SURA Members Convene at Jefferson Lab for 2026 Annual Members Meeting
On September 23-24, 2026, more than forty leaders from across SURA and its member institutions gathered at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, VA for the 2026 SURA Annual Members Meeting. The two-day meeting built on a shared investment in the future of scientific and engineering research, exploring new possibilities for collaboration through SURA and across the national research enterprise.
Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones during SURA Annual Members Meeting. (Aileen Devlin | Jefferson Lab)
The conversation began at the local level. Phillip Jones, Mayor of Newport News, opened the meeting by addressing the connection between his city and emerging opportunities across research, rooted in the city’s longstanding partnership with Jefferson Lab. As the youngest mayor ever elected in Newport News, Jones offered fresh insight into the future of research-community partnerships, addressing technology commercialization, workforce development, and cross-institutional innovation.
From the local research ecosystem, the discourse widened to the national scale with Dr. Harriet Kung, Deputy Director for Science Programs in the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. Dr. Kung outlined the Genesis Mission and the role that universities can play – and are playing – in advancing this ambitious vision for a more efficient, AI-enabled national research enterprise.
Those broader questions about the future of research were grounded in the scientific expertise represented across the consortium. SURA faculty award recipients presented work spanning quantum technologies, engineered materials, and precision immunotherapy, while Jefferson Lab Deputy Director for Science and Technology Dr. Eric Brown provided an update on research and scientific priorities at the national laboratory.
The first day closed with a ceremony honoring this year’s SURA faculty and graduate award winners. The reception brought university member representatives together with SURA and Jefferson lab leadership, to celebrate innovative research contributions and emerging scientific leaders across the consortium.
The second day began with updates on SURA initiatives and emerging opportunities to build on research capabilities in the SURA network. SURA members then turned to a challenge cutting across those priorities: developing the scientific workforce needed to sustain them.
Dr. Daniel DeLaurentis, Executive Vice President at Purdue University, detailed the Purdue College of Engineering’s new B2D7 accelerated BS-to-PhD pilot program, while Taylor Durbin, legislative assistant from U.S. Senator Mark Warner’s Office (VA), outlined the Promoting High-skilled Doctoral (PHD) Talent Act. This bipartisan legislation proposes a DOE grant program to create accelerated doctoral pathways in critical or emerging technology areas.
With those university and federal perspectives as a starting point, member university leaders engaged directly with one another and with Durbin about the opportunities and challenges associated with accelerated doctoral pathways. The discussion built on SURA’s ongoing engagement around scientific workforce development, including previous conversations in Newport News with Senator Warner and DOE Under Secretary for Science Dr. DarÃo Gil about strengthening the research workforce in the age of artificial intelligence.
Meeting attendees inside the Test Lab at Jefferson Lab (Anna Rader Groves | SURA)
The gathering concluded with a tour of Jefferson Lab, offering a firsthand view of the innovation and partnerships discussed throughout the meeting. Participants toured the laboratory’s world-leading research facilities, including the test bed for groundbreaking superconducting radiofrequency technology and the future site of DOE’s High Performance Data Facility, exemplifying the talent, partnerships, and infrastructure required to support the Lab’s national research mission.
The 2026 SURA Annual Members Meeting underscored how sustained collaboration can accelerate and amplify scientific innovation. For SURA member universities, the gathering provided an opportunity not only to share and celebrate ongoing work, but to identify where their collective expertise and partnerships can create new possibilities for research, talent development, and national impact. Together, those conversations reflected SURA’s role in connecting university expertise with national laboratories, federal partners, and other institutions to help strengthen the national scientific enterprise.
About SURA
Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) advances the nation’s scientific enterprise through research operations and workforce solutions in partnership with government agencies, national laboratories, and its member universities.
Media Contact:
Anna Rader Groves
SURA Senior Advisor, Government Relations and Communications
Email: arader@sura.org
Artificial intelligence (AI) was used to edit for grammar, clarity, and coherence. All AI-generated suggestions were reviewed and approved by the author.