Key Takeaways
- • Arkansas State University is hosting Catalyst NEA 2026 on November 5, 2026, at the Embassy Suites Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro, with tickets and sponsorship opportunities now available for the economic development and leadership forum.
- • The 2026 forum will feature four panel discussions focused on AI and cybersecurity workforce development, research partnerships, workforce preparation, and rural health innovation—addressing how public and private sectors can collaborate to strengthen regional economies.
- • The forum has attracted 600+ attendees in each of its first two years, positioning it as a significant convening for business leaders, educators, policymakers, researchers, and innovators across Northeast Arkansas and the Mid-South region.
- • A primary panel discussion, "Innovation and Resilience: Building the AI and Cybersecurity Workforce Together," will examine strategies for preparing the regional workforce for an AI-driven economy while strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure.
- • Calvin White Jr., interim chancellor of Arkansas State University, emphasizes the strategic value of moving university research beyond academia into practical applications that solve real problems for communities and industries, with stronger partnerships intended to accelerate discovery and economic strengthening.
Summary
Arkansas State University has announced the agenda for Catalyst NEA 2026, an economic development and leadership forum scheduled for November 5, 2026, at the Embassy Suites Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro. The university is now accepting ticket purchases and sponsorship opportunities for the event, which has established itself as a significant regional convening platform, having attracted more than 600 attendees in each of its first two years of operation.
The 2026 forum will feature four panel discussions designed to examine the intersection of research, education, industry, and public leadership in strengthening regional economic development, workforce preparation, and quality of life. The program structure reflects a deliberate focus on translating academic and research capabilities into practical solutions for pressing regional challenges. One headline panel, titled "Innovation and Resilience: Building the AI and Cybersecurity Workforce Together," will address how the region can prepare workers for an AI-driven economy while simultaneously strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure—a dual imperative reflecting both opportunity and risk in technology-driven sectors. Additional topics will address rural health innovation and workforce development initiatives across the broader Mid-South region.
Calvin White Jr., interim chancellor of Arkansas State University, framed the forum's strategic purpose around bridging institutional research and real-world application. He stated that "research has the greatest value when it moves beyond the university and helps solve real problems for the people and industries we serve," and emphasized that creating stronger partnerships between public and private leaders can "accelerate discovery, strengthen our economy and produce solutions with an impact well beyond Northeast Arkansas." This positioning suggests the university views Catalyst NEA as a mechanism for converting academic expertise into economic development outcomes at both regional and state levels.
The forum brings together a cross-sector audience including business leaders, educators, policymakers, researchers, and innovators, targeting conversations around issues shaping the future of Northeast Arkansas, Arkansas broadly, and the Mid-South economic region. The emphasis on AI, cybersecurity, workforce development, and rural health reflects current regional and national priorities in infrastructure modernization and workforce readiness.
The 2026 forum will feature four panel discussions designed to examine the intersection of research, education, industry, and public leadership in strengthening regional economic development, workforce preparation, and quality of life. The program structure reflects a deliberate focus on translating academic and research capabilities into practical solutions for pressing regional challenges. One headline panel, titled "Innovation and Resilience: Building the AI and Cybersecurity Workforce Together," will address how the region can prepare workers for an AI-driven economy while simultaneously strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure—a dual imperative reflecting both opportunity and risk in technology-driven sectors. Additional topics will address rural health innovation and workforce development initiatives across the broader Mid-South region.
Calvin White Jr., interim chancellor of Arkansas State University, framed the forum's strategic purpose around bridging institutional research and real-world application. He stated that "research has the greatest value when it moves beyond the university and helps solve real problems for the people and industries we serve," and emphasized that creating stronger partnerships between public and private leaders can "accelerate discovery, strengthen our economy and produce solutions with an impact well beyond Northeast Arkansas." This positioning suggests the university views Catalyst NEA as a mechanism for converting academic expertise into economic development outcomes at both regional and state levels.
The forum brings together a cross-sector audience including business leaders, educators, policymakers, researchers, and innovators, targeting conversations around issues shaping the future of Northeast Arkansas, Arkansas broadly, and the Mid-South economic region. The emphasis on AI, cybersecurity, workforce development, and rural health reflects current regional and national priorities in infrastructure modernization and workforce readiness.
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