Overview

Project Summary:
  • Our motto is “From Higher Ed to Inspire Ed”.
  • This conference is designed to inspire people who are interested in STEM degrees to form cooperative relationships with those who are preparing to teach STEM and vice-versa.
  • There will be tracks for panels, presentations, and an activity room with hands-on STEM stuff.
  • We will recruit pre-service K-12 educators (think: College of Education-enrolled undergraduates) as well as UNM STEM students (undergrads and grads who are attracted to education missions).
  • We also include experienced practitioners in STEM education from the community, such as teachers, professors, program administrators, non-profit organizers, and the like.

Project Goals:

  • for pre-service STEM educators to cultivate a sense of professional identity and connection among a community of peers before they enter full-time service
  • for successful STEM college students to articulate to pre-service teachers the experiences they had K-12 that were formative to their move into college
  • for successful STEM college students to recognize their potential role in “giving back” to the education of the next generation of STEM learners
  • for STEM field practitioners and community support organizations to connect with the coming cohorts of educators and graduates of UNM STEM and Education programs who will shortly enter the workforce

Specific STEM fields highlighted will be life sciences, earth & planetary sciences, mathematics, physics, and chemistry focused on situating them in New Mexico’s diverse K-12 education settings.

Sample Agenda with Proposed Topics:

TIME Lobo A&B

(for experienced stakeholders)

 Spirit:
(for UNM pre-service teachers)		 Alumni:

(for UNM STEM students)

 Thunderbird:

Hands-on Activities
10 AM Opening & Keynote
11 AM Central NM’s equity priorities in STEM education STEM community resources  overview Campus roles for STEM students in leading the way Open activities with STEM learning materials: robots, displays, event photos, posters, student org tables, etc

 

 
12 PM – LUNCH
1 PM What is STEM education like in rural NM? STEM as seen through ethnic and cultural lenses Reaching back to public schools
2 PM What is STEM education like in high poverty schools? Professional self-care: resources for managing stress and time when teaching Always learning, always teaching: strategies for being a mentor or tutor
3 PM Panel: STEM Community Panel: New Teachers Panel: Students