Program and Proceedings
Conference Information
View the 5th Annual RGV STEM Education Conference full program.
Dr. Christopher Wright, Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning, & Curriculum in Drexel University’s School of Education
Dr. Christopher Wright is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning, & Curriculum in Drexel University’s School of Education and co-Director of the In/Formal Learning Linking Engineering, Science, & Technology (ILLEST) Lab at the ExCITe Center. His research deploys critical perspectives while engaging in design-based research that seeks to support opportunities for learning and positive identity development in k-12 engineering and science learning environments. This work investigates cultural and political elements within informal and formal learning spaces that could potentially impact the experiences of and learning opportunities afforded to those from historically excluded communities in STEM. By highlighting several engineering projects within the ILLEST Lab, Dr. Wright will discuss how this notion of dream spaces and dream chasing is conceived of in order to reimagine engineering and science learning environments as opportunities for affirming, cultivating, and building upon the intellectual and linguistic resources that young people possess.
Dr. Joseph A. Whittaker, Vice President for Research & Economic Development and Associate Provost at Jackson State University
Dr. Joseph A. Whittaker is currently the Vice President for Research & Economic Development and Associate Provost at Jackson State University (JSU). In these capacities, he provides support to the provost in academic affairs, and has responsibility for research, sponsored programs, regulatory compliance, technology transfer and commercialization, grants & contracts, and federal relations. Prior to joining JSU, Dr. Whittaker served as Dean and Professor of the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences at Morgan State University (MSU), and simultaneously as Associate Director of the NASA GESTAR Program at the Goddard Space Flight Center. At MSU, Dr. Whittaker led the development and implementation of several research and academic initiatives. He has served on several review panels for National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other federal agencies. Early in his academic career, he led efforts in the design and construction of the Neuroscience Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, which became the prototype for 12 additional NIH-supported Specialized Neuroscience Programs. He holds several board and committee memberships and was elected the 73rd President of Sigma Xi Scientific Research and Honor Society. Dr. Whittaker received his Ph.D. in Physiology and Biophysics from Howard University and was a Neurobiology Postdoctoral Fellow at the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center.
Preconference
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Thursday, February 10, 2022
Preconference Agenda at a Glance Start Time End Time Session 10:00 AM 2:00 PM Advisory Board Meeting (Closed Meeting) 5:00 PM 8:00 PM Preconference social on the Hammerhead Deck
Live music by Vanguard Academy High School students
Ricky Hernandez, Carlos Hernandez, Antonio Hernandez,
Miguel Hernandez, Vanesa Calvillo, Viviana Calvillo,
Nikssa Cuellar
Conference Day 1
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Friday, February 11, 2022
Conference Day 1 Agenda at a Glance Start Time End Time Session 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Check-in and onsite registration 9:00 AM 10:30 AM Concurrent Session A 10:45 AM 11:15 AM Concurrent Session B 12:15 PM 1:45 PM Luncheon featuring Keynote Speaker, Dr. Christopher Wright 2:00 PM 3:00 PM Concurrent Session C 3:15 PM 4:15 PM Concurrent Session D 3:45 PM 4:45 PM Poster Session
Conference Day 2
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Saturday, February 12, 2022
Conference Day 2 Agenda at a Glance Start Time End Time Session 8:30 AM 12:00 PM Check-in and onsite registration 9:00 AM 10:30 AM Concurrent Session E 10:45 AM 11:45 AM Concurrent Session F 12:15 PM 2:00 PM Luncheon featuring Keynote Speaker, Dr. Joseph Whittaker
Recognitions & Closing Business
About Conference
Welcome to the 5th Annual RGV STEM Education Conference. February 10 - 12, 2022.
The conference started as an idea from Dr. Chapman, a UTRGV Assistant Professor, to help STEM students from the Rio Grande Valley prepare academically, socially, and psychologically for their postsecondary education. One challenge, as Dr. Chapman states, is developing a way to leverage students’ cultural and linguistic capital to help learn math and science. According to the U.S. Department of Education, Hispanics are underrepresented in undergraduate and graduate STEM programs and are not sufficiently exposed to STEM subjects at the K-12 Level. The long-term goal of this consortium is to ensure that high quality science experiences are accessible for all students. One of Dr. Chapman's research projects will include a developing and testing science curriculum that helps students develop a deeper understanding of academic vocabulary, as well as examining the social, psychological and cultural factors that influence student participation and learning in science.
The Inaugural RGV STEM Education Conference (November 2017) hosted more than 150 educators, students, and other stakeholders. Participants addressed the challenges faced in their classrooms according to their respective STEM subject. Educators also had the chance to view posters from the UTeach Undergraduate Research projects. These students discussed topics regarding what they learned during their early field experience in Edinburg CISD High Schools; topics included teacher certification versus alternative certification, technology impact in the classrooms, collaborative learning, and other differing areas of STEM.
In order to fulfill the long-term goal, we have started collaborating with high school teachers from the McAllen District, Vanguard Academy, and La Joya ISD to develop curriculum to help students master academic vocabulary. The objective is to work collaboratively to develop asset-based science curricula that help students develop understanding of the high level, discipline specific vocabulary. The ‘multiple vocabulary strategies model’ has transformative potential to help both science teachers and students in their classroom. Dr. Chapman hopes to improve the learning of science and math, and to aid bilingual and ELL student’s recognize and utilize their knowledge of Spanish as a form of linguistic capital. This objective is targeted to influence and prepare Hispanic students to pursue careers in the STEM field.
Challenging Our Assumptions: Towards Transformative Practices in STEM Education
- Initiative Funded by The Greater Texas Foundation is funding this initiative.
- Break Out Sessions
- Free inquiry-based, hands-on STEM Teacher Workshops - chemistry, physics, math, biology, engineering, computer science! Teachers will earn CPEs!
- From preschool to college: critical discussions across the STEM disciplines
- Project based learning workshop for K-12 STEM educators
- Panel Discussion by La Joya ISD High School Student Ambassadors
- Much more!
- Conference flyer: Print the conference flyer to post or inform an educator about this event.
- Request Information: For more information, send an email to rgvstemed@utrgv.edu.
Map
Isla Grand Beach Resort at South Padre Island, TX
500 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX 78597 USA