This opening session of the first conference devoted to intervention optimization reflects on how the area has grown from an idea in a journal article published 20 years ago into an active field of research and real-world application. Linda Collins, Billie Nahum-Shani, and Bonnie Spring will look back on key moments in that evolution, how it has shaped intervention science (and their own work), and what they see as the most important directions ahead.

Presenters will each have one minute to provide a “taste” of their poster and make the case for why it should be on your must-see list during the lunchtime poster session. (This is the first of two Lightning Round sessions; the second takes place Tuesday morning.)

New experimental designs are expanding what’s possible in intervention optimization, and trial design development is currently a very active area of methods research. This session highlights some of the latest work in this fast-moving space, including both methodological advances and practical considerations for applying them.

This is the first of two sessions on the integration of intervention optimization and implementation science. Intervention optimization and implementation science have a close kinship because they want the same thing: for interventions to be successfully applied in the intended population and to make the greatest possible impact. (Also see Session 5 on Tuesday.)

Scientists using intervention optimization frequently pursue creative, out-of-the-box applications. This session features three examples that showcase the breadth of what’s possible, and, we hope, spark ideas you can take back to your own work.

This is the second of two sessions on the integration of intervention optimization and implementation science. Intervention optimization and implementation science have a close kinship because they want the same thing: for interventions to be successfully applied in the intended population and to make the greatest possible impact. (Also see Session 3 on Monday.)

Intervention optimization involves striking a strategic balance among competing priorities. Often these priorities concern economic considerations. For example, it may be necessary to choose between two versions of an intervention: a better-performing but less affordable version, and a less well-performing but more affordable version. In this session we hear from two leaders in methods for optimizing interventions while taking economic considerations into account.

Ideas from computer science and industrial and control engineering are woven into the fabric of intervention optimization. The very concept of intervention optimization was drawn from here. In this session two leaders bridging these fields, one from computer science and one from control engineering, will share recent work and what it suggests for the next wave of intervention optimization.

Community engagement is now widely recognized as essential in intervention science. Because intervention optimization is still a relatively young area, best practices for integrating community engagement are actively developing—but the upside is huge for building more relevant, high-impact interventions. This session features investigators with hands-on experience conducting community-engaged intervention optimization, with an emphasis on lessons learned and practical approaches.

Early-career attendees are invited to a dedicated reception to network with each other. Come to connect with people you may be learning from and collaborating with for your entire future career. If you are an early career scientist at any rank (even trainee) and did not receive an invitation, approach any of the conference staff and we will provide one. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Hear directly from NIH program officials about funding opportunities and strategies for intervention optimization research, along with practical tips for positioning your ideas in today’s funding environment.

Hear directly from NIH program officials about funding opportunities and strategies for intervention optimization research, along with practical tips for positioning your ideas in today’s funding environment.

As the conference winds down, this session turns to what’s next by spotlighting three rising early-career investigators and their work. It’s a chance to hear fresh ideas and meet people you’ll likely be seeing a lot more of in the field.

This closing plenary is designed as an open, interactive discussion. After two and a half days focused on intervention optimization, you may have questions you want to put on the table: places where concepts feel fuzzy, assumptions worth challenging, tensions in the literature. Billie Nahum-Shani will facilitate a group conversation to surface these issues and help shape priorities for future research. A brief summary of the themes that emerge will be posted on interventionoptimization.org.