TRC 22nd Annual Meeting

Building the Bridge to Our STEM Future

June 21-23, 2016

Renaissance Austin Hotel | Austin, TX

 

 

 

The TRC Annual Meeting brings together teachers, education and business leaders, policy makers, and legislators to celebrate and recognize the achievements of the Collaboratives. As a three day professional development event, the Annual Meeting provides teachers with nearly 80 breakout sessions to choose from. Featured speakers range from STEM education researchers and innovators to business leaders and STEM professionals. The Annual Meeting also provides teachers with the opportunity to network and share ideas with fellow educators from outside their region and across the state.

 

 

Kick-Off Luncheon – Teaching and Mentoring Awards

Tuesday, June 21, 12:00 – 2:00 PM

The TRC 22nd Annual Meeting will Kick-Off at noon on Tuesday with a luncheon honoring TRC teachers for excellence in teaching and mentoring. Awards are sponsored by TRC corporate and foundation partners and given each year to a select group of educators nominated by their Project Directors for exceptional leadership and student support.

 

Showcase and Dinner

Tuesday, June 21

• Showcase 5:00 PM
• Dinner 7:00 PM

Often described as a cross between a science fair and a carnival, the Showcase gives our Collaboratives a chance to show off their work with displays and demonstrations that often include hands-on activities, games, and more! Visitors are encouraged to interact with each booth as they tour the exhibit floor. Following the Showcase, dinner will be served in the hotel ballroom and features the Annual Meeting’s Keynote Speaker. The evening program will also include the presentation of the Distinguished Service Award.

 

 

General Session Speakers

 

Michael Young

• Associate Director – Environmental Systems
• Bureau of Economic Geology
• The University of Texas at Austin

Field Experiences of a Geoscientist: The Fun Side of STEM

Dr. Michael Young is Associate Director for Environmental Research and Senior Research Scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin. In this capacity, he coordinates research programs for a group of ~30 scientists involved in a variety of research spanning energy/water issues, geological sequestration of CO₂, groundwater recharge processes, water quality and resources, coastal processes and geological mapping. Previously, he served as the Acting Executive Director of the Division of Hydrologic Sciences and a Research Professor, Desert Research Institute, in Nevada. He left DRI with the academic rank of Research Professor. He earned his Ph.D. in Soil and Water Science (specializing in soil physics and hydrology) from the University of Arizona, Tucson. Dr. Young has authored or co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles, several book chapters, more than 100 presentations at scholarly meetings, and many other technical reports. He just completed a 3-year term as Editor of the Vadose Zone Journal and he sits on numerous other committees in scholarly organizations. His personal research interests and experiences include water/energy nexus; water and land impacts from energy development; groundwater recharge; and the connection between water resources, landscape development, and human interactions.

 

Brian Ellis

• Storyteller and Author
• Fox Tales International

Building A Solid Foundation for that Bridge to the Future

Drawing on the stories of groundbreaking scientists from the past, storyteller, author, and science educator Brian “Fox” Ellis will help us transport our students into the future of citizen science and crowd-sourced data collection. Did you know Darwin patented a technological adaptation on the microscope still used today and long before the internet, he pioneered crowd-sourced data collection? As Gregor Mendel, Fox will give us a foundation in genetics and challenge us in a debate of genetics and ethics. Performing as Meriwether Lewis, we will be immersed in watersheds, GPS mapping, and water quality issues. John James Audubon was the first to band a bird and prove they migrate, his work laid a foundation for a broad host of citizen science projects; Fox will share several lessons that engage your students in field ecology. Throughout this performance Fox will model ways to bring the history of science to life and use these transformational moments to engage your students in STEM based inquiry.

 

Philip Uri Treisman

• Executive Director, The Charles A. Dana Center
• Professor of Mathematics, Professor of Public Affairs
• The University of Texas at Austin

The Learning Mindset Movement and Its Implications for Addressing Opportunity Gaps

Brief educational interventions derived from recent advances in social psychology and learning theory have been demonstrated to substantially increase students’ productive persistence in tackling mathematics problems. Dr. Treisman will describe highlights of the relevant theory, their implications for instruction and equity, and the need for ethical guidelines when using psychological interventions in education.

 

TRC Vendor Fair

Wednesday, June 22, 4:30 – 6:30 PM

STEM-related vendors will have educational materials on display and be available to answer questions. Attendees are invited to meet and mingle with vendor representatives in a relaxed, reception atmosphere without the crowds of a trade-show or the pressure of a sales call. A complete list of vendors will be release, after vendor registration closes.

 

 

Closing Luncheon – Awards and Sharing

Thursday, June 23, 12:00 – 2:00 PM

 

Securing Resources to Bring STEM Instruction to the Next Level

Walter Doyle

Director of Policy and Expansion

DonorsChoose.org

This presentation will help teachers navigate DonorsChoose.org, a website that allows teachers to request the materials they need for the classroom. Those requests are then funded by both citizen and corporate donors. Teachers will be guided through the process, and then provided with “insider” tips on how to guarantee their project will be funded thanks to the numerous funding opportunities that are available.

 

Nita Beth Camp Legacy Awards

These awards are presented to two TRC Project Directors in honor of a lifetime of dedication and commitment to quality education for Texas teachers and students, exemplified by Nita Beth Camp (1940-2007), Founding Project Director of Region 7 Science Collaborative.