The Great Lakes Aquarium, part of the network of STEM education resources in Northeast Minnesota, is hosting an all-day educator conference Saturday, November 12, designed to showcase regional learning resources and create community around Lake Superior

The Teaching with Lake Superior conference offers an opportunity to connect, explore and network while learning new ways to bring STEM and the implemantation of the Next Generation Science Standards to life with your students.

Conference registration is $20.

• Hands-on Demonstrations
• 21 sessions woth regional experts
• 7 CEUs
• Aquarium Admission and Parking
• Coffee and Snacks
• Lunch
• Access to FREE Teaching Kits for Grades K-12

Click here to learn more and to register online. Contact Samantha Smingler at 218.740.2027or ssmingler@glaquarium.org with questions.

The University of Minnesota’s Center for Early Education and Development is holding a free early mathematics conference for childcare providers and classroom teachers Thursday, November 17.  The conference keynote is by UCLA Professor Meghan Franke, on developing children’s partial understanding.  Her presentation will be followed by workshops exploring the role of counting collections, mth in children’s books, working with families to strengthen math skills, and the role that math plays in developing a child’s executive functioning.  More can be found on CEED’s website.

The agenda for the October 6-7 forum, sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association,  focused on building STEM pathways from pre-K through college, has been released.  The forum aims to bring together perspectives from the private and public sector on Minnesota’s changing demographics and workforce development.  Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate on envisioning pathways for Minnesotans, connecting education and industry, and developing a statewide perspective on these challenges.

The opening keynote on October 6 will be provided by Dr. John Olson, , Vice President & General Manager, Polaris Defense and a Director of AirSpace Minnesota.  The luncheon keynote will be Dale Klapmeier, Co-Founder & CEO, Cirrus Aircraft. Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith has been invited to provide the breakfast keynote on the second day of the conference.  A full conference agenda and registration information can be  found at AirSpaceMN website.  Early bird registration ends September 30.

Lead by the growing aerospace industry Fly to the Future on STEM Pathways: Access-Innovation-Partnership aims to bring together representatives from business, K-12 educators, higher education, STEM program providers, and the government for a dialogue on working together to design and build a strong STEM pathway for students.  The growing job opportunities in additive manufacturing, augmented reality, big data and analytics, cybersecurity, and other areas all require a strong base in the STEM disciplines.  Beyond the academic grounding students also need interactions with practitioners, career awareness, and training opportunities.

Keynote speakers for the forum include Dr. John Olson, Vice President and General Manager, Polaris Defense Strategic Advisor to Sierra Nevada Corporation and Dale Klapmeier, Co-Founder and CEO of Cirrus Aircraft and founding chair of Airspace Minnesota.

The forum is convened by the Aerospace Industries Association in partnership with AirSpace Minnesota and the Aerospace States Association. Supporting organizations include the Minnesota High Tech Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and SciMathMN. 

The 7th annual STEM Day at the Fair includes over 30 different engaging exhibits as well as a full roster of performers for the Carousel Park stage.  STEM Day opens the State Fair Thursday, August 25.  The schedule of performances is:

9:00        U of MN Raptor Center

10:00      Physics Force

11:00      Flying Gizmo Show

12:00      U of MN Raptor Center

1:00        Best of MN Science Museum

2:00        Physics Force

3:00        Flying Gizmo Show

4:00        Best of MN Science Museum

The STEM Day exhibit space includes robots, rockets, the cockpit of an F-4 fighter, math and engineering challenges, architecture and public works activities, computer coding and more.  We are grateful to our sponsors for making STEM Day possible again this year.

The 7th annual STEM Day at the Minnesota State Fair promises to be bigger and yes, better, than ever.   Fair guests can get an up-close look in intriguing, interactive adventures brought to the fair by 35 organizations in the Minnesota STEM Network, an initiative of SciMathMN.  Attendees can design features for a State Fair building and a zoo exhibit; build a battery with coins; make a food web; step inside the Bell Museum’s ExploraDome to see the night sky; test principles of aerodynamics with paper airplanes and clay model cars; learn about the role of polymers in diapers and movies; experiment with water pressure; maneuver robots to tackle challenges; test your engineering abilities by building a bridge; learn about biosecurity, rocketry, aquatics robotics and computer coding; and more! On the Carousel Park Stage, engaging presentations feature the University of Minnesota Raptor Center, Physics Force, the Flying Gizmo Show, and the Best of the Science Museum of Minnesota.

 

We are grateful for the many sponsors who are making this event possible.  They include 3M, Boston Scientific, MTS, OrbitalATK, MN 360, MnDOT, and HB Fuller.