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Special Events

National Conference in Anaheim • April 15-18, 2026

 

Enrich your participation and enhance your network

Come for the knowledge, stay for the connections, and leave with a network that will support your career.
 

Street Party

Free Events

Morning Refresh

Special Sessions

 

Mark Rober’s Street Party

Thursday, April 16, 2026 • 5:30-6:30 PM

Get Ready for a Next-Level Street Party That’s Equal Parts Science and Serious Fun

Join NSTA and Class CrunchLabs at Ana26 for an unforgettable night with YouTube legend Mark Rober and the one-and-only Science Bob, bringing jaw-dropping, high-energy science demos to the stage. With hands-on activities, local food trucks, and nonstop surprises for all ages, this street party is shaping up to be a total banger. Space is limited, but excitement is not—register now!

Register

Mark Rober Headshot

 

Free Events

  

STEM Showcase

Wednesday, April 15, 2026 • 1:00-3:00 PM

Exhibit Hall A of the Anaheim Convention Center

Connect, Collaborate and Explore at ANA26

Get ready to kick off ANA26 with an interactive STEM Showcase you won’t want to miss! Discover innovative STEM and science-based programs, connect with inspiring organizations, and explore local Anaheim attractions through hands-on displays and live demonstrations. Enjoy delicious snacks, spark new connections with fellow attendees, and dive into vibrant conversations with showcase presenters—all leading up to the opening reception and keynote at 4 pm.

Start ANA26 energized, inspired, and connected!

STEM Showcase Icon

Opening Reception

Wednesday, April 15 • 4:00-5:00 PM

Join us for an opening reception to mark the start of NSTA ANA26! We’ll keep it casual—enjoy beverages and small bites while networking with old and new friends. The event is complimentary and open to all registered conference attendees.

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Free Screening + Q&A: Chasing Time

Friday, April 16 • 4:00-5:30 PM

Ballroom B/C

Join us for a free screening of Chasing Time, followed by a live Q&A. From world-renowned photographer James Balog and award-winning director Jeff Orlowski-Yang (Chasing Ice), the film showcases breathtaking glacier imagery from around the world, highlighting the urgent reality of climate change. Enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres while you watch, then stay for the Q&A with Balog, Orlowski-Yang, and student climate activist Sawyer Duval. Seating is limited; early arrival is encouraged.

Synopsis

If a single photo can inspire change, how influential are a million images? Over the course of the 15-year Extreme Ice Survey project, photographer James Balog and his team brought some of the world’s first and most compelling visual evidence of climate change to the global stage as he depicted the rapid melting of glaciers around the world. Thoughtfully helmed by acclaimed director Jeff Orlowski-Yang (Chasing Ice, Chasing Coral, The Social Dilemma) and first-time filmmaker Sarah Keo, Chasing Time is a meditative exploration of time and mortality, following James and his crew as they bring the decades-long project to a close, cataloging more than one million images in the process. The short documentary reunites James and the Emmy-award-winning team behind Chasing Ice to capture the end of the epic undertaking and spotlight the power of an intergenerational effort to seed hope and inspire action toward a sustainable future. A beautiful tribute to the power of images and the importance of mentorship, the team examines the legacy their efforts have made on the world.

Jeff Orlowski-Yang

Jeff Orlowski-Yang is the Founder and Creative Director of Exposure Labs, a film and impact production studio that uses stories to change the world. Orlowski-Yang directed the Sundance-premiering, Emmy-winning documentaries The Social Dilemma (2020), Chasing Coral (2017) and Chasing Ice (2012), which were seen by hundreds of millions worldwide and screened everywhere from classrooms and local communities to Capitol Hill and the United Nations. Orlowski-Yang has traveled on tour representing the Sundance Institute, President Obama's Committee for the Arts and Humanities, and the National Endowment of the Arts, among many other speaking and press engagements. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.

James Balog

For nearly 40 years, photographer James Balog has broken new conceptual and artistic ground on one of the most important issues of our era: human modification of nature.

