Keynote Speaker: John H. Falk, Director Institute of Learning Innovation; Sea Grant Professor Emeritus Oregon State University

The Role of Informal Science Education in the 21st Century

Dr. John H. Falk is internationally acknowledged as a leading expert on free-choice learning; the learning that occurs while visiting museums or parks, watching educational television or surfing the Internet for information. Dr. Falk has authored over two hundred scholarly articles and chapters in the areas of learning, biology and education and more than two dozen books.  His most recent book is Born to Choose: Evolution, Self & Well-Being (Routledge, 2017).

Featured Speakers: Dr. Rob Rouse & Katie Krummeck, Southern Methodist University Maker Education Project

Dr. Rob Rouse is a Clinical Assistant Professor at SMU's Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education & Human Development. At SMU, Rob supervises first-year teachers; teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in STEM education; and chairs the STEM education committee.  In his work with the Maker Education Project, Rob supports teachers implementing high-quality maker-based instruction by conducting professional development and consulting with educators from public and private schools in DFW.

Katie Krummeck is Co-Director with Rob in SMU’s Maker Education Project at the Lyle School of Engineering and an educator by training, a maker by trial and error, a learning experience designer and a steadfast believer in the power of empathy to bring compassionate solutions to the messiest of human problems.  Katie brought the SparkTruck project to SMU to further her work in developing maker-based instructional strategies to support teachers authentically integrating maker-based learning experiences into their classrooms.

Featured Speaker: Koshi Dhingra, Founder and Director talkSTEM.org

Dr. Koshi Dhingra is the Founder and Director of talkSTEM, a non-profit organization that designs unique Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) educational experiences in all settings for all people, with a focus on pre-K-12 providers. She has over 25 years experience in the field of science education as teacher, researcher, teacher educator, and administrator in New York, New Jersey and Texas.  She was previously Director at the Science and Engineering Education Center at University of Texas at Dallas, where she helped to launch Contact Science, a community outreach program delivered in partnership with public libraries and other free choice educational settings.

Educators League: Fostering Interdisciplinary Learning in DFW and Beyond

Erin Shields, Texas Discovery Gardens and Ani Simmons, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

How to have F.U.N. (Families United in Nature)

Anna Lewis and Stephanie Casalini, Dallas Zoo and Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park

Utilizing Gardens for Science: Let's Be Practical

Lauren Zappone Maples, Partners for Education, Agriculture and Sustainability (PEAS); Joe Phillips, Farmessori at Near North Montessori; and Kim Aman, Moss Haven Farms

Is this real life or fantasy: Make STEM relevant to the real-life issues of underserved populations

Mercadi Crawford, TXPOST

Beyond the Bus: Engaging Students Outside of the Traditional Museum Field Trip

Jessica Liken, Jessie Crowley, and Chris Strganac, Perot Museum of Nature and Science

walkSTEM: Touring the World with a STEM Lens

Christine Dietz, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, and Mary Cary Peterson, Mount Auburn STEAM Academy, Dallas ISD

Engage Learners with Physics Challenges: Explore the Engineering Process with buoyancy, density, & volume

Alan Small, Castleberry ISD and Worth Learning, Inc.

STEMprov: Improv for Science Educators

Nichole Bennett, STEMprov

1 Baggie, 4 Activities

Jessica Skelton, Girlstart

Junk Science and Fake News: Fighting Back with Science and Media Literacy

Sarah Morris, Nucleus Learning Network

Nature Play for Early Childhood Students

Sara Ramirez and Mark Broughton, Dallas ISD Environmental Education Center

Planting the Seed of Stewardship: Education and Interpretation

Danielle Bradley and Rick Torres, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Utilizing Project-Based Learning to Engage Learners

Dillon Chevalier, Education Consultant

Ask Me Anything!: A Panel Discussion on Careers, Leadership, and Longevity in the Field

Mercadi Crawford, Texas Partnership for Out of School Time; Brenda Lopez, Thinkery; Johnnie Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife; Christina Soontornvat, STEM Education Consultant

We Are Citizen Astronomers: How Anyone Can Make Real Science Contributions in NASA Research

Dr. Keely Finkelstein and Marc Wetzel, University of Texas, McDonald Observatory

Workshop: Mapping How People Learn

Kristin Evans, University of Texas Marine Science Institute/Mission-Aransas NERR

Workshop: Evaluation Research in Informal STEM Education

Dr. Chris Mosely, UTSA; Melissa Paschke, Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center; Johnnie Smith, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department; Haily Summerford, Friends of the Fort Worth Nature Center

Workshop: Maker Programming Is for Everyone (Yes, Even You!)

Karen Wylie, Thinkery; Emily Clark, Mayborn Museum; Jacie Hood, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Workshop: Gender Inclusive Programming with NASA!

Kate Woodward Young, Texas Girls Collaborative Project