Big Questions. Real Answers. NYC.

Step into the conversation shaping research administration right now.

Monday, August 3, 2026

This is not a traditional panel. It’s a live, unscripted conversation tackling the biggest issues facing our profession today. From funding uncertainty and research security to AI, workforce challenges, and global collaboration, expert voices will share real-time insights on what’s changing and what it means.

Moderating the conversation is Paul Mecurio, Emmy and Peabody Award Winning comedian, former lawyer, and host of the Broadway and touring show, "Permission to Speak" and the podcast, "Inside Out with Paul Mecurio". Paul is also a regular commentator on the various national television news outlets tackling a wide variety of topics of the day where he is known for leading thoughtful, energetic conversations that go beyond surface-level discussion with humor, authenticity, and insight.

Please join us on Monday, August 3rd for this special event. This session will start at 8:30 am.

About Paul Mecurio

Paul Mecurio is an Emmy & Peabody Award winning comedian for his work on “The Late Show w/Stephen Colbert.” "The Daily Show w/Jon Stewart," and “The Colbert Report.”

Paul works on and makes recurring appearances on “The Late Show w/Stephen Colbert” (including his most recent “Late Show” appearance that brought down the house and has everyone talking). Prior to that he was on staff as a performer/writer with “The Daily Show w/Jon Stewart” and worked on “The Colbert Report” helping those shows become major critical hits and household names.

He's appeared on dozens of national television shows including in his own Comedy Central and Showtime Specials, has had his own series on HBO and has made several appearances on “The Daily Show,” "The CBS Late, Late Show," HBO, “The Tonight Show,“ “Conan,” “The Late Show w/Stephen Colbert,” ESPN. PAUL’s hosted his own shows for Comedy Central and CBS as well as his own talk show. He appears regularly on ABC, CBS, NBC and as a commentator on the venerable show “CBS Sunday Morning,” CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, ESPN and HLN among others.

As an actor Paul can be seen in the films "Johnny and Clyde" starring Megan Fox and “Chuck” starring opposite Golden Globe Winner Liev Schreiber.

Paul created and stars in his hit, incredibly unique Broadway show, “Paul Mecurio’s Permission to Speak” which has been met with rave reviews and was nominated the prestigious Broadway Alliance “Most Unique Show” Award. The show is directed by legendary director and Emmy and Grammy winner Frank Oz. The show is scheduled to be taken out on a national tour and has been developed as a television/streaming property.

Paul hosts the widely popular and critically-acclaimed podcast, "Inside Out w/PAUL Mecurio" with such A-list guests as: Paul McCartney, Kevin Costner, Kyra Sedgwick, Stephen Colbert, Bill Burr, Bryan Cranston, Spike Lee, Famke Janssen, Judd Apatow, Jay Leno, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Laura Prepon, Lewis Black, Joe Walsh, Ludacris and more.

Paul has a path to entertainment that no one else has. He attended Georgetown Law School, worked on Wall Street as an attorney and investment banker at top tier firms executing billion-dollar merger and acquisition deals and then, after a chance meeting with Jay Leno, made a major career and life shift and went into entertainment full-time. PAUL has created a scripted half-hour based on his very unique life story that will be developed for television/streaming.