Date
December 3, 2026
Location
Van Scoyoc Associates
Washington, D.C.
Convene
Review learning objectives, core content, applied exercises, and assessments.
Help PhD students prepare for research careers
Most science and engineering PhD programs focus on academic career pathways, even though fewer than one-third of recent doctoral graduates in those fields work in academia. Students moving into industry research may be well prepared in their disciplines, yet have limited exposure to the business context, cross-functional practices, intellectual property considerations, regulatory requirements, and decision-making processes that shape research outside the university.
UIDP is asking for your help to create the Foundations for Industry Research Experiences certificate, a national, non-credit training program that will provide doctoral students with a deeper understanding of how research operates in industry. Developed as part of the Strengthen and Modernize Initiative (SAMI) and the UIDP Industry-Integrated PhD (I-PhD) Scholars Program, the program will include asynchronous modules, applied exercises, case studies, guided reflection, and assessments to help students build skills and knowledge they can carry into research settings across sectors. The UIDP Certificate Design Summit is a working session to refine and finalize that curriculum.
Your Perspective Matters
University and industry participants will help ensure the certificate is both educationally sound and grounded in the realities of connecting research to organizational goals, communicating with varied audiences, working across specialized functions, managing data and intellectual property, navigating regulatory and compliance requirements, and understanding how innovations move toward implementation.
The certificate must reflect what employers expect of early-career researchers while remaining a meaningful and scalable learning experience for students. Industry participants can help identify the knowledge, professional behaviors, and ways of working that traditional doctoral training may not emphasize. University participants can help ensure the curriculum complements existing doctoral education and professional development.
Working in module-specific teams, participants in the UIDP Certificate Design Summit will review learning objectives, core content, applied exercises, and assessments. Discussions will address gaps, duplication, and content that goes beyond the scope of a foundational certificate. The summit’s outcomes will guide final revisions and preparation for learning management system development and launch.
Nominations and Registration
Participation in the UIDP Certificate Design Summit is by invitation only. Use the button below to nominate yourself or a colleague for this exciting opportunity to shape the future of doctoral education in the U.S.
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When
Dec. 3, 2026
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. EST
Where
Van Scoyoc Associates
800 Maine Ave. SW, Washington, D.C.