Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jennifer DeWitt

Dr. Jennifer DeWitt is a research and evaluation consultant, specializing in learning and engagement, particularly in informal settings. She is keenly interested in bridging research and practice and has been referred to as a ‘friendly academic’, embracing the challenges faced by practitioners in the informal sector as they try to make the most of the opportunities they can offer audiences. In addition to her consultancy work, Jen is a Senior Research Fellow at the University College London Institute of Education , where she is a member of the research team developing and applying the concept of science capital, and she has particularly focused on the development of instruments to measure this construct. Her broader research and evaluation interests include learning and engagement in early years, families and school groups in informal environments, including the implications of work on science capital for equitable practice in these settings. Prior to moving to London for her PhD in science education (which focused on school trips to science museums and centers), she worked for the Children’s Museum of Houston as their Early Childhood Educator, the New York Botanical Garden and Scholastic.

Special panelist, Dennis schatz

Dennis Schatz is Senior Fellow at the Institute of Learning Innovation, as well as Senior Advisor at Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington. He is also President of the NSTA (National Science Teaching Association) board of directors. 

Dennis is Co-PI of the NSF funded Broader Impact Design (BID) Partnerships project to develop sustained institutional relationships between universities and ISE institutions regarding the delivery of broader impact activities provided by research scientists.

He was the founding Field Editor of the journal, Connected Science Learning, which highlights links between in-school and out-of-school learning. He was also a National Science Foundation (NSF) program officer from 2011 to 2015. Dennis has received numerous honors.  Most recently, Asteroid 25232 was renamed Asteroid Schatz by the International Astronomical Union IAU) in recognition of his leadership in astronomy and science education.

Featured speaker: Emily Graslie

Emily Graslie was born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota. After moving to Missoula, Montana to pursue an undergraduate degree in fine art painting, she fell in love with the campus vertebrate research collection as a place of artistic inspiration. What started off as a passionate volunteering position within a small museum eventually transformed into a full-time career as an advocate for these under-appreciated repositories. Now she lives in Chicago, and works as The Field Museum's 'Chief Curiosity Correspondent,' where she uses a variety of new media to communicate the importance of natural history museums with the world.

Science in the hundred acre wood

Kenneth Fleming, Science Between the Pages

The Night sky: preserving dark skies

Marc Wetzel and Keely Finklestein, University of Texas McDonald Observatory

Fostering the Next Generation of Informal Educators through Partnerships

Sandi Cooper, Barbara Purdum-Cassidy, Karynecia Connor, and Madelyn Greenleaf, Baylor University School of Education, Rachel Moore, Dr. Pepper Museum

Running and Jumping and Picking Up Sticks: Using “child’s passions” to create engaging lessons

Katherine Renee Martin, Partners in Education, Agriculture, and Sustainability (PEAS)

A pathway to memory care and access programming

Tonya McDaniel, Dallas Zoo

Why Should Kids Have All the Fun? Campus Campouts as a Pathway to Nature and Community

Jennifer Evans and Jordan Joly, Families in Nature

Emerging Science Identities: The Power of Reflection, Connection, and Inclusion

Sierra Berry, Denver Museum of Nature and Science; Miami University

Portal to the Public:  Strengthening Public Engagement with Science

Sarah Miller, Michael Scullin, and Melissa Mullins, Mayborn Museum; Baylor University, Dennis Schatz, Pacific Science Center

Perceptions of Spiders After Participating in a Community Science Activity

Bria Marty and Kristy Daniel, Texas State University

Birds of a Feather:  Evaluation Common Interest Meet-Up

Dr. Brooke Miller, The University of Texas at Austin

Quick Career Advice: Wisdom from ISE Professionals

Emily Weerts, Wildly Supportive

Deep in the heart: a Texas wildlife story

Jay Kleberg, Fin and Fur Films

Panel Discussion:  Creating and Nurturing Science Learning Partnerships for High Impact

Charlie Walter, Mayborn Museum, Dennis Schatz, Pacific Nature Center and NSTA Board President, Sarah Coles, Texas Children in Nature Network, Judy York, Educational Service Center Region 12 Science Specialist/LexLabs at the BRIC

Leaping the hurdles of data collection in Informal Science Institutions

Jenn Idema, Kristy Daniel

Making Science Learning Lifelong, Lifewide, and Lifedeep:  What We Know About the Importance of Out-of-School (Informal) STEM Learning

Dennis Schatz, Pacific Science Center

Using Academic Research to Provide Support for Your Organization

Dr. Brooke Miller, The University of Texas at Austin

Transforming the Audience Narrative:  Engaging in Adult Programming

Cindee Millard and Amber Hansen, Mayborn Museum, Dr. Kim McCray, Museum Studies; Baylor University

wild about science: a field experience collaboration

Leah Kahn, Stephen F. Austin University

Interpretive basics and beyond

Melissa Felty and Danielle Bradley, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

the mayborn as a learning lab

Sherry DeHay, Lesa Bush, Emily Clark and Dr. Kim McCray, Baylor University Mayborn Museum and Museum Studies Department

the future of ise pop-up session

Lucy Hale, Dustin Miller, Kristin Evans

workshop: The Environmental Facilitator: Creating Natural Connections

Patrick Olsen and Nicholas Cowey, Lower Colorado River Authority

workshop: Science Storytelling Through Shadow Puppetry

Emily Weerts, Wildly  Supportive; Katie Struth, 4-H Capital

Workshop: Fields of Dreams: Supporting Early Childhood Educators and Creating Future Lifelong Learners

Cheryl Potemkin, Botanical Research Institute of Texas; Amanda McMickle, Anna Lewis, San Antonio Zoo and Dallas Zoo

Workshop: Social Media Marketing 101:  Developing a Strategy, Creating Impactful Posts, and Measuring Engagement

Sarah Jenevein, UTeach Institute at the University of Texas at Austin; Michael Malloy, The Thinkery