As seen on the Today Show and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Dr. Kate Biberdorf is breaking stereotypes and blowing stuff up—all in a good pair of heels. Through her theatrical and hands-on approach to teaching, Dr. Biberdorf is breaking down the image of the stereotypical scientist, while reaching students that might otherwise be intimidated by science. Drawing forth emotional responses, rather than rote recitation of facts is key to Biberdorf ’s dynamic approach to her program, as well as to science in general. Her exciting and engaging program leaves audiences with a positive, memorable impression of science—all while diminishing the stigma around women in science.

Dr. Biberdorf is the author of Kate the Chemist: The Big Book of Experiments, a collection of 25 kid-friendly science experiments that come prepared with a messiness factor rating and a note from Kate about how each experiment works. Her newest book, Dragons vs. Unicorns, is a children's novel and was released in March 2020.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Biberdorf (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

Tim and Rob are back for tea and lively conversation as we look toward next year, once again reflecting on our use of technology in the classroom. We'll look at one of the big questions on all our minds: Now that we know what we know, how can we use that to support students in both their learning and their emotional well-being as we move back into the "new normal" classroom?

SPEAKERS:
Tim Blesse (Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Denver, CO), Robert Payo (Denver Urban Gardens: Denver, CO)

In this talk Jami will discuss strategies that can be used to build resilience, with a particular emphasis on increasing the percentage of women and underrepresented minorities that choose to pursue STEM studies. She will use examples from her experiences as one of the few African American women with a PhD in physics and discuss strategies to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Jami Valentine Miller (African American Women in Physics, Inc.: Orlando, FL)

No space suit, helmet, or rocket required for this trip into our solar system! Take a virtual journey to Saturn's largest moon, Titan, and take your first steps to becoming a scientific illustrator. Science and art both play important roles in how we understand our complex world. Art can also provide a valuable access point to STEM content for students who do not identify as "scientists."

In this fun, interactive session, get a taste of a Virtual Science Academy program from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and create your own scientific illustration. Join us to explore why methane rains from Titan’s sky and why the atmosphere is bright orange, and discover new resources for STEAM learning.

Note: Participants will need one piece of orange paper, one black-colored pencil, and one white-colored pencil, or similar materials to actively engage in this session.

SPEAKERS:
DMNS Virtual Experiences (Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Denver, CO), Jose Zuniga (Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Denver, CO)

If a student in your class is amazing at math or a wiz in the science lab, what job do you tell them they'd be good at? I think the answer we need to tell them is, “You would be a great teacher!” Students should leave our classes loving STEM and wanting to TEACH STEM! In this conversation, we will explore ways teachers can pass on both our love for STEM and our passion for our profession to our students.

SPEAKERS:
John Arthur (Meadowlark Elementary School: Salt Lake City, UT)

Simulations have long been in the instructional tool box of the science educator. With the rise of online and hybrid offerings, simulations of the real world play an increasingly important role for science students all around the globe. You will not want to miss this keynote panel hosted by highly accomplished teachers with a wide variety of experiences. The guided discussion will focus on how simulations are implemented in the classroom to maximize their instructional impact and drive inquiry.

SPEAKERS:
Scott Buhr (Hillcrest High School: Simpsonville, SC), LaShundra Young (Germantown High School: Madison, MS), Kathleen Scalise (University of Oregon: Eugene, OR), Vaughn Vick (Christ Church Episcopal School: Greenville, SC)

As science educators, what contributions can the disciplines we teach make to ongoing struggles for social and environmental justice? This presentation explains how keeping this question at the center of our work provides opportunities for our students to engage with our disciplines in deeper, more critical, and potentially transformative ways.

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

The use of socio-scientific issues as contexts for learning science, as well invoking cross-disciplinary connections, is supported in the literature as being both effective and educationally significant. STEM mandates and programs often lack this “Science-in-Context” vision. This talk aims to situate the teaching and learning of science from a sociocultural perspective of STEM, such that the need for learning it is apparent and the content being learned relevant, meaningful,  and useful.

