Join Mike Massimino, former NASA astronaut, as he relates his time in space with the feelings of isolation and loneliness that many of our teachers and students are experiencing in this distance/virtual learning environment. Mike’s message is a reminder to all of us, that in spite of the physical distancing, we can (and, should!) stay “connected” to one another.

SPEAKERS:
Mike Massimino (Columbia University: New York, NY)

Every day a small number of zoo nutritionists around the world apply any and every gram of knowledge they can find to ensure the nutritional welfare of the animals in our care. This isn’t just simply “STEM-ming the heck out of it,” but often taking it the next step to ensure all of those disciplines effectively collaborate to come up with practical solutions to help feed some of the rarest animals on the planet. We’ll share how we approach diet design for everything from ants to zebras, the true meaning of “comparative nutrition,” and how every component of STEM is engaged daily to help save species through appropriate nutrition. 

SPEAKERS:
Mike Maslanka (Smithsonian National Zoological Park: Washington, DC)

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed gaps in U.S. science education. Our curricula have not been prioritizing learning about the relationships between issues of social justice and scientific phenomena, like the inequitable impact of the pandemic or environmental degradation. Meanwhile, powerful protests against anti-blackness have made more and more science educators aware of the need to enact anti-racist science teaching. Discussion centers on principles and examples of teaching about Social Justice Science Issues (SJSI) in high school science courses, introductory college science courses, and in preservice science teacher education.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Morales-Doyle (University of Illinois Chicago: Chicago, IL)