Schedule by Day

Wednesday, May 15

Attendee Registration and the NSTA Science Store

3:00–8:00 PM

Evening Expo Preview and Reception

4:00–6:30 PM
Light Refreshments Provided

The STEM Forum & Expo will kick off with an exclusive sneak preview of the Exhibit Hall and reception. Be among the first to take in the sights and sounds of the Expo as you enjoy complimentary refreshments throughout the exhibit hall. Exhibitors will have hands-on activities, free resources, giveaways, best practices, and more—all tailored specifically to teachers’ needs. Brand-new and soon-to-be-released STEM resources will be featured by industry leaders. Don’t forget to come back for our regular exhibit hours during our dedicated exhibit hall time on Thursday and Friday.

And, don’t be surprised to find a customized mobile Investigation Station in the middle of the exposition hall! Not just ANY trailer, but one that is custom built with a program that supports teachers with innovative lesson plans, hands-on student learning, and professional development programs that showcase cutting-edge methods for teaching science!

Keynote Speaker

6:30–8:00 PM

Ferrara Theatre, America's Center

Whether or not you’re familiar with the science series “Science Saturdays,” you won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear what Ainissa Ramirez, founder of this award-winning lecture series for children, has to say!

Ainissa’s presentation, “Why We Need Science Superheroes,” reinforces the importance of making science fun and engaging!

Click here for complete information on this talk.

Thursday, May 16

Attendee Registration and the NSTA Science Store

7:00 AM–6:30 PM

Panel Discussions

8:00–9:00 AM and 9:15–10:15 AM

The morning will begin with a set of four invited panels scheduled from 8:00 to 9:00 AM and repeated from 9:15 to 10:15 AM. This block of time will allow attendees an opportunity to hear what these panels of experts can share. Since there are no competing sessions or activities, you can plan to attend two of these panel discussions.

• What Is a STEM School and What Do STEM Schools Look Like?
• Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards
• STEM X: The New State STEM Networks—How Are They Working to Change STEM Education?
• STEM in Urban Science Education: Engaging—and Keeping—More Girls and Minorities into STEM

Click here for complete descriptions and a list of esteemed panelists.

Exhibitor Workshops

Scheduled throughout the day beginning at 10:30 AM, exhibitor workshops are a fantastic opportunity to actually put a vendor’s product/service to the test and visualize how this solution may help your students learn more effectively.

Check back in mid-March for a complete list of exhibitor workshops.

Educator Sessions

One-hour educator sessions are scheduled throughout the day—10:30 AM, 11:45 AM, 3:00 PM, 4:15 PM, and 5:30 PM. These teacher-to-teacher STEM-focused presentations follow a series of six strands.

For complete descriptions and scheduling information, select Presentation and Workshop in the session browser.

Exposition Lunch Reception

12:30–3:30 PM

Take advantage of the exclusive time to stroll through the exposition picking up tips, product samples, and ideas to spark your imagination. Enjoy a quick bite to eat, graciously provided by our sponsors.

Friday, May 17

Attendee Registration and the NSTA Science Store

7:00 AM–6:30 PM

Panel Discussions

8:00–9:00 AM and 9:15–10:15 AM

The morning will begin with a set of four invited panels scheduled from 8:00 to 9:00 AM and repeated from 9:15 to 10:15 AM. This block of time will allow attendees an opportunity to hear what these panels of experts can share. Since there are no competing sessions or activities, you can plan to attend two of these panel discussions.

• Public/Private Partnerships and Out-of-School and Informal Programs That Excite Students to the World of STEM
• Putting the “T” and “E” in Your STEM Program
• A Whole-School Approach to STEM—What You Need to Know
• Promising STEM Programs: Three to Watch*

*Following this panel discussion, the highlighted programs will each offer in-depth and individual sessions from 9:15 to 10:15 AM.

Click here for complete descriptions and a list of esteemed panelists.

Exhibitor Workshops

Scheduled throughout the day beginning at 10:30 AM, exhibitor workshops are a fantastic opportunity to actually put a vendor’s product/service to the test and visualize how this solution may help your students learn more effectively.

Check back in mid-March for a complete list of exhibitor workshops.

Educator Sessions

One-hour educator sessions are scheduled throughout the day—10:30 AM, 11:45 AM, 3:00 PM, 4:15 PM, and 5:30 PM. These teacher-to-teacher STEM-focused presentations follow a series of six strands.

For complete descriptions and scheduling information, select Presentation and Workshop in the session browser.

Exposition Lunch Reception

12:30–3:30 PM

Take advantage of the exclusive time to stroll through the exposition picking up tips, product samples, and ideas to spark your imagination. Enjoy a quick bite to eat, graciously provided by our sponsors.

Roundtable Discussions

4:15–6:30 PM

Make plans to attend the roundtable discussions on how to improve the academic experiences of students and to better prepare them for successful STEM-related careers. The roundtables include stakeholders from business/industry, higher education, career and technology training programs, and secondary teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Family STEM Night

7:30–9:30 PM
Majestic A–D, Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel
Open to all registrants at no additional cost, but tickets (#M-1) are required.

Join us for a fun-filled evening at Family STEM Night. Learn how to organize and run a successful Family STEM Night in your school and/or community using standard-based materials. Activities will focus on three key areas—elementary, middle level, and high school students/families. Sign up for this event when you register online or, if you have already registered, please contact conferences@nsta.org to sign up.

Saturday, May 18

Closing Session

8:00–10:00 AM

The closing session will provide an opportunity to hear discussions regarding tools and applications that were shared during the STEM Forum & Expo. Each of the six strand leaders (PreK–2, 3–5, 6–9, 10–12, Effective STEM Partnerships, and Administrators) will provide a brief report. Questions will be answered at the end of these reports.

This session will conclude with insights on STEM education from young people. Motivated local high school students will discuss educational opportunities that have been available to them. The students will relay their concerns about any potential lack of skills in STEM subject areas that might have better prepared them as they graduate from high school as well as share their visions and dreams of securing STEM-related careers and what kind of support they will need to move more successfully in that direction.