To reveal the impact of climate change, James founded the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS) in 2007. It is the most wide-ranging, ground-based, photographic study of glaciers ever conducted. The project was featured in the Emmy-winning documentary Chasing Ice, in the 2009 PBS/NOVA special Extreme Ice, and in National Geographic magazine in 2007, 2010, and 2013. His 2018 film, The Human Element, which captures the lives of everyday Americans on the frontlines of climate change, has been screened worldwide and won many awards.

James has presented his work at major public institutions like the White House, U.S. Congress, and United Nations; corporations like Apple and Qualcomm; and universities like MIT, Cornell, and Boston College. Balog’s photographs are housed in dozens of public and private art collections, including the Cantor Museum at Stanford University, Agnes Gund Collection, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Denver Art Museum, International Center of Photography, and Gilman Paper Company. They have been extensively published in most of the world’s major picture-oriented magazines, including National Geographic, Life, Vanity Fair, and The New York Times Magazine.

James is Cornell University’s A.D. White Professor-at-Large and is the recipient of dozens of awards and academic accolades. An avid mountaineer, he is the author of nine books; his latest is The Human Element: A Time Capsule from the Anthropocene.

Sawyer Duval

Sawyer Duval is a senior in high school who has been involved in legislative actions for years. His senior project involves organizing over 20,000 students throughout the state of Washington to advocate for a bottle bill since the only glass recycling plant in the state closed in 2024. During his freshman and sophomore year, he met with elected officials to lobby for groundbreaking producer responsibility bills that would hold packaging companies responsible for eliminating plastic waste and establishing a consistent and effective recycling program statewide. A bill passed this last April! Sawyer feeds his passion for a sustainable future as a leader of a student environmental club in his high school. Next year, he plans to pursue a degree in education to become a teacher.

Chasing Time Film Poster

Closing Reception

Saturday, April 18 • 2:00-3:00 PM

Join us for the NSTA ANA26 closing reception, celebrating the end of four days of unparalleled inspiration, learning, and connection. Sip on refreshing beverages, savor delectable snacks, and mingle with fellow attendees as you relish the final moments of this incredible conference.

Drink tickets will be distributed at the final concurrent session on Saturday, beginning at 1:00 PM. Secure a ticket at the final learning session to ensure your golden opportunity to not only enjoy a refreshing beverage but also enter the running for some truly amazing prizes. Raise a glass to a successful event and your potential to win as we celebrate the collective accomplishments of NSTA ANA26.

You must be present to win, so don't miss out on this electrifying conclusion. Cheers to an unforgettable conference!

 

Morning Refresh

  

Morning Coffee Chats

Friday and Saturday, April 17-18 • 6:40-7:40 AM

Bring your favorite sunrise beverage and join us on Friday and Saturday morning for an informal get-together with your peers. Share ideas and experiences, expand your network, and connect with colleagues and friends from around the country. All are welcome to attend.

Morning Coffee Chats

Sunrise Yoga

Thursday and Friday, April 16-17 • 6:40-7:40 AM

Calling all yoga enthusiasts. Regardless of whether you’re a newbie or veteran, join yoga instructor Vivienne Allgood for a gentle warm-up; traditional vinyāsa-style yoga (balance poses, core, strength building); deep stretching for hips and hamstrings; and, of course, meditation for relaxation and de-stressing. Beginner friendly!

Morning Coffee Chats

 

Special Sessions

  

First-Timers Sessions

Wednesday, April 15 • 3:15-3:45 PM
Thursday, April 16 • 7:15-7:45 AM
New to NSTA conferences? You’re in the right place.

Whether you’re feeling curious, excited, or a little unsure, this high-energy session is your perfect launchpad into the NSTA ANA26 experience.

We'll help you:

  • Get the lay of the land—what’s happening, where, and when
  • Navigate the conference app like a pro
  • Build your own learning path from hundreds of dynamic sessions
  • Connect with other first-timers and veteran attendees
  • And yes… laugh a little while you’re at it

Think of this session as your backstage pass to everything NSTA. You’ll leave with a game plan, new connections, and the confidence to make this conference your own.
 

First Timers

High School Haven

NSTA’s High School Haven is a dedicated learning and connecting space for high school educators. Explore discipline-specific sessions, relax in our community space outfitted with cell phone charging stations, and refuel with daily afternoon snacks.

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National Conference On Science Education • Anaheim 26

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