Big Ten Academic Alliance

Thanks to Dr. Jen Heemstra for delivering an incredible keynote presentation to Big Ten member institutions. As a co-founder of , an initiative with the goal of eradicating negative environments in academic research laboratories, Dr. Heemstra’s expertise created a great learning experience with real-world applications for Big Ten faculty.

After a decade of leadership, Big Ten Academic Alliance President Keith Marshall has announced his retirement.

Over the past 10 years, Keith has helped strengthen collaboration across member institutions, advancing initiatives that support research, technology, and student success across the consortium.

We are grateful for his leadership and lasting impact on the Big Ten Academic Alliance and wish him all the best in his retirement.

A national search for his replacement will begin soon.

Read the full announcement: https://btaa.org/about/news/2026/05/11/big-ten-academic-alliance-president-keith-marshall-to-retire-after-a-decade-of-leadership

At the Big Ten Academic Alliance, we are proud to offer the International Research Experience Program. This program is a partnership with the FIGURE Network in France, which brings high achieving students to the USA for short-term research experiences in our Big Ten University labs. We will have a record 16 IREP scholars at 7 Big Ten Universities this year. Learn more about IREP on our website https://btaa.org/international/international-research-experience-program-(irep)

Congratulations to our Big Ten Academic Alliance schools. Proud to be a part of your excellence.

HOME TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPS IN ALL THREE!

Since women’s basketball became an NCAA sport in 1981-82, this is the second time a conference has won the football, women’s basketball, and men’s basketball national titles.

The Big Ten is the first to do it with three different schools.

Open access publishing is a core priority for the Big Ten Academic Alliance, and we are proud to support a national effort to better understand diamond open access publishing in the United States.

Diamond open access journals make research freely available to readers without charging authors fees to publish. These community-supported journals play an important role in keeping scholarship accessible, sustainable, and equitable.

Together with , the Ten Academic Alliance Libraries, and the Digital Library, and with support from the Foundation, we are inviting journal editors and publishing programs to complete a short national survey (about 10 minutes) to help map the diamond OA landscape in the U.S.

Your participation will help inform future work on infrastructure, policy, and funding for open access publishing.

Survey link: www.tinyurl.com/mappingdoa

Please share with colleagues involved in journal publishing.

Registration is open for the 2026 Big Ten GIS Conference — and submission deadlines are coming up soon.

On April 17, this virtual event brings together students, faculty, researchers, and geospatial professionals from across the Big Ten and beyond to share work, exchange ideas, and explore developments in geospatial research and teaching.

If you’re considering submitting, now is the time:
➡️ Presentations & Lightning Talks — Deadline: March 5
➡️ Map Gallery — Deadline: March 23

Join colleagues from across the Big Ten and beyond for a day of geospatial research, teaching, and collaboration.

Register + submit: z.umn.edu/bigtengis

The 2026 Big Ten Academic Alliance Professional Development Program on Internationalization is officially underway!

This year's cohort brings together 17 staff members from 10 Big Ten Academic Alliance universities for six months of collaborative learning on global engagement, internationalization strategy, and cross-institutional connection, ending in a field experience to Ireland.

Meet the Cohort: 👇
https://btaa.org/about/news/2026/02/20/impactful-big-ten-internationalization-staff-development-program-launches-2026-cohort

Calling all Women+ in Technology!

Your next career move deserves more than a formatted list of job duties. Join us for "Beyond the Bullet Points: Crafting a Resume That Tells Your Story" — a professional development session designed by and for Big Ten women in tech.

Walk away with actionable strategies to showcase your skills, expert insights from peers who've been there, and the confidence to stand out in a competitive market.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain practical tips and boost your confidence as you take the next step in your career.

Register Here 👇 https://btaa.org/technology/big-ten-academic-alliance-women-in-technology-group

📢 The BTAA-GIN is now accepting proposals for the Big Ten GIS Conference 2026 — a free virtual event on April 17, 2026, open to students, educators, researchers, and professionals from all institutions.

🟢 Presentations & Lightning Talks → Deadline: March 5, 8 PM CST
🟢 Map Gallery Submissions → Deadline: March 23, 8 PM CST

The Big Ten Academic Alliance Geospatial Information Network (BTAA-GIN) is a collaboration of library-affiliated staff supporting geospatial research, advancing open-source tools, and creating space for professionals to connect and grow — including through the Annual GIS Conference. Registration opens soon!

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About the Big Ten GIS Conference The Big Ten GIS Conference is a virtual event with presentations, panels, and a map gallery.