L.E.A.P. Conference

Responsible Authorship. Ethical Publishing.

Join us for practical guidance on ethical publishing, authorship and research integrity. Explore best practices for mentorship, responsible AI use and choosing reputable publication outlets.

April 17-18, 2026
Virtual and at East Texas A&M-Dallas

Leveraging Ethical Authorship & Publishing Practices for Early Career Engineering Faculty

East Texas A&M University and The Texas A&M University System invite you to a unique educational opportunity focused on ethical publishing practices for early-career engineering faculty. The LEAP conference brings together a variety of stakeholders in the engineering community to identify challenges and opportunities associated with responsible authorship and publication practices. Topics include preventing research misconduct and detrimental research practices, responsible authorship practices, effective mentorship, the responsible use of artificial intelligence in publishing, and determining reputable publication venues.

When

April 17-18, 2026

Attendance Options

East Texas A&M-Dallas

8750 N Central Expy
20th Floor

Virtual

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón

“Centering Ethics and Engineering in Research”

This keynote addresses the importance of centering ethics in the context of engineering research and practice. Following a historical overview, it uncovers differences in authorship contributions across engineering disciplines, discusses authorship guidelines for graduate programs, and demonstrates how research practices translate to the engineering classroom and their impact on the professional formation of students and educators.

Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón is chair and professor in the Department of Engineering Education in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida. A presidential awardee (PECASE), she is a renowned national and international leader in engineering education research and practice, earning multiple accolades and honors through professional organizations such as the National Academy of Engineering, IEEE and ASEE.

Dr. Daniel Kulp

“Keeping to the High Road: Avoiding the Ethical Pitfalls in Disseminating Your Research”

Disseminating research results through conferences, preprints or publications is just another step along the winding path of the research enterprise. Having foreknowledge of potential ethical pitfalls will allow individuals to prepare in advance and better avoid them. Publication best practices and case studies will be used to illustrate these issues.

Dr. Daniel Kulp has nearly thirty years of experience in scholarly publications across physical sciences and medicine. He has a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering and an S.B. in Applied Mathematics. Dr. Kulp is currently the past Chair of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), having served four years in that role.

Panel and Plenary Speakers

We are pleased to welcome a distinguished group of plenary and panel speakers to LEAP Conference 2026, who bring deep expertise in research integrity, compliance and scholarly publishing. Together, they will explore ethical and predatory publishing practices in the field of engineering and share practical insights to help researchers, editors and institutions uphold the highest standards of scholarship.

Learn more about our Panel and Plenary Speakers

Sponsorship

This event is sponsored by an NSF ER2 grant and co-hosted by East Texas A&M University
and The Texas A&M University System.

NSF Award: #2420689

Closeup of blue and white lanyards on a table — Process of checking in on conference congress forum event, registration desk table, visitors and attendees receiving lanyard with name badge and entry wristband bracelet and register electronic ticket

Registration

Friday, April 17

Virtual: $50 (full day)
In-Person: $100
- Includes breakfast, lunch & evening reception sponsored by the Texas A&M University System.

Saturday, April 18

Virtual: $25 (half day)
In-Person: $50 (includes breakfast & snacks)

Parking is free for on-site attendees; however, room capacity is limited. In-person conference options will be unavailable once capacity is reached.

Attendees must register for each day separately.