2026 Conference Special Topics
Special Topic Sessions at the ITAA Annual Conference are curated sessions that focus on timely, emerging, or interdisciplinary issues relevant to the textile and apparel field. These sessions often feature a series of coordinated presentations, panels, or roundtable discussions that explore a central theme in greater depth than is typical for individual abstract presentations. Organized by members or invited experts, Special Topic Sessions aim to foster collaboration, generate dialogue, and provide a platform for innovative scholarship, pedagogy, and industry engagement that align with ITAA’s mission and strategic goals. They are intermixed within the concurrent sessions, but are indicated as a special topic. Read the sessions below to determine which ones you would like to attend
Timing for each special topic will be determined later as plans are finalized. But below is the list of the 7 Special Topics that were accepted for the 2026 ITAA Annual Conference.
SPECIAL TOPICS
1. Faculty Careers at the Intersection of Education, Scholarship, and Entrepreneurship in Fashion
Presenters: Leila Kelleher, Parsons School of Design; Ling Zhang, Rachel Eike and Bahar Hashemian, Iowa State University; Charles Freeman, Texas Christian University; Mary Ruppert-Stroescu, Washington University in St. Louis; and the moderator ChaCha Hudson, The SEWcial Café
The session explores how entrepreneurial practice can inform pedagogy, research agendas, and industry engagement, with panelists sharing examples of how business ownership strengthens classroom learning and applied research. Ethical considerations such as intellectual property, conflicts of interest, and student involvement will be examined alongside the emotional and cultural dimensions of visibility, validation, and professional legitimacy. Collectively, these conversations highlight strategies for long-term sustainability and career planning across academic and entrepreneurial pathways. The session will begin with brief moderated prompts to establish context, followed by an interactive discussion that invites audience participation through guided questions and shared reflection. Rather than positioning
educator-entrepreneurs as exceptions, the session positions entrepreneurial practice as a meaningful site of knowledge production, applied research, and professional development within fashion education.
2. “What I Wished I’d Known Before Submitting Our TAPAC Accreditation Application”
Presenters: Nancy Hodges, University of North Carolina-Greensboro; Kim Hiller, Kansas State University; Marian Mitova, Bowling Green University; Mary Simpson, Western Michigan University; Lynn Boorady, Oklahoma State University; Sanjukta Pookulangara, University of North Texas; and the moderator, Carol Warfield, Executive Director
The Moderator will introduce the presenters, each of whom represent TAPAC Accredited Programs. The Moderator and each of the panelists will give a brief description of
• their TAPAC accreditation experiences as program coordinator during the accreditation application and approval process
• the benefits and impact of the TAPAC accreditation process and approval for their program and faculty
• what they wished they would have known prior to starting the accreditation application and review process
• their experiences, insights, and recommendations regarding possible program realignments within the university and the impact of such realignments on the accreditation application and approval
• thoughts and action plans regarding their reaccreditation preparations
The session participants will be encouraged to ask questions of the panel participants, prompting discussion among the panel members and participants. The Moderator will summarize the main points of the discussion.
3. Reframing Learning Competencies for the Future: Aligning the ITAA Meta‑Goals Across Institutional and Accreditation Contexts
Presenters: Barbara Trippeer, University of North Texas; Helen X. Trejo, Cal Poly Pomona; Hye-Shin Kim, University of Delaware; and Nancy Nelson Hodges, University of North Carolina-Greensboro
The session will start with expert panelists discussing 1) Cross-institutional applicability challenges;
2) Clarity and simplification of terminology; (3) Integrating emerging skillsets (AI, data literacy, sustainability; and (4) ITAA–TAPAC distinctions and alignment opportunities. The session will then pivot to facilitated small-group dialogues and will rotate through 3 guided prompts: 1) Core elements for future-focused Meta-Goals; 2) Maintaining flexibility across varied institutional missions; and 3) Articulating ITAA's guiding framework in relation to TAPAC’s accreditation standards. Groups will record key insights on templates for synthesis. The session will finish with the panel summarizing emerging themes and outline how feedback can shape the 2026–2027 Meta-Goals revisions.
4. Beyond the “Average Consumer”: Expanding Consumer Behavior Research to Disabled and Marginalized Populations
Presenters: Kerri McBee-Black, University of Missouri; Kristen Morris, Colorado State University; Elizabeth Kealy-Morris, Manchester Metropolitan University; Young-A Lee, Auburn University; Dawn Michaelson, Auburn University and Mary Ruppert-Stroescu, Washing University in St. Louis
This session expands ITAA member engagement in disability-focused scholarship by intentionally bridging apparel design, merchandising, marketing, and consumer behavior, inviting broader participation across disciplinary boundaries. It strengthens theoretical foundations, supports pedagogical innovation, and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration by integrating disability, intersectionality, ethics, and inclusive design into consumer behavior research, advancing ITAA’s meta-goals related to human interactions with products and processes, research rigor, and professional competencies. Collectively, the session provides actionable, justice-oriented directions for research, teaching, and industry engagement that support ITAA’s commitment to high-quality curricula, theoretical innovation, and socially responsible professional practice across the global textile and apparel field.
5. Teaching Innovation and Resources Committee Award Winners
This special topic concurrent session will feature the recipients of both the Nancy Rutherford Teaching Innovation Award and the Better Buying Institute Teaching Innovation Award. Bringing these award-winning educators together into one dynamic session, each presenter will have 9 minutes to share their innovative teaching ideas, creative classroom strategies, and impactful educational practices. Attendees can expect an engaging session filled with great ideas, inspiring approaches, practical applications, and fresh perspectives designed to enhance teaching and student learning within textile and apparel education.
6. Janet Else Visiting International Scholar
The Janet Else Visiting International Scholar Program presentation will feature Kalina Kukiełko from the University of Szczecin in Poland as the 2026 Visiting International Scholar selectee. This special session provides conference attendees with the opportunity to learn from an international perspective and engage with scholarship and ideas that contribute to the global textile and apparel community. Kalina Kukiełko’s presentation, “[Presentation Title Coming Soon],” will highlight her work and offer attendees valuable insights, cross-cultural perspectives, and opportunities for scholarly dialogue and collaboration.
7. Student Best Papers
The Student Best Paper Awards session will showcase outstanding student scholarship from across the textile and apparel discipline. This special concurrent session will feature both the first-place and second-place award recipients at the doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate levels. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear presentations from emerging scholars whose research demonstrates innovation, academic excellence, and meaningful contributions to the field. The session highlights the breadth of student research within the discipline while providing a platform to recognize and celebrate exceptional student achievement.