Iowa STEM Summit 2026: Full Schedule

TBA

Creating Opportunities for ALL Students to Become Leaders and Innovators

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

STEAM integration allows students to discover untapped talents and develop a culture of trust and confidence within the classroom community. Experts emerge, and innovation blossoms as students hone their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. We will share our STEAM journey successes, struggles, and the undeniable benefits of integrating hands-on STEAM projects into your classroom.

Presenters

Kim McCoy-Parker

5th Grade Teacher / STEAM Lab Coordinator, Four Mile Elementary / Southeast Polk Community School District

Dr. Kim McCoy-Parker is in her 11th year of teaching fifth grade at Four Mile Elementary in the Southeast Polk CSD. She also serves as the STEAM lab coordinator and model teacher. In 2022, Kim was awarded the PLTW Outstanding Teacher Award. She completed her doctoral degree in... Read More →

Kim Powell

5th Grade Teacher / STEAM Action Committee Member, Four Mile Elementary / Southeast Polk Commuity Schools

Kim Powell is in her 27th year of teaching and her 23rd year of teaching fifth grade at Four Mile Elementary. Kim serves on the building STEAM Action team and has been instrumental in designing and implementing extremely popular building-wide Makers Challenges.

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

20-Minute

Subject STEM for All
Audience Elementary Educators

TBA

Project STEM Ready-VR: Increasing Students with Disabilities in STEM

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

Students with disabilities often pursue STEM education but are less likely to complete degrees and stay in the field, facing barriers spanning attitudes, finances, and education (Hawley et al., 2014; Thurston et al., 2017). Project STEM Ready-VR, a federally funded, interdisciplinary 5-year initiative, expands capacity for youth with disabilities to enter the STEM workforce. This presentation covers barriers to competitive employment, best practices for accessible work environments, the STEM Ready curriculum, and our current research. Participants will gain insight and tools for strengthening STEM pathways for disabled young people.

Presenters

Gerta Bardhoshi

Professor of School Counseling, University of Iowa

Kenneth G. Brown

Department Executive Officer, Educational Policy & Leadership Studies; Tippie Children Professor of Management, University of Iowa

Kenneth G. Brown, Ph.D., is a scholar-practitioner with award-winning teaching and research backgrounds as well as extensive administrative experience across the University of Iowa and several Iowa-based non-profit organizations. As Associate Dean of the Tippie College of Business... Read More →

Minjoo Kang

Doctoral Student, Grant Activities Coordinator, University of Iowa

Minjoo Kang, MEd is a doctoral student in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at the University of Iowa and brings extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and their families across school, hospital, and community settings. Her research focuses on strengthening... Read More →

Allison Levine

Associate Professor of Counselor Education, University of Iowa

Dr. Allison Levine is an Associate Professor of Counselor Education and is the Program Coordinator of the nationally ranked Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling program at the University of Iowa. Dr. Levine is a counselor educator specializing in disability-informed counseling practices... Read More →

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

20-Minute

Subject STEM for All
Audience Administrators, Elementary Educators, Secondary Educators, Post Secondary Educators, Business/Community

TBA

Accessible Learning in Action

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

Services and Classroom Applications from the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled and the Instructional Materials Center
This presentation will highlight innovative teaching and learning practices—such as phenomena‑based science approaches and accessible STEM content—that support diverse learners. It will showcase collaboration and partnerships that connect schools, agencies, and statewide resources to expand instructional pathways.

During the session the staff from the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled (Library) will give an overview of the statewide services offered by the Library and its Instructional Materials Center (IMC), including braille production, large print materials, tactile graphics, accessible digital formats, and educator support. Presenters will explain how educators can request accessible educational materials, how IMC workflows support timely classroom delivery, and how the IMC connects learners with accessible literacy resources.

Abby Brown, 5th grade teacher at the Durant Community School District, will co-present to demonstrate practical, classroom strategies for integrating accessible formats into instruction. Real examples, adapted materials, and accessibility tools will be shared to help educators better support students who are blind, visually impaired, or print disabled.

Presenters

Abby Brown

5th grade teacher, Durant Community School District

Abby is a 5th grade teacher at Durant Elementary school entering her third year of teaching. She is passionate about project based learning, STEM education, and creating accessible learning experiences for all students. After completing a summer teacher externship at with the Iowa... Read More →

Leslie Heinzler

Special Services Librarian, Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

Leslie is the Special Services Librarian at the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled. She has been a librarian for over 20 years, with over 10 years at the Iowa Library for the Blind. She is passionate about accessibility and equal access to information. She enjoys... Read More →

Leland Smith

Service Specialist for the Instructional Materials Center, Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

Leland Smith brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation on accessibility in education. As a blind individual who attended Iowa public schools, he offers a firsthand perspective on the importance of accessible educational materials and inclusive learning... Read More →

Sarah Willeford

Library Director, Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

Sarah Willeford is the Library Director at the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, where she leads statewide efforts to ensure reading and information are accessible to all Iowans. With more than 25 years of experience in libraries of all types—and over 12 years with... Read More →

Friday November 6, 2026 TBA

50-Minute

Subject STEM for All
Audience Administrators, Elementary Educators, Secondary Educators, Business/Community, Post Secondary Educators, Students

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