Integrating STEM + KC, a deconstructed conference plus networked improvement community focused on increasing postsecondary STEM completion rates in the KC region.

We planned a conference and then there was a pandemic. Instead of a multi-day Zoom, Integrating STEM offered a deconstructed conference with staggered events to hopefully maximize participation and engagement during times of strained cognitive and emotional bandwidth.

We welcomed participants interested in collaboratively designing and implementing STEM education improvements to prepare a diverse STEM workforce.


Launch Session part 1

  • Title: Integrating STEM + KC and an ecosystem approach

  • Date & time: Thursday, 19 November 2020 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 noon

  • Format: online synchronous via Zoom

Agenda

  • Welcome and overview of Integrating STEM + KC


Led by the KC STEM Alliance, STEM Connect-KC is a hub of STEM resources helping K-12 families connect with STEM opportunities where they can explore, engage and immerse in STEM. Learn how you can connect to twenty lead organizations representing all parts of the community that are working together to build a dynamic ecosystem in support of the STEM talent pipeline.


  • Call to Action


[there was a 30 minute break between part 1 and part 2]

Launch Session part 2

  • working title: Integrating STEM + KC: Addressing new problems with novel techniques using timeless tools

  • Date & time: Thursday, 19 November 2020 @ 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

  • Format: online synchronous via Zoom

Agenda

  • The Story Sets the Stage: How effective storytelling and listening can transform STEM education - Laura Packer, proprietor, ThinkStory

The stories we tell ourselves shape our lives, our work, our programs and our institutions. This is true for STEM education as much as any other field. How can we find, craft, support, and co-create stories that are meaningful and effective not only for the teller but for the listeners as well? How can we join our diverse voices into a common, constructive tale? Join storyteller Laura Packer for an exploration of how storytelling can empower students, educators, administrators, and more, while supporting many voices and creating space for more.


  • How building connected learning communities around STEM research and practice helped the College of Engineering at UGA to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic (and how they didn’t) presented by Dr. Nicola Sochacka

In this presentation, I will describe the principles that guided the establishment of the Engineering Education Transformations Institute (EETI) in the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia. As the Associate Director for Research Initiation in this Institute, I will focus on my efforts to support technical faculty in designing, getting funding for, and implementing educational research projects. I will also describe the faculty development and community building goals of EETI, and how these activities placed our college in a strong position to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

In the second half of my talk, I will describe the research design and findings from an NSF-funded RAPID project (#2028452) that we received to investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on student, staff, and faculty experiences in our College. I will detail the novel, mixed methods research methodology we adopted, called SenseMaker®, and how we are using real-time results to improve the experiences of all members of our community, including challenges we are coming up against. I will conclude with a discussion of how to translate research findings into impact at the local and national level.

  • Keeping connected to upcoming events