IE&P at the 2026 AIR Forum

Members of Carnegie Mellon University's Institutional Effectiveness and Planning
(IE&P) office recently attended and presented at the 2026 Association for Institutional
Research (AIR) Forum in Washington, D.C. As the largest gathering of higher education
professionals focused on data-informed decision making, institutional effectiveness, and
analytics, the AIR Forum brings together practitioners and thought leaders from across
the globe to share innovative practices and advance the field of institutional research.

IE&P colleagues proudly represented Carnegie Mellon through multiple presentations
and conference activities, sharing insights and expertise with peers from across higher
education.

This year's presentations included:

Impact Session: Empowering Stakeholders with Gen-AI: Delivering Dynamic and Accessible Data
Presented by: Shannon Foster, Kirby Livingston, and Madison Speck

Institutional Data Architecture: People, Structures, and Strategy
Panel: Melissa L. Baker, along with colleagues Jason L. Wang (Georgia Institute of Technology), Ivana Fredotovic (Weber State University), and Paige Borden (University of Central Florida)

The Ripple Effect: How Small Actions Foster Strong Leadership
Panel: Henry Zheng, along with colleagues Yesenia Espinal (Howard University), Adrea L. Hernandez, PHD (University of Notre Dame), and Hui Xiong (Wellesley College)

Tableau vs. Power BI: A Case Study in Transitioning Between BI Tools
Presenters: Matthew Hoolsema and Brandon Hutton

Your AI Co-Analyst: A Practical Blueprint for Qualitative Analysis
Presenter: Kirby Livingston

Leveraging LMS Data to Enhance Academic Advising and Early AlertSystems
Presenters: Matthew Hoolsema and Diana Lomelin

Decentralized Institutional Research Through the Lens of Branch Campuses
Presenter: Malak Alseaf, along with colleague Trent Kennedy (Georgetown University)

A particular highlight of this year's conference was CMU's selection for an Impact
Session, one of only eight featured sessions offered as part of the conference's opening
program. Impact Sessions are designed to address topics of broad significance to the
profession and are among the most visible and competitive presentation opportunities at
the AIR Forum.

This marks the third consecutive year that IE&P staff have been selected to present an
Impact Session, an exceptional achievement that reflects the national recognition of our
team's expertise, innovation, and leadership within the institutional research profession.

We are also proud to recognize Henry Zheng, who was acknowledged at the
conference for his service on AIR's Nominations and Elections Committee. Henry's
contributions helped support the governance and future leadership of the association,
and his recognition reflects both his dedication to the profession and his commitment to
the broader institutional research community.

Congratulations to all our colleagues who represented Carnegie Mellon at the 2026 AIR
Forum. Their presentations, service and leadership continue to elevate both the
university and the field of institutional research.