What's on this page

• Agenda at a glance: condensed 2.5-day schedule with meal, reception, and break timing.
• NIH Funding Panel: Wednesday morning panelists and roundtable leads.
• Poster Directory: all 80 posters, searchable by presenter, title, or poster number, with lightning talk indicators.
• Presenter Guidelines: poster dimensions, lightning talk format, slide upload details.
• Venue & Logistics: Wi-Fi, parking, dining, accessibility notes.
• Attendee Resources: code of conduct, photo policy, post-conference follow-ups.

Panel Discussion · 8:00–8:45 AM

A 45-minute panel format with NIH program officials. Panelists will briefly describe their institute's current priorities relevant to intervention optimization research, then take questions from the audience on funding mechanisms, application strategy, and the current funding environment.

NIAAA

Robert (Bob) Freeman, PhD

Deputy Director, Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research

Dr. Freeman joined NIAAA in 2002 and oversees research portfolios on alcohol-related violence and on HIV/AIDS risk among people who drink. He has served on numerous federal panels addressing youth violence, teen dating violence, child maltreatment, and intimate partner violence, and was recognized with an HHS Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics initiative.

NHLBI

Cara C. Lewis, PhD

Deputy Director, Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science

Dr. Lewis is a clinical psychologist and implementation science methodologist, serving as Deputy Director of the Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science (CTRIS) at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Before joining NHLBI, she was a Senior Investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute and a past President of the Society for Implementation Research Collaboration. Her prior work focused on developing pragmatic, rigorous measures and methods for the field, and on articulating the causal mechanisms that make implementation strategies work.

NCI

Richard (Rick) P. Moser, PhD

Training Director and Research Methods Coordinator, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences

Dr. Moser leads the fellowship training program for DCCPS and provides methodological support across the Behavioral Research Program. He serves as co-director of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) and directs the Grid-Enabled Measures project. His interests span statistical methodology, survey methods, data harmonization, and health cognitions.

NCI

Yvonne M. Prutzman, PhD, MPH

Program Director, Tobacco Control Research Branch, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences

Dr. Prutzman holds a doctorate in clinical psychology with a behavioral medicine emphasis and an MPH in epidemiology. Her portfolio centers on the prevention and treatment of tobacco use, with particular expertise in e-health approaches to cessation and in the population-level dissemination of interventions through internet and mobile platforms. She has been closely involved with NCI's Smokefree.gov initiative and Smokefree Women.

NIA

Melissa Riddle, PhD

Acting Branch Chief, Translational Behavioral and Psychological Science Branch, Division of Behavioral and Social Research

Dr. Riddle earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Arizona and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania. She has spent more than two decades at NIH shaping behavioral and social sciences research across institutes. She began at NIDA overseeing behavioral treatments for substance use and HIV risk, served as Chief of NIDCR's Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Branch from 2007, and was a longtime coordinator of the NIH Science of Behavior Change program. At NIA, she now oversees translational behavioral intervention research relevant to aging.

NIDA

Tisha Wiley, PhD

Chief, Treatment and Recovery Services Research Branch; Associate Director for Justice Systems Research

Dr. Wiley leads a health services research portfolio focused on optimizing implementation of evidence-based addiction treatment and recovery interventions across healthcare and justice systems. Her work emphasizes systems design, financing, workforce, and cross-system coordination. Dr. Wiley has expanded NIDA's implementation and recovery science investments and leads the Justice Community Overdose Innovation Network (JCOIN), advancing research-practice partnerships to improve intervention effectiveness and scalability in real-world settings.

Roundtable Discussions · 8:45–9:15 AM

NIH officials will split into small-group tables for informal conversations. Attendees can choose which table to join based on NIH Institute. Come prepared with a specific question about your research agenda or grant plans; the table format is described below.

Getting the most out of the morning

• Come with specific questions. "What's the funding environment like?" is less useful than "I am in the middle of my K99/R00 and I'm thinking about a factorial optimization trial as my next step. Is that well positioned for an R01?"
• Prioritize one or two tables. You'll get more from 20 focused minutes at one table than hopping between three.
• Follow up by email. Officials expect it. Send a brief thank you within a week and reference the specific thing you discussed.
• Bring a one-pager on paper if you have active plans. Not required, but officials sometimes welcome a concise written summary they can keep.

Poster Presenters

Dimensions & orientation

Posters may be up to 36" × 48", in either vertical or horizontal orientation. Posters will be mounted to display boards measuring 4 feet tall by 6 feet wide. Thumbtacks will be provided.

Printing & transport

Please arrive with your poster printed in advance. We recommend (but do not require) printing on fabric for ease of travel.

Poster sessions

Both poster sessions take place in Grand Ballroom D, in the same room where lunch is served.

• Monday, May 18: 12:00–1:30 PM
• Tuesday, May 19: 12:30–2:00 PM

Your poster number (also used for your lightning talk slide if applicable) is in the Poster Directory above and will be confirmed in your logistics email.

Setup & breakdown

• Grand Ballroom D opens for poster setup at 7:30 AM each day.
• Posters must be set up by 8:00 AM on your assigned day.
• Posters must be removed by 4:00 PM on the day of your session. Any posters remaining after this time will be discarded.
• If you are staying off-site, you may leave your poster at the registration table after breakdown to pick up after the day's last plenary. Note that the table is not monitored and conference staff cannot be responsible for lost posters.

During your session

• The first 20 minutes of each session are reserved for poster presenters to eat lunch. Presenters receive priority access to the buffet.
• You may step away to eat at any point. Signs will be provided at each board to indicate that you are away briefly.

Bringing co-presenters

If additional presenters will be accompanying you, they must also be registered for the conference. Please work with Gabby Marczak (info@interventionoptimization.org) to confirm registration status.

