Akuta served on the program committee alongside his colleagues Melanie Douglas (UC Santa Cruz) and Todd Shechter (University of Wisconsin-Madison) for the Data Privacy, Security, and Awareness theme. Together, they helped shape conversations on NIST compliance requirements, the role of security in research, identity proofing, and cybercrime. There is also a panel discussion featuring IT leaders on successes in cyberinfrastructure.
For those attending the event, this theme provides guidance for an ever-shifting landscape, helping leaders accelerate their technological plans and efforts at scale without compromising trust, security, or identity assurance, and doing so as a community.
Along with diverse topics, there will be a host of ways to engage at CommEX26. “Formal sessions provide frameworks, while hallway and informal conversations surface practical lessons, failures, and emerging questions,” Akuta said, speaking to his past experiences and the many ways attendees can make the best of their time at the conference.
Akuta’s perspective is grounded, yet practical with a touch of calm. He describes himself as someone who loves turning “this will be a nightmare into an oh, this wasn’t so bad,” a benefit to a community solving one giant puzzle of eclectic pieces. This balance of practicality and complexity is evident in this theme’s conference sessions, a mirror of a community that holds the same balance, revving its momentum year after year.
Q&A with Akuta: “From reactive problem solving to shared learning and collective strategy.”
What
do you see as most uncertain or fast-moving in the Emerging Technology space for R&E
in 2026?
AI governance, data sovereignty, and regulatory alignment. Institutions are
grappling with how to protect sensitive research and student data while adopting generative AI,
cloud-based research platforms, and cross-border collaborations.
Threat actors are
evolving just as quickly, using AI-enabled attacks and social engineering. At the same time,
privacy expectations from students, faculty, funders, and governments are shifting faster than
policy or compliance frameworks can keep pace.
How
does the conversation around Data Privacy, Security, and Awareness shift when
R&E leaders come together as a community rather than addressing these challenges in
isolation at their own institutions?
When higher education research and education leaders convene as a
community, the focus shifts from reactive problem-solving to shared learning and collective
strategy.
Instead of each institution reinventing solutions, leaders compare
approaches, surface common pain points, and identify scalable practices. The conversation
becomes more future-focused, emphasizing trust, shared infrastructure, and coordinated advocacy.
What
trends or recurring topics stood out as you helped shape this year’s Community Exchange
program, and what do they signal about what the community is paying closest attention to
right now?
AI risk management, zero trust architectures, identity and access
modernization, workforce readiness, and quantum computing. Data ethics and responsible research
computing also stood out.
These trends signal that the community is balancing
innovation with accountability while enabling advanced research and safeguarding data and
people. There is also strong attention on operational resilience, reflecting continued pressure
from cyber threats and resource constraints.
In
your experience, how do the conversations at Community Exchange — whether in sessions,
hallways, or informal meetups — help R&E leaders surface new questions, share
observations, and sharpen strategies?
Community Exchange creates space for candid, experience-based dialogue that
does not always happen at home institutions. Formal sessions provide frameworks, while hallway
and informal conversations surface practical lessons, failures, and emerging questions. These
interactions help leaders test assumptions, validate concerns, and refine strategies with peers
who understand the R&E context, resulting in sharper decision-making and stronger
professional networks.
As
Internet2 celebrates 30 years of community-driven progress, what feels most hopeful to
you about coming together at CommEX26? Why does this gathering matter for R&E
leaders and the institutions they serve?
What feels most hopeful is the sustained commitment to community-driven
progress…30 years of Internet2!
Internet2 continues to show that
collaboration is a strategic advantage for research and education. CommEX26 matters because it
reinforces shared purpose, builds trust, and equips leaders to navigate rapid change together.
For institutions, this gathering supports stronger security, better-informed policies, and
research environments that are innovative and responsible.
Track spotlight
With campus fraud incidents increasing and the number of ghost students on the rise, Internet2 is helping you keep your institution secure and learn everything you need to know to help prepare you for the 2027 federal mandate.
Attend Will the Real Slim Shady Please Stand Up: Practical Strategies for Improving Higher Ed Identity Proofing, a pre-conference, hands-on workshop that helps you assess your current cyberinfrastructure, identify actionable next steps, and walk away with the tools to implement robust strategies to keep your staff and student data safe and in compliance.
The workshop takes place on Monday, April 14, from 1-4:30 p.m. CT Separate registration required.
Community Makes CommEX26 Possible