMARKS
Stephy Romichan, Data Analytics Engineer and Masters Student, Northeastern University
Claire Tinker, Solution Architect in Sustainability Software, IBM
KEYNOTE
Talk Title: Beyond the Hype: Designing Human-Agent Collaboration for
Decisions That Matter
Priyanka Kulkarni, Founder and CEO, Casium
PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Panel 1: Democratic Processes and Public Policy
Moderator
Christine Ortiz, Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and the Director of the Technology and Policy Program (TPP) within IDSS, MIT
Panelists
Lindsey Batteast, Senior Strategist in Responsible AI, Google
Mona Birjandi, Principal Economist and Director of Data Analytics, Outten & Golden
Bailey Flanigan, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Computer Science, MIT
BREAK
Panel 2: Extreme Weather and Pollution: Impact and Equity
Moderator
Abigail Bowering, Doctoral Student, Social and Engineering Systems at the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society; and the Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy, MIT
Panelists
Arlene Fiore, Professor, Department of Earth, Atmospheric + Planetary Sciences, MIT
Sucharita Gopal, Professor, Department of Earth and Environment & Center for Remote Sensing Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, Boston University
Desirée Plata, Distinguished Professor of Climate and Energy, Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT
LIGHTNING TALKS (15 lightning talks of 1 minute)
LUNCH, RECRUITING, POSTER SESSION, SPEED-NETWORKING & MENTORING SESSIONS
Speed Networking Sessions: Sign up here
Session #1 (12:35pm - 1:05pm)
Session #2 (1:10pm - 1:40pm)
Mentoring Office Hours: Drop-In Style, Limited to 5 people at a time
Session #1 - 12:45pm - 1:15pm
Session #2 - 1:25pm - 1:55pm
Sphinx AI Technical Demonstration, Clara Barton Room - 1:45pm - 2:15pm
CLOSING REMARKS & PRIZES
END OF CONFERENCE