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Save the dates: Feb. 5-6
FOLC Fest 2026
ASU’s third annual two-day intellectual jam that gathers the brightest teaching, learning and changemaking minds across the university is back.
And this year, we're changing futures.
February 5-6, 2026
The Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU
FOLC Fest 2026 Keynote Speakers
Thursday, Feb. 5
Isabelle Hau
Executive Director, Stanford Accelerator for Learning
Join us Thursday as we kick-off FOLC Fest with an engaging keynote session about The Next Intelligence with Isabelle Hau. The Next Intelligence argues that in an AI-driven world, the most important frontier is not artificial intelligence, but relational intelligence—the human capacity to connect, collaborate, and care. Leveraging neuroscience, learning sciences, and anthropology, this keynote explores why relationships are foundational to learning and flourishing, and how we can design systems and technologies that amplify, rather than erode, our humanity.
Friday, Feb. 6
Dr. Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan
University Professor of Technology and Innovation at ASU
Day two of FOLC Fest features a keynote and fireside chat with Dr. Sethuraman “Panch” Panchanathan, whose visionary leadership at the National Science Foundation ushered in a new era of innovation focused on access, inclusion, and national competitiveness. Panch will discuss the forces reshaping the future of learning, the role of universities in driving societal impact, and how we can build systems that deliver opportunity at scale.
He will then join Dr. Nancy Gonzales, ASU’s Executive Vice President and University Provost, for a fireside chat about the forces transforming the future of learning with AI and the responsibility universities have to shape more equitable and impactful systems. Together, they will reflect on how ASU’s Changing Futures campaign connects to national efforts and how we can work across roles to create meaningful futures for all learners.
Changing Futures is our moment.
With the ASU Charter as our keystone, the Office of the University Provost is proud to, once again, host the Future of Learning Community Fest. This year, FOLC Fest will spotlight ASU Changing Futures—how we design, test and scale practices that measurably improve learning and life outcomes for all learners.
ASU Changing Futures asks: How are we (re)designing the future of learning today? We invite proposals that show concrete progress and honest lessons learned—work that centers students, advances equity, leverages evidence, and is ready to replicate or scale within ASU and beyond. We especially welcome efforts that responsibly use technology (including AI), strengthen community partnerships, improve learner belonging and success, and build the workforce and civic capacities Arizona, and the world, needs next.
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