2026 ERC EARTH Industry Forum & NSF Site Visit

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NSF EARTH warmly invites you to the University of Maryland October 19-20, 2026 for the 2026 ERC EARTH Industry Day & NSF Site Visit. 

Together, we'll explore bold ideas, transformative research, and the partnerships advancing the future of sustainable cooling. This year's featured Industry Day,“Cooling the Future: Next-Gen Data Center Industry Day,” will spotlight the innovations powering tomorrow's data centers and a more energy-efficient world. 

Whether you're attending our open Industry Day program or joining us for both days as part of the NSF Site Visit, we look forward to welcoming you to the University of Maryland this October. Registration is now open.

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EVENT VENUE

The 2026 ERC EARTH Industry Day & NSF Site Visit event will be hosted at The University of Maryland, with meetings and activities taking place in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union, a centrally located hub for campus events, dining, and collaboration.

Visit UMD

EVENT REGISTRATION

2026 ERC EARTH Industry Day & NSF Site Visit Registration

Schedule Overview 
Monday | October 19 (Open Session)
Cooling the Future: Next-Gen Data Center Industry Day 
7:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Eastern Time)

Tuesday | October 20 (Closed Session)
NSF Review
7:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Eastern Time)

Open sessions are available to all guests, while closed sessions are limited to EARTH personnel, EARTH Industrial Consortium Members, EARTH Scientific Advisory Board Members, and invited National Laboratory Partners (NDA Required).

Register Here

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Event Schedule

  EVENT SCHEDULE

Event Schedule - All times Eastern.
MONDAY | October 19, 2026 | Cooling the Future: Next-Gen Data Center Industry Day
TimeEventLocation
8:00 AMArrival and Breakfast RefreshmentsAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
8:50 AMWelcomeAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
9:00 AMNSF EARTH Overview Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
9:20 AMKeynote Address Scott Tease, CVP, HPC and Sovereign AI Business Development at AMD Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
10:05 AMBreakAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
10:30 AMCooling the Future: Next-Gen Data Center Industry Day Moderated Panel and Q&A 1Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
11:30 AMLunchAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
12:00 PMSpeaker Esube Bekele, VP of Technology for AI, IQTAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
12:30 PMCooling the Future: Next-Gen Data Center Industry Day Moderated Panel and Q&A 2Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
1:30 PMBreakAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
2:00 PMCooling the Future: Next-Gen Data Center Industry Day Moderated Panel and Q&A 3Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
Concurrent Sessions
3:00 PMUniversity of Maryland Engineering Facilities and Laboratory TourUMD Engineering Complex
3:30 PMIndustrial Advisory Board Meeting (120 min, closed session)Kim Building, Kay Boardrooms 1107 & 1111 + Virtual
4:00 PMNSF Private MeetingClark Hall, Overlook Room + Virtual
4:30 PMNSF & Council of Scholars (25 min, closed session)Kim Building, Kay Boardrooms 1107 & 1111 
5:00 PMNSF & Industrial Advisory Board (25 min, closed session)Kim Building, Kay Boardrooms 1107 & 1111 
5:30 PMNSF & Council of Deans (60 min, closed session)Kim Building, Kay Boardrooms 1107 & 1111 
5:30 PMNetworking ReceptionTBD
Concurrent Sessions End
6:30 PMDinnerTBD
  
Tuesday | October 20, 2026 | NSF Site Visit
TimeEventLocation
7:30 AMBreakfast Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
8:00 AMWelcome from Samuel Graham, Dean, Clark School of Engineering, University of MarylandAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
8:05 AMState of the EARTH Overview, Organization, and EvaluationAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
8:45 AMThrust 1 OverviewAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
9:40 AMBreakAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
10:00 AMThrusts 2 OverviewAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
10:45 AMThrusts 3 OverviewAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
11:40 AMLunch & Stakeholder IntroductionsAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
Concurrent Sessions
1:00 PMStudent Poster Symposium & Networking Reception Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom Lounge
1:00 PMNSF Private Meeting (30 min, closed session)Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Nanticoke Boardroom + Virtual
Concurrent Sessions End
2:30 PMTestbed OverviewAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
3:10 PMBreakAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
3:30 PMEngineering Workforce Development and Impact & Belonging OverviewAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
4:30 PMInnovation Ecosystem OverviewAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
5:25 PMClosing RemarksAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
5:30 PMNetworking Reception Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
5:30 PMNSF Private DinnerAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Nanticoke Boardroom
6:15 PMDinnerAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
7:00 PMSpeaker Eric Wachsman, co-Founder, Ion Storage SystemsAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
7:45 PMAwards CeremonyAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom
8:00 PMAdjournAdele H. Stamp Student Union, Grand Ballroom

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ATTENDEES

Make your visit easy and comfortable by staying at The Hotel at the University of Maryland, our recommended conference hotel. NSF ERC EARTH guests receive a special room rate of $179/night through our reserved room block.

Group Reservation Name: EARTH Fall 2026 Conference Room Block
Garage Parking Available: $16/day

The Hotel at the University of Maryland

Other Accommodation Options

the hotel

Air Travel

Reagan Washington National (DCA)

From DCA, take the Yellow Line to the Green Line and exit at College Park/U of MD. Taxi to campus: ~$40.
Reagan Washington National (DCA)

Washington Dulles International (IAD)

From Dulles, take the shuttle to West Falls Church, then Metro (Orange → Green) to College Park/U of MD. Taxi: ~$55.
Washington Dulles International (IAD)
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Baltimore-Washington International (BWI)

Take the B30 bus from BWI to Greenbelt Metro, then the Green Line one stop to College Park. Approx. cost: $9. Taxi to campus: ~$65.
Baltimore-Washington International (BWI)
Visit the University of Maryland
Visitors Guide

Campus Parking

The visitor parking map shows where visitors can park on campus.

Visitor spaces are available:
-On the street
-In surface lots
-In four of the five campus garages: Mowatt Lane Garage, Union Lane Garage, Stadium Drive Garage and Regents Drive Garage

HOURS
Visitor parking is enforced seven days a week from 7 a.m. to midnight, unless otherwise noted on the meter. With the exception of Labor Day, meters are not enforced on university-observed holidays.

RATES
$4 per hour, with a $20 daily maximum. You can pay for visitor parking through the Parkmobile app in many visitor parking zones.
map

Contact Event Coordinators