February 20-21, 2025
Washington, D.C.
Location TBA
Event Contact
Janine Myszka
jmyszka@cra.org
Event Type
Event Category
Unlock Your Potential as an Academic Leader
The 2025 CRA Leadership Academy is designed to cultivate and inspire future leaders in computing and computing research. An every-other-year event, this in-person workshop will be held on February 20-21, 2025, in Washington, D.C., and is geared towards recently promoted or soon-to-be-promoted full professors.
Participants will explore key leadership skills, from building effective teams to understanding university budget models and navigating challenging situations. Following the in-person workshop, participants will join virtual cohort meetings to continue connecting, learning, and growing with peers. Limited scholarships are available for attendees whose institutions cannot provide funding for travel and/or the registration fee.
Key Details:
- Dates: February 20-21, 2025
- Location: Washington, D.C.
- Program Duration: Starts at 10:00 am on February 20, ends at noon on February 21
- Virtual Cohort Meetings: Dates to follow in spring 2025
- Deadline for Nominations: December 13, 2024
For questions, contact Janine Myszka at jmyszka@cra.org.
February 20, 2025 (Thursday)
| 10:00 AM | Welcome, Introductions, Discussion of goals for the Leadership Academy |
| 11:00 AM | Fireside Chat: Why be a leader?
Panelists: Dennis Livesay (MTU) and Jamie Payton (NJIT) Moderator: Manuel Pérez-Quiñones (UNCC) |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch |
| 01:15 PM | Panel: What makes a good leader?
With representatives from DARPA, NSF, ACM, Academia, and Industry. Moderator: Rachel Pottinger |
| 02:15 PM | Conversation: Everyone can be a leader
Organizer: Stephanie Ludi |
| 03:30 PM | Reception
With the CRA Leadership Academy, CRA Board Meeting attendees, and CI Fellows. |
| 05:00 PM | Presentation: The leadership job search process
With Isaacson, Miller representatives. |
| 06:30 PM | Dinner |
| 07:30 PM | Reflections on the day |
February 21, 2025 (Friday)
| 07:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 08:30 AM | The Empathetic Leader: Dealing with conflict and institutional trauma through a personalized approach |
| 09:15 AM | Panel: Leading and Managing 360
Moderator: Manuel Pérez-Quiñones (UNCC) |
| 10:00 AM | Break with Assigned Topics |
| 10:30 AM | Regroup and Report Out |
| 11:00 AM | Closing Fireside Chat: Bringing it all together and your next steps
with Bruce Childers (Pitt) Moderator: Dennis Livesay (MTU) |
2025 CRA Leadership Academy Program Committee
The CRA Leadership Academy is organized by an esteemed group of academic leaders in computing:
- Bruce Childers, University of Pittsburgh
- Kinnis Gosha, Morehouse College
- Jim Kurose, The University of Massachusetts at Amherst
- Dennis Livesay (co-chair), Michigan Technological University
- Stephanie Ludi, University of North Texas
- Dimitrios Nikolopoulos, Virginia Tech
- Manuel Pérez Quiñones (co-chair), University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Rachel Pottinger, The University of British Columbia
This program committee brings a wealth of experience in computing and academic leadership to guide participants in developing essential leadership skills.
Eligibility and Nominations
The CRA Leadership Academy is open to individuals who are approaching promotion to full professor or recently promoted in a North American academic unit that is a member of CRA. Self-nominations are welcome. You will be notified by the CRA Leadership Academy Program Committee if selected.
If you are in an academic unit that is not a member of CRA, attending the CRA Leadership Academy is possible with a non-member registration fee (if space exists). Contact jmyszka@cra.org if interested in learning more.
To participate in the 2025 CRA Leadership Academy, nominees must:
- Commit to attending the full workshop and follow-up virtual cohort meetings
- Be prepared to cover travel, hotel expenses, and a registration fee (scholarships are available for those in need of financial support)
Nomination Deadline: December 13, 2024
For any questions about eligibility or the nomination process, please contact Janine Myszka at jmyszka@cra.org.
To participate in the 2025 CRA Leadership Academy, nominees must:
- Commit to attending the full workshop and follow-up virtual cohort meetings
- Be prepared to cover travel, hotel expenses, and a registration fee (scholarships are available for those in need of financial support)
Nomination Deadline: December 13, 2024
For any questions about eligibility or the nomination process, please contact Janine Myszka at jmyszka@cra.org.
Resources for Participants
Participants will receive advance reading materials upon acceptance to the academy, designed to prepare them for active participation in discussions and exercises.
Following the in-person workshop, CRA will host a few one-hour virtual cohort meetings to help participants continue connecting and applying their skills. Dates and materials for these virtual meetings will be provided post-workshop.
For additional information and resources on CRA leadership development, visit the CRA Leadership Academy archives, including the 2023 CRA Leadership Academy webpage.
