Science, Connection, and Community: Summer RosettaCon 2026 Recap

Featured image is a group photo of Summer RosettaCon 2026 in-person attendees.

With over 600 in-person and virtual attendees, 56 scientific talks, nearly 200 posters, 16 breakout sessions, 5 keynotes, 4 career panels, 3 tutorials, and countless networking opportunities, Summer RosettaCon 2026 was our largest event to date. Hosted for the first time at the University of Washington in Seattle, the conference took place from August 3–7, 2026, in the Husky Union Building (HUB).

Shared meals, impromptu meetings, and lively Q&A sessions sparked fresh ideas and new collaborations. The conference kicked off with a keynote presentation by David Baker on “Claude and Coffee,” followed by a panel discussion on the current and future role of AI in protein design.

Daily scientific sessions featured presentations from an international array of researchers, from graduate students to principal investigators (PIs), highlighting advancements in biomolecular modeling and design across academia and industry. Each evening, a keynote speaker presented their groundbreaking research:

• Alex Rives – Language Modeling Materializes a World Model of Protein Biology
• Jeff Way (for Pam Silver) – Designing Proteins for Health and Sustainability
• Alanna Schepartz – Mini-proteins That Efficiently Reach the Cytosol, With and Without Macromolecular Cargo

Three of the evenings featured poster sessions packed with wall-to-wall science. PIs, postdocs, and graduate students presented their research alongside trainees from the Rosetta Commons Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. REU trainees introduced their work with one-minute lightning talks at the start of each session. Congratulations to the poster session winners:

• Adrianne McCormick (University of Washington)
• Hayden Stegall (Rice University)
• Iris Zheng (Johns Hopkins University, REU)
• Gangeun Park (KAIST)
• Russell McLoughlin (University of Oregon)
• Steven Engelbretson (University of Washington, REU)

The evenings continued with social hours across various locations. HUB Games offered bowling, pool, and classic arcade games to help attendees unwind with friends old and new. A nostalgic night at Schultzy’s brought back memories for UW alumni, while an evening at the Burke Museum offered a crowd-favorite backdrop of fossils for scientific conversation.

Small-group topic breakouts and career panels allowed attendees to dive deeper into specialized subjects and explore future career paths. And in between, three hands-on tutorials guided participants through documentation, AI agent implementation, and data curation using the Rosetta Data Bazaar. This blend of science, practical instruction, and open discussion is what makes Summer RosettaCon uniquely valuable.

First-time attendees, some experiencing their very first academic conference, reported feeling welcomed and energized by the community. While Summer RosettaCon grew in scale this year, the community’s warm, collaborative culture remained as strong as ever. Access was also a priority focus area, supported in part by 60 travel awards distributed across the community.

This supportive spirit was highlighted during the closing ceremony with the presentation of the Rosetta Commons Service Awards:

• Jeffrey Gray (Director, Rosetta Commons) – Honored for over a decade of visionary leadership and outreach, including founding our transformative REU internship and postbaccalaureate training programs.
• Austin Seamann (Graduate Student, Khare Lab) – Honored for his extraordinary dedication to education, stepping up as a Bootcamp TA, and directing, editing, and producing Rosetta and ML tutorials for the broader community.

The week concluded with outdoor adventures. Attendees set off for local hikes, kayaking, whale watching, and city exploration—providing a memorable backdrop to deepen new and old friendships outside the lab.

Thank you to our Summer RosettaCon 2026 sponsors for their generous support in making these moments possible. 

Note: Photos and presentation recordings have been emailed to attendees and Rosetta Commons members, and are also accessible on the Rosetta Commons wiki.