Iowa STEM Summit 2026: Full Schedule

TBA

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

When students investigate a real 129-acre Mississippi River island donated to their community, alongside scientists, historians, conservation officers, and engineers, they become data scientists, inventors, and civic problem-solvers. In this session, student co-presenters share findings from the Towhead Island Civic Data Science Project, recognized by the Iowa Department of Education, while their teacher unpacks the instructional model behind it. Attendees will leave with a replicable framework for connecting students to authentic community problems, subject matter experts, and real stakeholders, turning bold ideas into measurable community impact.

Presenters

Pamela Joslyn

STEM Educator, Muscatine Community School District

Pamela Joslyn is a Technical Innovation teacher at Susan Clark Junior High School in Muscatine, Iowa, with 33 years of experience designing authentic, community-connected STEM learning. A 2026 Iowa STEM Teacher Award recipient, Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow, DoD STEM... Read More →

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

20-Minute

Audience Students, Business/Community
STEM Council Program STEM BEST Program, Iowa STEM Teacher Award Program

TBA

Creating Community Connections with Adobe Podcast

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

Learn to use Adobe Podcast to record and edit professional-quality interviews, even when guests aren't in the room, and Spotify for Creators to publish episodes, distribute them across major platforms, and track listener analytics. You'll see how my STEM Teacher Externship evolved into the Gather in Guttenberg podcast and now serves as the foundation for a STEM BEST student project. Walk away with practical tools, workflows, and ideas to launch your own student-led podcast.

Presenters

Nicole DeGidio

Teacher/Technology Coach, Clayton Ridge Community School District

Nicole DeGidio is the 6-12 Technology Coach, MS Computer Science teacher and HS English and Digital Media teacher at Clayton Ridge Community Schools. Passionate about empowering students through technology, Nicole creates authentic, real-world learning experiences that blend innovation... Read More →

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

20-Minute

Audience Administrators, Secondary Educators, Post Secondary Educators, Business/Community, Students
STEM Council Program Iowa STEM Teacher Externships Program, STEM BEST Program

TBA

Breaking Barriers: Engaging Hard-to-Reach Students Through Real-World STEM

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

Every educator faces the ultimate challenge: how do you captivate the student sitting in the back row with their arms crossed, convinced that school has nothing to do with their reality? The answer isn't lowering standards; it’s changing the approach.

In this high-energy, practical session, discover how to transform standard high school science curriculum into immersive, real-world STEM experiences. The presenter will share ideas used to successfully teach all required high school courses by weaving STEM concepts directly into daily lessons. You will learn how to spark curiosity in your most disengaged, hard-to-reach learners. Walk away with several ideas on how to incorporate STEM ideas into your lessons. Participants will also learn how to leverage the STEM BEST® Program and available funding to develop and expand authentic, real-world learning experiences through school and business partnerships.

Presenters

Randi Glaser

Tier 3 Science Teacher, The ALT at Valley High School in West Des Moines

Randi has taught in alternative education for a number of years. With teaching science, she loves to incoporate STEM ideas to help engage students and connect real life examples to state standards. She has won the 2024 STEM Teacher award from the state of Iowa, and has incoporated... Read More →

Tanya Hunt

STEM BEST® Program Coordinator, Iowa STEM Advisory Council

Tanya K. Hunt is an Education Program Consultant and STEM BEST® Program Coordinator with the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education. She leads the coordination and advancement of the STEM BEST® Program, supporting authentic work-based learning... Read More →

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

50-Minute

Subject STEM for All
Audience Secondary Educators
STEM Council Program STEM BEST Program

TBA

Growing STEM in our Community

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

Ankeny Centennial High School’s student-led Garden Club will show how they apply STEM to solve real-world challenges, from designing irrigation systems to growing 1,000 pounds of produce to donate to the local food pantry. Attendees will discover how students collaborate with STEM BEST® Grant recipient Orbis to build raised garden beds. Participants will engage in interactive demonstrations by comparing pantry donation bags with and without fresh produce from the club, learn how native plants and pollinators support a healthy ecosystem, and leave with seeds and practical ideas for creating innovative STEM experiences in their schools. See how the STEM BEST® Program supports this powerful example of education and community partnerships that cultivate student leadership, create meaningful real-world learning, and drive student success.

Presenters

Alice Baghdasaryan

Student Member, Ankeny Centennial Garden Club

Alice Baghdasaryan is a junior at Ankeny Centennial who is a member of the Gardening Club. She is passionate about Science Bowl and her team placed 3rd in the 2026 state competition. She intends to study cell biology in college and pursue a career in biotechnology.

Ella Campbell

Student Member, Ankeny Centennial Garden Club

My name is Ella Campbell and I am a senior at Ankeny Centennial. I spend my time running cross country, going to Gardening Club, spending time with friends, and working part time jobs. I really enjoy science and hope to one day find a job in STEM with environmental sciences.

Greta Lee

Student Member, Ankeny Centennial Garden Club

Greta Lee is a senior at Ankeny Centennial. She has been a home gardener for 3 years before joining Garden Club. Greta is passionate about food insecurity and environmental education, having served as an intern for Mobilize Green in 2026, working on projects for the NFS and Iowa Wildlife... Read More →

Porter Schlaht

Student Member, Ankeny Centennial Garden Club

Porter Schlaht is a junior at Ankeny Centennial High School and a member of the Garden Club. He enjoys houseplant care, propagation, horticulture, and sharing his knowledge with friends and family. Porter also enjoys volunteering with the Blank Park Zoo’s Zoo Crew and his local... Read More →