The SciEPlay team actively shares research findings and professional learning materials with researcher and practitioner communities. Our work has been featured at regional, statewide, national, and international conferences.

Select conference photos and a full list of citations are available below.

Key research conferences include:

• American Educational Research Association (AERA)

• National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)

• Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE)

• European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA)

Key practitioner conferences include:

• National Science Teaching Association (NSTA)

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

• Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (Maine AEYC)

• International Play Association (IPA-USA)

Interested in bringing SciEPlay to your next conference or PD event?

Please contact Maranda Chung to coordinate: mchung@mmsa.org

2026

Chung, M., Charmatz, K., & Bowen, H. (2026, March 13). Setting the Stage for Play-based Science and Engineering in Early Childhood [Conference presentation]. Maine Math and Science Alliance (MMSA) STEM Professional Development Retreat, Portland, ME, United States.

Makori, H., Miller, A.R, Poniatowski, L. (2026, January 17). “Science is happening everywhere”: Exploring the impact of a play-focused professional learning intervention on early childhood educators’ beliefs about children’s science learning [Conference paper & presentation]. Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, United States.

Miller, A.R., Poniatowski, L., Makori, H.K. (2026, January 17). Using the Science and Engineering Practices Observation Protocol (SciEPOP) to identify children’s engagement with science and engineering in early learning environments [Conference PD workshop]. Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, United States.

2025

Larimore, R. & Miller, A. (2025, November 22). Seeing the Science and Engineering in Children's Play [Conference presentation]. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, United States.

Chung, M., Makori, H., & Bowen, H. (2025, November 13). SciEPlay: Supporting Play-based Science and Engineering in Early Childhood [Conference professional learning workshop]. National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), National Conference, Minneapolis, MN, United States.

Chung, M., Charmatz, K., Frazee, J., Lemont, E. (2025, October 25). SciEPlay: Nurturing Play-based Science and Engineering in Early Childhood [Conference presentation]. Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC), Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference, Portland, ME, United States.

Larimore, R. (2025, October 23). Seeing the Science and Engineering in Young Children's Play [Conference presentation]. International Play Association (IPA-USA) Conference, Louisville, KY, United States.

Chung, M., Miller, A., Makori., H. (2025, August 6). SciEPlay: Nurturing Play-based Science and Engineering in Early Childhood [Conference presentation]. Maine Department of Education Annual Summit, Waterville, ME, United States.

Chung, M., Halder, S., Kevelson, M., & Mikeska, J. (2025, June 11). Innovation Hackathon: Try It, Test It, Learn It [Conference presentation]. 2025 DRK-12 PI Meeting, Arlington, VA, United States.

Miller, A., Poniatowski, L., Makori., H., Larimore, R., & Chung, M. (2025, June 10). Bridging Preschool and Kindergarten Science: Exploring Play-based Engagement with Scientific and Engineering Practices in Early Learning Environments [Poster presentation]. General Poster Hall Session, 2025 DRK-12 PI Meeting, Arlington, VA, United States.

Makori, H., Saenz, L., Smith, S., Larimore, R., & Miller, A. (2025, April 24). Exploring Early-years Educators’ Conceptions of Science, Engineering, and Play Following a Professional Learning intervention [Conference presentation]. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, Early Childhood Strand, Denver, CO, United States.

Chung, M. (2025, March 28). Playful Sensemaking: Nurturing Science and Engineering in Early Childhood [Conference presentation]. National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) National Conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States.

Kenyon, L., Larimore, R., Chung, M., Makori, H., Miller, A., Poniatowski, L., & Smith, S. (2025, March 23). Enhancing Early Childhood Science and Engineering Practices through Professional Learning with the SciEPlay SEP Toolbox [Conference presentation]. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), International Annual Conference, National Harbor, MD, United States.

Miller, A., Poniatowski, L., Makori, H., Smith, S., Kenyon, L., Larimore, R., & Chung, M. (2025, March 23). Validating the Science and Engineering Practices Observation Protocol (SciEPOP) for Play-based Early Learning Environments [Conference presentation]. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), International Annual Conference, National Harbor, MD, United States.

Makori, H. (2025, March 19). Designing and Refining Professional Learning to Empower Early Childhood Educators in Science and Engineering Practices Through Play-Based Learning [Conference presentation]. Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) Conference, Orlando, FL, United States.

Chung, M. (2025, March 14). Supporting Play-Based Science and Engineering in Early Childhood [Conference presentation]. MMSA STEM Professional Development Retreat, Newry, ME, United States.

Lewis, J. (2025, March 14). Incorporating Loose Parts to Ignite Playful STEM Learning [Conference presentation]. MMSA STEM Professional Development Retreat, Newry, ME, United States.

Makori, H., Kenyon, L., Larimore, R., Chung, M., & Kenyon F. L. (2025, January 17). Designing and Refining Professional Learning to Empower Early Childhood Educators in Science and Engineering Practices Through Play-Based Learning [Conference presentation]. Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) 2025 International Conference, Long Beach, CA, United States.

2024

Lewis, J., Orff, L., & Beaumont, A. (2024, October 26). Loose Parts: Let's Not Only Think Outside the Box, But Beyond It [Conference presentation]. Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC), Play Date Conference, Orono, ME, United States.

Larimore, R. (2024, September 26). Seeing the Science and Engineering in Children's Play [Conference presentation]. International Play Association (IPA-USA) Conference, Greenville, South Carolina, United States.

Miller, A. (2024, September 5). Exploring and Extending Children’s Play-based Engagement with Science and Engineering Practices [Conference presentation]. European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) Conference, Symposium on Science & STEM in Play, Brighton, England.

Eshoo, M., & Miller, A. (2024, May 3). Loose Parts: How Teachers Set the Stage for STEM Learning in Outdoor Play [Conference presentation]. Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC), Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference, Portland, ME, United States.

Lewis, J., & Cook, K. (2024, May 3). Nurturing Natural Curiosity in Science and Engineering Throughout the Day [Conference presentation]. Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC), Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference, Portland, ME, United States.

Kenyon, L., & Makori, H. (2024, April 27). Deepening understanding of NGSS science and engineering practices through play [Conference presentation]. Maine Science Teachers Association, Science for All Conference, St. George, ME, United States.

Miller, A., Saenz, L., Makori, H., Cook, K., & Larimore, R. (2024, March). Using the Science and Engineering Practices Observation Protocol (SciEPOP) to identify children’s engagement with science and engineering in early learning environments [Pre-conference workshop]. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), International Annual Conference, Denver, CO, United States.

2023

Chung, M., Miller, A., & Kenyon, F. L. (2023, March). Supporting Play-Based Engagement with Science and Engineering Practices in Early Learning Environments [Conference presentation]. National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), National Conference, Atlanta, GA, United States.

Cook, K., & Kenyon L. (2023, January). Recognizing, Deepening, and Extending Play-Based Engagements with Science and Engineering Practices in Early Learning Environments [Poster presentation]. The Association for Science Teaching Education (ASTE), International Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.

2022

Miller, A., & Saenz, L. (2022, October). Exploring Science and Engineering Practices in Play [Conference presentation]. Maine Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC), Statewide Early Childhood Education Conference, Bangor, ME, United States.