Summer Group Meetings

An immersive collaborative experience designed to foster innovation, mentorship, and scientific growth across our network of universities.

Overview

The PUNC Summer Group Meetings are annual gatherings that bring together students, faculty, and researchers from member institutions. Unlike traditional conferences, these meetings are structured as intensive workshops and collaborative sessions.

Our primary purpose is to break down the silos of individual research groups. By converging in the summer, we create a dedicated space for deep-dive discussions, hands-on equipment training, and the cross-pollination of ideas that drive the next academic year's research.

A student conducting an experiment in the lab

What To Expect

Benefits for both our student researchers and faculty mentors.

For Students

  1. Present research in a supportive, constructive environment.

  2. Network with peers and potential future graduate advisors.

  3. Gain hands-on experience with specialized equipment not available at home institutions.

  4. Participate in career development workshops.

For Faculty

  1. Coordinate multi-institutional grant proposals.

  2. Share pedagogical strategies for teaching nanoscience.

  3. Mentor a diverse cohort of motivated students.

  4. Strengthen research collaborations and publication pipelines.

Upcoming Meetings

Mark your calendars for our next gathering.

Location of the next summer meeting
Confirmed Summer 2026

2026 Annual Summer Gathering

Date
August 14-16, 2026
Location
Roanoke College, VA
Focus
Focus: Nanomaterials