Professional Development Conference
The Professional Development Community of Practice, in collaboration with TLOS and Talent Development, is proud to announce that the fourth annual WickedCon professional development conference, "Influencing Change and Solving Wicked Problems," will be held on May 7 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the North End Center in Blacksburg, VA.
This free, full-day event is open to all Virginia Tech faculty, staff, and graduate students whose work encompasses professional and leadership development. It will be held at both the North End Center in Blacksburg and online, giving attendees flexibility to participate in the way that works best for them. Presentations and workshops will be scheduled during three, hour-long breakout sessions throughout the day.
Themes
The conference's presentations and workshops focus on these four themes:
- Leveraging Technology and Data
- Learning and Engagement Strategies
- Leadership and Driving Change
- Accessibility and Design Solutions
Schedule
Please note the times in the schedule are listed in EDT.
| Time | Location | Event | Presenter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. | NEC Lobby | Check-In | Professional Development Community of Practice |
| 8:45 a.m. | NEC 2420 / Hybrid | Welcome Announcements |
Human Resources and TLOS, Virginia Tech |
| 9 a.m. | NEC 2420 / Hybrid | Morning Keynote |
Peter Doolittle, PhD School of Education, Virginia Tech |
| 10:45 a.m. | NEC / Virtual | Breakout Session A | Choose from a variety of presentations available |
| 12 p.m. | NEC 2450 | Lunch | Hosted by TLOS and Human Resources |
| 1:30 p.m. | NEC / Virtual | Breakout Session B | Choose from a variety of presentations available |
| 2:45 p.m. | NEC / Virtual | Breakout Session C | Choose from a variety of presentations available |
| 4 p.m. | NEC 2420 / Hybrid | Closing | Professional Development Community of Practice |
Keynote Speaker
Peter Doolittle, PhD
Professor, Educational Psychology, Virginia Tech
Peter Doolittle is currently professor of educational psychology in the School of Education at Virginia Tech. He is Virginia Tech’s former Assistant Provost for Teaching and Learning, Director of the Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research, and Director of the School of Education. His academic background includes 30 years teaching undergraduate and graduate students learning, memory, and cognition; knowledge construction and function; and effective college teaching. In addition, he has provided support and consultation addressing active learning and proactive teaching, as well as pedagogical innovation to institutions worldwide. In 2013, he provided a TED talk at TED Global in Edinburgh, Scotland (How Working Memory Makes Sense of the World). His current research includes examining the theoretical foundations and practical implications of active learning, and the impact of working memory capacity on learning in digital environments.
Conference Date: May 7, 2026
Conference information, including session topics and presenter bios, is available on the registration page.
For any questions or requests for accommodations, please reach out to the Professional Development Community of Practice by email at vttraining@vt.edu.
Please note that you must be signed in using your VT ID/password to complete the registration.