2026 FUN Summer Workshop at North Central College

 
 
 
The 2026 FUN Workshop, titled Rewiring Neuroscience Education: Emerging Trends and Technologies, will be held at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Plan to arrive on July 15, with programming July 16 to July 19, 2026.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Workshop Description
The Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience invites you to the pedagogy workshop Rewiring Neuroscience Education: Emerging Trends and Technologies to be held July 16-19, 2026 at North Central College (Naperville, IL). FUN pedagogical workshops are centered around designing, implementing, and assessing neuroscience programs in undergraduate settings. Sessions will include a broad array of ideas, approaches, and techniques, with keynotes focusing on ways colleagues are both leveraging and managing technology in the classroom, and spurring pedagogical innovation; ideas for translating our science, and the technology that fuels it. We encourage you to join us next summer, and consider sharing your own work in a short teaching talk, a pedagogy & lab workshop, a poster, or to organize a mini-symposium with multiple individuals working on the same topic. We encourage submissions that include hands-on or interactive components. Abstract submission opens December 1st. We hope to see you at North Central! Any questions about abstract submissions can be directed to David Donley, or questions pertaining to conference logistics can be directed to Maggie Gill.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Key Dates
Abstract Submission: December 1^st 2025 – February 15^th, 2026
Workshop Registration: January 2^nd, 2026 – May 1^st, 2026 
Abstract Submission Information - Submission is now OPEN!
Abstract submission will be open until February 15th, and the committee will notify of acceptance by the end of March.  Descriptions of each session type are included below. Please direct any questions about abstract submissions to David Donley
  
Session Types: Please submit an abstract for one of the following poster or presentation formats. Note that while assessment is not required for presentation, it is recommended for publication in the JUNE FUN Workshop volume.

• Short Teaching Talk
  • Short teaching talks are an opportunity to share a short activity or assignment that you have implemented in your own teaching.
    • A teaching/learning practice or activity
    • A specialized course topic or novel course design
  • The following information should be submitted:
    • Short Teaching Talk Title
    • Presenter name and email
    • Teaching talk abstract (250 word limit), that includes the goal or challenge you tried to address, the activity or design that you implemented, outcomes and what others can learn from your experience
    • 3-5 keywords
  • 20 min in length, 15-minute presentation with 5 minutes for questions
  • *Note that if several individuals submit short teaching talks on the same topic, workshop organizers may request that individuals work together to create a mini-symposium.
• Mini-symposium
  • A mini-symposium is an opportunity to bring together several individuals working on a similar topic to engage in a roundtable discussion. The goal of a mini-symposium is to facilitate interaction between authors and attendees to share ideas and gather feedback. The mini-symposium can be structured as the presenters choose, though discussion is encouraged. Attendees should leave a mini-symposium with new ideas, or clarity on a topic.
  • The chair of the mini-symposium will submit the following information:
    • Overall mini-symposium title
    • Presenter names and emails (including mini-symposium chair)
    • Overall panel abstract (500-word limit) that introduces the topic, briefly overviews what each presenter will discuss or contribute, general structure of the session, and what attendees will take away from the session.
    • 3-5 keywords that are highly relevant to the mini-symposium topic
  • 90 minutes in length
• Pedagogy & Lab Workshops
  • Pedagogy and lab workshops are 90-minute participant-interactive sessions, designed to provide participants with skills to enhance their teaching, labs, or research. Workshops can be offered by one or more individuals, but are required to be interactive.
  • Topics could include, but are not limited to
    • A laboratory activity
    • Course or departmental assessment
    • Pedagogical course or department design/structure
  • The following information should be submitted:
    • Pedagogy or Lab Workshop Title
    • Presenter(s) names and emails
    • Overall panel abstract (500-word limit) that includes the topic, how the topic will be presented/interactive, and what attendees will take away from the session.
    • 3-5 keywords that are highly relevant to the workshop
    • Resources/space requirements (eg. laboratory or classroom space, maximum number of attendees you can accommodate, resources such as microscopes etc.).
      • If laboratory materials are required, please give an estimate of costs
  • 90 minutes in length
• Posters
  • Poster presentations are an ideal way to share a new or developing project to gain feedback or advice. Poster topics may include, but are not limited to:
    • A teaching/learning practice or activity
    • Development of ideas related to teaching and learning
    • A specialized course topic or novel course design
    • Strategies for neuroscience departmental change
  • The following information should be submitted:
    • Poster title
    • Presenter(s) names and emails
    • Poster abstract (250 word limit), that includes the goal or challenge you tried to address, approach to addressing the goal or challenge, outcomes and what others can learn from your experience
    • 3-5 keywords

Tentative Schedule
This schedule is subject to change.  (All times listed are Central Standard Time)

Wednesday, July 15, 2026
3:00 PM                     Check-in
5:00-6:30 PM             Dinner (Kaufman Dining Hall)
 
Thursday, July 16, 2026
7:30-9:00 AM            Breakfast
8:30-10:00 AM          Keynote
10:00-10:15 AM        Break
10:15-11:45 AM        Concurrent Sessions
11:45 AM-12:45 PM Lunch
12:45-2:15 PM           Concurrent Sessions
2:15-2:30 PM             Break
2:30-4:00 PM             Concurrent Sessions
4:00-4:45 PM             Networking Event
4:45-6:15 PM             Welcome Reception & Poster Session
6:15-8:00 PM             Dinner
 