SPEAKERS:
Dana Zeidler (University of South Florida: Tampa, FL)

Participants will be introduced to the ways you can use your local zoo as a living laboratory to teach STEM content to majors and nonmajors alike. During this interactive session, participants will explore the various ways science is used at the zoo and practice collecting behavioral data.

SPEAKERS:
Grace Fuller (Detroit Zoological Society: Royal Oak, MI)

This interactive workshop will demonstrate the pitfalls and barriers to cultural responsiveness. Participants will gain knowledge and applicable skills in cultural responsiveness that are small changes to what they are currently doing in their professional practice.

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Plotts (Council for At Risk Student Education and Professional Standards: Parrish, FL)

The general absence of disability from the educational equity lens makes it hard to determine and address the degree of underrepresentation of people with disabilities in the STEM fields. How do we close a gap that’s largely invisible? Three Noyce Scholars from Metropolitan State University of Denver offer their perspectives on this issue, and invite feedback from session participants.

SPEAKERS:
Janelle Johnson (Metropolitan State University of Denver: Denver, CO), Kimberlee Bourelle (Douglas County School District: Castle Rock, CO), Adrian Clifton (Metropolitan State University of Denver: Denver, CO), Joseph Schneiderwind (Daniel C Oakes high school: Castle Rock, CO)

Sponsoring Company: Shell

A panel of current Shell Urban Educators Development Award winners will discuss their successes and challenges with implementing a STEM curriculum to an underserved and underrepresented student population. They provide strategies, methods, and programs that address inequities while ensuring STEM is for all students.

SPEAKERS:
Tiffany Scott (Luling Elementary School: Luling, LA), Erica Stephens (John P. Freeman Optional School: Memphis, TN), John Carlo Tulinao (Amberlea Elementary School: Phoenix, AZ), Leslie White (Duval County Public Schools: Jacksonville, FL), Nakia Williams (Lukeville Upper Elementary School: Brusly, LA), Melissa Collins (John P. Freeman Optional School: Memphis, TN), Alexander Eden (Florida International University: Miami, FL), Michelle Ellis (Hunter Huss High School: Gastonia, NC), Carla Neely (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program: No City, No State), LaShan Rose (Lindley Academy Charter School: Philadelphia, PA), Cenia Santana (Sleepy Hollow High School: Sleepy Hollow, NY)

The pandemic has reminded us that learning demands strong teacher-student relationships and opportunities to connect ideas from science to students’ and families’ everyday lives and communities. Equity demands we not return to the “old normal” and that we reject the false dichotomy between learning and students’ social, cultural, emotional, and intellectual well-being. In this panel presentation, authors of the Learning Policy Institute and Spencer Foundation report “Summer Learning and Beyond: Principles for Equitable Learning Postpandemic” will describe principles grounded in the learning sciences for equitable learning in a post-pandemic world.

SPEAKERS:
William Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Shirin Vossoughi (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Christopher Collins (Cajon Valley School District: El Cajon, CA), Ann Ishimaru (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEF) Program provides a unique opportunity for K–12 STEM teachers to serve and contribute to education at the national level. In this panel session, five Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellows will share their learning journeys and experiences. During the 2020–2021 school year, with support from their administrators, they left their classrooms to spend the year working on various STEM education projects and programs with the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Department of the Interior. Given their extensive expertise in K–12 STEM teaching and leadership, they were invited to join one or more of the five Federal Interagency Working Groups to create and implement recommendations from the five-year strategic plan: Charting a Course for Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education. Through an interactive panel discussion, session participants will learn more about the Fellowship, personal pathways of the educators, the Federal STEM Education Strategic Plan, and the relevancy and potential impact of this work on education.

SPEAKERS:
Monya Ruffin (National Science Foundation: Alexandria, VA), Laura Larkin (Einstein Fellow, DoD STEM: Washington, DC), Kama Almasi (STEM Education Specialist: Reston, VA), Kelly Day (Department of Energy: No City, No State), Suzy Otto (University of Missouri), Michael Vargas (Convergence Leader: Gaithersburg, AZ)