Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is becoming a mainstay in schools around the world, and the same will be true this spring at the NSTA National Conference in Nashville, March 31–April 3. There will be over 150 STEM-focused sessions, and three of the 13 featured speakers have detailed backgrounds in STEM and will be discussing STEM in their presentations. Our keynote speaker Grand Hank has the Grand Hank STEM Road Show Tour which exposes students across the United States to career opportunities in the area of STEM and energy. In 2012 he broke a Guinness World Record at our conference, and we expect no less excitement from him this year. Don’t miss Grand Hank’s keynote presentation, “Energize Science,” on March 31 in grand ballroom B/C at 9:15 AM.

J. Wesley Hall, Director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network will be holding a panel titled, “It Takes a Village: A Panel on Partnerships from Multiple Perspectives.” This session emphasizes the need for schools and systems to reach out to the larger community for assistance when incorporating STEM into your curriculum or program. J. Wesley Hall will host a Q&A session with Aimee Kennedy, Vice President for Education, Philanthropy, and STEM Learning; Oliver “Buzz” Thomas, President, Great Schools Partnership; and James P. McIntyre, Jr., Superintendent, Knox County Schools. The featured panel will take place in room 102 A/B on March 31 2:00 PM.

Jeff Goldstein’s “Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education Lecture: Thoughts on Science Education, Science, and Personal Beliefs” will be centered on the vital role in the science and STEM classroom of inquiry- and evidence-based conceptual understanding at an emotional level and its connections to both science and one’s personal beliefs. The goal of the session is to provide a thought-provoking experience for all teachers of science and STEM. This session will take place on Saturday, April 2 at 2:00 PM in Grand Ballroom C2.

The NSTA National Conference will also provide educational field trips for attendees at an extra cost. The Welcome to My Classroom is a program sponsored by the International Advisory Board is hosting two different field trips focused on STEM. Both trips are centered on exposing international participants to STEM classrooms. One trip will take participants to Hattie Cotton STEM Magnet Elementary School and the other to Stratford STEM Magnet High School, both of which are located in Nashville Tennessee.

Once you’re signed up, consider coming as a team so we can give you and your district’s team members a personalized learning experience. If you come as a team, you’ll speed through an on-site express registration, network at an exclusive welcome reception, attend customized sessions that focus your STEM implementation efforts (including a district team planning session for teams to share their learning experiences at the conference and discuss how it may be implemented back in their district and keep your team on track). Learn more here (there is no extra charge for this concierge service, but it is limited to 100 teams).

No matter what kind of STEM experience you’re looking for, the NSTA National Conference will have what you need. Whether it’s a high energy hip hop session with Grand Hank or an example of a STEM classroom, there’s something for everyone!

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

Future NSTA Conferences

2016 National Conference

• Nashville, March 31–April 3

2016 STEM Forum & Expo

• Denver, July 27–30

2016 Area Conferences

• Minneapolis, Oct. 27-29
• Portland, Nov. 10-12
• Columbus, Dec. 1-3

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