Lightning Talk Presenters

Format

• Duration: 90 seconds or less. Your time starts as soon as you arrive at the podium. After 90 seconds, slides advance automatically and the next presenter takes the stage.
• Slides: two PowerPoint slides total (.pptx only; not Google Slides or Canva)
  • Title slide: all author names, project title, institution/affiliation, contact email (optional), funding information (optional), with your poster number in the top right corner
  • Content slide: your main research content, also with your poster number in the top right corner
• No builds, animations, or embedded audio or video
• Use large, high-contrast text for visibility from the back of the room
• No Q&A in the lightning round; direct attendees to your poster for discussion

Submission

• Submit your slides via the Qualtrics submission portal. The portal will only accept PowerPoint files.
• You will also be asked to provide a phonetic spelling of your name, so the session chair can pronounce it correctly.
• Need a starting point? Use the lightning talk template, or build your own from scratch.

On-site delivery

• All slides will be combined into a single deck before the conference
• Slides will be advanced automatically by the session chair
• You will not use your own device; speak into the microphone
• Presenter order and detailed A/V instructions ship in the logistics email

Questions?

For presenter-specific questions or anything else conference-related, email info@interventionoptimization.org.

Getting there

Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
5701 Marinelli Road, Rockville, MD 20852 · (301) 822-9200

The venue sits directly adjacent to North Bethesda Station on the Metro Red Line (formerly White Flint Station), so getting in from DCA or around DC is step-free and straightforward.

• DCA (Reagan National): approximately 22 miles, 50 minutes by car
• IAD (Dulles): approximately 27 miles, 60 minutes by car
• BWI (Baltimore/Washington): approximately 40 miles, 60 minutes by car

Parking

Conference garage rate: $3 per hour, capped at $30 per day. See the parking flyer and map for entry points.

Wi-Fi & A/V

Asking a question during a session? Microphones will be set up on stands in the aisles of the plenary room. Please use them so everyone in the room can hear, and so questions are picked up clearly on the audio feed. Program volunteers will be stationed nearby to help.

Meals

• Lunch (provided): Monday and Tuesday, served alongside the poster sessions. You can go to the buffet at any time during the lunch break, so plan to see the posters before and/or after lunch.
• Coffee and tea: served during the mid-morning break each day (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday). Other scheduled breaks are time only.
• Opening reception: Monday 5:30–7:30 PM, drinks and hors d'oeuvres, all attendees welcome
• Early Career Reception: Tuesday 6:00–8:00 PM (RSVP by May 13, see Attendee Resources below. If you identify as early-career, we want you to attend!)
• Dietary needs: if you noted a dietary restriction at registration, the catering team has it. If you need to update or add a request, email info@interventionoptimization.org by May 10.

Accessibility

The Marriott is fully ADA accessible, including session rooms and poster areas. If you requested specific accommodations at registration, staff have your request on file. For additional needs, email us at least two weeks before the event.

Nearby dining & coffee

Pike & Rose (a 10-minute walk) has the widest range of restaurants, from quick counter service to sit-down dinner. Closer options in the immediate vicinity:

• Quick coffee: Starbucks in the Marriott lobby; several additional cafes in Pike & Rose
• Grab-and-go lunch if needed: several options within a five-minute walk along Rockville Pike
• Group dinners: reservations recommended for parties larger than four, especially Monday and Tuesday evenings

Code of conduct

Intervention Optimization 2026 is committed to being a harassment-free experience for everyone. We expect all participants to treat one another with respect, across sessions, meals, receptions, and informal conversations. If you experience or witness behavior that violates this expectation, please speak with a member of the Conference Team (look for periwinkle lanyards) or stop by the registration desk, or email info@interventionoptimization.org.

Name badges & lanyards

Lanyards are color-coded so you can identify roles at a glance:

• Deep navy: attendees
• Ultra blue: session chairs, discussants, and speakers
• Periwinkle: staff and program volunteers

Your name badge will display your name, title, and affiliation, plus the conference Wi-Fi credentials on the back.

Photography

• We will have a conference photographer on-site during plenary sessions, poster sessions, and receptions.
• If you prefer not to be photographed, tell us at registration and you'll receive a marker for your badge.
• Please do not photograph slides marked "not for distribution."

Social media

• Hashtag: #IOptimize26
• Tag the hosts: CADIO (NYU) and d3center (University of Michigan) on LinkedIn
• Bluesky: @ioptimize.bsky.social
• Tag speakers. They appreciate being tagged in posts about their sessions, and it helps their work reach new audiences.
• Poster presenters: consider posting a photo of your poster with a one-sentence takeaway. Those posts tend to drive follow-up conversations after the conference.

Early Career Reception (Tuesday, May 19)

We're pleased to host a networking reception exclusively for early career attendees on Tuesday, May 19 from 6:00–8:00 PM. Join us for an informal evening of connection, conversation, and light refreshments in the conference foyer.

The reception is open to anyone at the trainee through early-career faculty level, including students, postdocs, K-awardees, and junior faculty. If you identify as early career at any rank, we want you to attend.

Slides & recordings

• Slides: speakers who have agreed to share their slides will have them posted on the public agenda page after the conference, linked from each session.
• Recordings: plenary sessions will not be recorded this year. The closing interactive plenary will be summarized and posted on interventionoptimization.org.

Staying connected after the conference

• A post-conference survey will arrive in your inbox within a week. Feedback shapes future planning and is genuinely read, not just collected.
• Consider following CADIO (NYU) and d3center (University of Michigan) on LinkedIn for future conference announcements.
• Methods papers and resources from speakers are collected on the Resources page of the public site.