All About the NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research
In March, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released their NIH Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research. The plan offers a comprehensive roadmap to advance innovative, responsible research that promotes the health and well-being of Americans with disabilities. In this webinar, Adam Politis, NIH Senior Advisor for Disability Health Research, explained the plan’s goals, objectives, and crosscutting themes. Then, he was joined by Laurin Bixby, Lurie Institute Research Scientist, for a discussion about the plan as well as take questions from attendees.
The webinar was held online on June 9.
2025–26 Student Fellows' Presentations
Our presentation of the 2025–26 Lurie Institute student fellows and the research they conducted under the direction of their mentor took place on April 28, 2026 at 11:10 a.m ET. The webinar recording is now available.
Find out what they accomplished during the academic year!
Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship 2026
The 2026 Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship Keynote Event was held on April 28, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET. The event was held online only.
For far too long, the conversation around disability and autonomy has focused almost exclusively on basic survival and medical necessity. In this keynote lecture, writer and disability advocate Evan Sweeney will challenge this "survival-only" paradigm by centering pleasure as a fundamental human right.
Drawing from his work as a sex educator and founder of Cripping Up Sex, Evan will explore the systemic barriers that desexualize disabled bodies and the radical act of reclaiming intimacy. This session will introduce the Access Archive—a new digital library of adaptive techniques and storytelling—and offer a roadmap for moving beyond mere "access" toward a future where disabled joy and desire are recognized as essential to the human experience.
More to Come Soon!