Perseverance, Motivation, and Elevation

The Connect 2026 Virtual Conference is in the books! Thank you to all of our speakers, customer guests, and attendees for joining, engaging, and making Connect memorable.

In case you’re unfamiliar, Connect is Cayuse’s annual conference that brings together research administrators, compliance leaders, finance teams, and operational innovators from across higher education and healthcare for a three-day event centered on a shared mission of advancing research administration through product innovation, collaboration, and strategic insight.

This year’s theme — Persevere, Motivate, Elevate — reflected the realities our industries face today. Despite the past year’s unanticipated challenges and regulatory changes, the community continues to unite and advance essential research, which is why it’s more important than ever to learn from our peers and celebrate their accomplishments.

From award management to compliance oversight to vivarium operations, the conversations at Connect 2026 focused on how institutions can improve ollaboration, maintain operational continuity, and navigate complexity by leveraging insights to drive smarter, more strategic decision-making.

Persevering through challenges with confidence

Research administration continues to evolve under increasing regulatory pressure, funding uncertainty, and operational demands. This year’s Connect sessions highlighted how institutions are persevering through challenges like expanded compliance requirements, increased award complexity, respirce constraints, cross-departmental coordination challenges, and more.

The customer-led sessions provided candid, real-world insights into how organizations are modernizing their processes, upskilling their teams, strengthening compliance programs, and optimizing vivarium management. From advice for staying audit-ready with Howard University’s Marchon Jackson, to customizing approaches to faculty training with Rice University’s Mickey Stevenson, these sessions provided attendees with tangible inspiration that they can apply in their own workplaces in the year ahead.

Across product sessions and roadmap discussions, we emphasized how Cayuse’s integrated award, compliance, and vivarium management systems can generate the visibility institutions need to identify bottlenecks before they become barriers, improve cross-functional communication, and empower leadership with actionable insights. These sessions also included exclusive previews of new solution enhancements and updates that Cayuse will roll out over the coming weeks and months.

Motivating the community that moves research forward

One of the most powerful aspects of the Connect Conference is the opportunity to bring the research and grant administration community together to reconnect, meet new peers, and learn from one another. At Cayuse, we are extremely proud to play a part in growing, supporting, and uniting this community, and were excited to introduce new opportunities to engage at the 2026 conference.

Between the sessions, in the live chat and the event feeds, and during break room discussions, attendees shared stories and tips, asked questions, and engaged with each other to help strengthen community ties and share successes. We also hosted several networking sessions each day of the conference, providing opportunities for peers in similar roles and industries to discuss specific topics in greater detail and meet potential future collaborators. 

These discussions brought attendees together to share unique perspectives and provided plenty of connection opportunities, helping make the 2026 Connect Conference an even more engaging and motivating experience.

Elevating those who make a difference

This year, we were especially proud to elevate members of our community whose leadership and impact embody the spirit of Connect through the 2026 Connect Awards. 

The four awards were presented to the individuals and teams who demonstrated exceptional service to the research community, effectively reimaginined their systems across the research lifecycle, engaged in reducing burden for their research staff and improved productivity, and showed commitment to sharing their insights, advice, and expertise with their peers.

2026 Cayuse Connect Award Winners

Sheri Pulis Award
Zolicia R. Abotsi

Transformation Award
Office of Sponsored Programs at Florida Institute of Technology
Honorable Mentions: Alicia Swanson | Leah Vargas

Productivity Award
Research Informatics & Research Administration Office at Cook Children’s Healthcare System
Honorable Mentions: Lora Passetti & Kelli Wright | Charna Howson

Community Champion Award
Carrie DePetris Duell
Honorable Mentions: Amber Hood | Ashlee Kupilik

Each of the 2026 award recipients represent what it means to persevere through challenges, motivate their teams, and elevate research administration practices within their institutions. Read our blog summary for more information about the 2026 awards, winners, and honorable mentions.

Looking Ahead

Connect by Cayuse 2026 reinforced something we deeply believe: that excellence in research administration is about enabling discovery, celebrating success, and fostering a community dedicated to advancing science for the betterment of all. 

When we persevere through complexity, motivate one another through collaboration, and elevate our systems with insight-driven strategy, we strengthen the entire research ecosystem. We hope that all attendees carry this spirit beyond the 2026 conference and use it to inspire their work, teams, and organizations.

To those who joined us — thank you for your engagement, your candor, and your partnership!

And for those who couldn’t attend, session recordings are available in the Connect Community (join or log in here). We look forward to continuing the conversation and building momentum together!