From left: Eric Chapman, Rebekah Hersch, Michelle Popowitz, Megan Barnett, and Cinda Christian. (Courtesy: University of Maryland)
UCLA Depression Grand Challenge Executive Director Michelle Popowtiz, JD, MPH, spoke as an invited keynote panelist at the 2026 Mpact Conference, a national convening focused on research partnerships and impact, public impact and American competitiveness.
Hosted March 25–27 by the University of Maryland, College Park, the conference convened 215 professionals from academia, government, industry and the nonprofit sector, representing 65 organizations. Conference programming focused on opportunities to advance societal impact and economic development through approaches like Grand Challenge initiatives, cross-sector partnerships, unique funding strategies, and artificial intelligence.
Popowitz participated in the March 26 panel, “Addressing Grand Challenges Through Partnerships,” which brought together Grand Challenge experts from five universities to share lessons learned from operating Grand Challenge initiatives. The four panelists and moderator all came from universities at various stages of their grand challenge initiatives.
Panelists emphasized that these types of ambitious initiatives have the potential to foster transformative impact, but to succeed, they require ongoing investment and support beyond initial ideation. Success factors include continuous engagement from institutional leadership, in-kind support from university operational teams, dedicated team members for program and financial management, realistic timelines, and meaningful partnerships.
Alongside Popowitz, the panel featured Megan Barnett (University of Virginia), Cinda Christian (University of Texas at Austin), Rebekah Hersch (George Mason University), and moderator Eric Chapman (University of Maryland).
To learn more about UCLA Grand Challenges, visit the UCLA Grand Challenges website.