STEM-Tastic Teaching Showcase
Join us in the spring for this exciting, free STEM teaching conference, focusing on best practices in STEM teaching. Professional development hours are available for in-service teachers.
Saturday, April 13, 2024, 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Jean Koplin Memorial Hall,
Elmhurst University Campus
Featured Speakers
Diana Iracheta, Latina Engineer
Presentation Title: “Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators: Cultivating Success for All in STEM”
The Robert Noyce STEM Scholars Program is pleased to host Ms. Diana Iracheta as a Featured Speaker at the 2nd Annual STEMtastic Teaching Conference. Ms. Iracheta is an advocate for STEM, focused on the empowerment of women and Latinas in Engineering. She currently works as a Product Design Engineer at Werner Co. She is also the founder of Latina Engineer, the Diana Iracheta Foundation NFP, and the International Latina Engineer Week Conference. Through these organizations, she has provided resources, career support, inspiration, and scholarships for Latina students and young professionals.
Steve and Sheila Conner, The HEPH Foundation
Preparing for a Future Beyond Imagination: DREAM T.E.A.M.S Engaged!
Why is my child talking about engineering class at home?!” That’s what parents asked a STEM teacher at parent-teacher conferences. The answer was HEPH. The project-based, gamified, learner-centered, standards-aligned STEM/STEAM brainchild of Steve and Sheila Conner. The HEPH mission? To help disengaged learners suspend their disbelief and take an edutaining STEM ride into the unknown. Because as Steve and Sheila say, “You can’t fail if you can respawn!” Heph programs achieve 95% engagement and 75% of their students advancement in reading and math.
Showcase Information and Schedule
Proudly sponsored by the National Science Foundation Noyce Promoting Inclusiveness Diversity in STEM Education (PRIDE) Teacher Scholar Program at Elmhurst University. This STEM teaching professional learning event is for all educators, PK-12.
Interact with STEM teachers, professors, and curriculum coordinators who will showcase best practices in STEM teaching. Learn new ideas to use in your own classroom. Come and be empowered!
Participants will attend presentations based on their individual STEM teaching interests:
- Primary (PK- 3)
- Intermediate/Middle School (4-8)
- High School (9-12)
Each grade span will feature “Genius” STEM Presenters from local colleges/universities and PK-12 school districts who will share how they have engaged their students through STEM lessons, projects, demonstrations or units. Presenters were selected for their innovation, and high-quality content.
Sessions will be interactive and inspire best practices for culturally relevant pedagogy in STEM teaching and learning. Lesson ideas will incorporate the use of problem-solving, the arts, questioning, content-area literacy, hands-on activities, visual supports and collaborative inquiry.
Showcase Schedule
Empowering Minds: Culturally Sustaining STEM from Theory to Practice
- April 10, 2021
- Presenters
- Valerie Ross
- Van Richardson
- Meg Ormiston
- Theresa Y. Robinson, Ph.D.
Empowering Minds: Culturally Sustaining STEM as Literate Practices Conference
- October 17, 2020 (Virtual Conference)
- Presenters:
- Dr. Theresa Y. Robinson
- Dr. Nicole Joseph (keynote speaker—view presentation)
- Dr. Benjamin Dickman
- Dr. Ayanna F. Brown (view presentation)
- Dr. Debbie Cosgrove
Register for the Conference Below
Vendors/Resource Station Hosts
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (Great Lakes Education)
- IL Dept of Natural Resources- (Chicago Urban Fishing Program)
- DuPage Regional Office of Education- (STEM Squad)
- Incredible Bats, Inc. and the Natural Naturalist
- Elmhurst University School of Graduate Studies
- Funded in part through the National Science Foundation: Robert Noyce STEM Scholarship Program
