Scars to STARs Day® Summit: ACE Studies — The Next 30 Years

Nearly 30 years after the landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study transformed how the world understands childhood trauma and lifelong health, the third annual Scars to STARs Day® Summit: ACE Studies — The Next 30 Years will convene survivors, scientists, clinicians, policymakers, educators, and community leaders for a global conversation on the future of prevention, resilience, recovery, and systems change.

Hosted by the STAR Network Foundation, this free virtual event on Friday, May 22nd, will explore the evolving science surrounding ACEs and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), trauma-informed systems, addiction and brain health, survivor leadership, and strategies to strengthen healing and wellbeing across communities.

A Day-Long Journey — From Science to Action

The summit is structured in three chapters — Understanding Trauma and Healing, Voices of Recovery, and Building the Next 30 Years — moving participants through a carefully designed arc from scientific grounding to personal reflection to collective commitment.

The program opens with a Global Prevention and Recovery Innovation Marketplace, where participants can connect in real time with organizations advancing trauma-informed care, youth resilience, addiction recovery, survivor support, and prevention innovation from around the world.