Friday, July 17, 2026
7:30-9:00 AM             Breakfast
8:30-10:00 AM           Concurrent Sessions
10:00-10:15 AM        Break
10:15-11:45 AM        Concurrent Sessions
11:45 AM-1:15 PM    Lunch
1:15-2:45 PM             Concurrent Sessions
2:45-3:00 PM             Break
3:00-4:00 PM             Short Teaching Talks
4:00-5:30 PM             Keynote Speaker
4:45-6:15 PM             Welcome Reception & Poster Session
5:00-6:30 PM             Dinner
 
Saturday, July 18, 2026
7:30-9:00 AM             Breakfast
8:30-10:00 AM           Concurrent Sessions
10:00-10:15 AM        Break
10:15-11:45 AM        Concurrent Sessions
11:45 AM-1:15 PM    Lunch
1:15-2:45 PM             Concurrent Sessions
2:45-3:00 PM             Break
3:00-4:30 PM             Concurrent Sessions
4:30-5:00 PM             Break
5:00-8:00 PM             Dinner
 
Sunday, July 19, 2026
7:30-9:00 AM             Breakfast
9:00 AM                      Checkout
 
Travel to and from Naperville
North Central College is located approximately 25 miles from both Chicago O’Hare and Midway International Airports. O’Hare is one of the largest airports in the country, servicing all major carriers and offering approximately 760 nonstop domestic flights daily. Midway airport is a major hub for Southwest Airlines. There are numerous options to get from the airport to North Central College’s campus including public transportation, taxi, uber, lyft, or by renting a car. Together, we are exceptionally well positioned for easy and affordable access to a wide variety of airlines and flight options from across the country.  If you are interested in connecting with other FUN members participating in the conference regarding transportation, please post on the FUN Discussion Board!

• Naperville Taxi

Naperville
North Central College is located 28 miles west of downtown Chicago. Naperville is a Chicago suburb of 150,000 people. Naperville is a diverse community and continually ranked one of the safest cities and one of the best places to live in America by Forbes and Niche. 
FUN faculty will enjoy the close proximity to downtown amenities between sessions and in the evenings. Our campus is located in the heart of the historic district in Naperville, and attendees will feel at home strolling in downtown Naperville, featuring numerous restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques. Campus is also adjacent to a famed riverwalk, that offers 2 miles of brick paved trail through downtown, and connects with 20+ miles of recreational trails to both the north and south. Finally, a Metra commuter and Amtrak train station is located 2 blocks from campus, allowing visitors to take a quick 30-to-60-minute train directly to downtown Chicago.


 
 
 
 
 



Registration and Housing InformationRegistration and Housing Information
Registration for the 2026 FUN Summer Workshop will be $650. The registration fee covers all sessions, talks, meals during the workshop, and a banquet with live entertainment!  
 
As part of your registration, you may select an option for on campus housing.  All rates include credit card fees. All housing reservations are by room.  Unfortunately, it is not possible to break up the room reservation rates per person in the registration system.  If you are sharing a room, one person will make the reservation and pay the total cost for the room.  Also, they will indicate name of their roommate (if known) in the comment box.  Please make your own arrangements between roommates for any reimbursement.  If you need assistance with copies of invoices or to update roommate information, please contact the FUN Webmasters after completing the registration process. 

If you would like to share a room but do not have a roommate, please post on the FUN discussion board.  Please note that some types of housing are limited, so register early if you would like a particular layout.

• Traditional Dorm Housing in Rall Hall, Seager Hall, or Geiger Hall. All 3 dorms are located next to or across the street from the science center. These are traditional dorms with 2 beds per room, a community bathroom, and a common space for the entire floor.
  • Standard Room with 2 beds (price per room)
    • Three night total = $315
    • Four night total = $420
      • If you already have a roommate, please include their name in the roommate comment box.
• Suite Housing in Ward Hall. This dorm is located across the street from the dining hall/a block from the science center and has several different layouts. You can either reserve a single in a suite, or a double in a suite. Note that suite housing is limited. 
  • 5 room suites – these have 5 singles in a suite that share a bathroom and common space.
    • Single Occupancy (price per room in a suite)
      • Three nights total = $236.25
      • Four nights total = $315
        • If you would like to designate individuals in suite, please include their names in the suite comment box
  • 2 room suites – Each suite has 2 rooms, and each room with 2 beds that share a bathroom and common space in the middle
    • Room Occupancy (price per room)
      • Three night total = $315
      • Four night total = $420
        • If you already have a roommate, please include their name in the roommate comment box.
        • If you would like to share a suite with 1-2 others, please include their name(s) in the suite comment box
  • Standard Room with 2 beds – these rooms have 2 beds each
    • Room Occupancy (price per room)
      • Three night total = $315
      • Four night total = $420
        • If you already have a roommate, please include their name in the roommate comment box.

 
In the comment box for your housing selection, please also identify any required needs or accommodations (e.g., ADA-compliant restroom, rolling access and automatic doors, visual/audio alarms).  

Full refunds for registration cancellations are available up until May 1st, 2026.