The University of Minnesota School of Public Health’s Ignite the Spark Scholars Program (ISSP) will host a National Convening featuring a half-day program on Thursday, April 9th, and a full-day convening on Friday, April 10th, 2026 during National Public Health Week in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The event is co-sponsored by the Center for Participatory Research at the University of New Mexico, College of Population Health.

The theme of this Convening is “Igniting Voices, Sparking Action: Advancing Equity-Centered Public Health Research & Practice”. We will be bringing together researchers, community advocates, policy makers, and other changemaking leaders from across the U.S. for two days of energizing panels, engaging workgroups, and action-driven collaboration. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Deanna Wathington, Immediate Past President of the American Public Health Association.