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Sul Ross State University and the Noyce Scholars Program will host the second annual “Science of STEM Literacy” conference on Monday, July 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Museum of the Big Bend on the Alpine campus.

This dynamic professional development event is free and open to all educators, who will earn six hours of continuing education units (CEUs). The general public is also welcome to attend. Lunch will be provided.

The Science of STEM Literacy Conference promotes innovative STEM teaching strategies and highlights ways to enhance STEM learning outcomes across K-12 and higher education settings.

The day begins with a keynote from Dr. William H. Robertson, a national leader in STEM education at the University of Texas at El Paso. His address, titled “Integrating Your Passion into STEM Education,” will focus on hands-on teaching, project-based learning and inquiry-driven science education.

Dr. Robertson is an endowed professor with expertise in science education, curriculum development, and technology integration. He is well known for developing engaging tools for STEM literacy, including the widely recognized Dr. Skateboard’s Action Science initiative. His work emphasizes making physical science accessible to middle school students through action sports like skateboarding and BMX.

The conference will feature interactive breakout sessions on:

  • Dark Skies and environmental education
  • Classroom safety in science labs
  • Project-based learning in STEM classrooms
  • Universal instructional design
  • STEM outreach by The Science Mill, an education partner based in Johnson City that promotes career exploration for youth

The lunch keynote will be presented by Dr. Jesse Kelsch, assistant professor of geology at Sul Ross. Her talk, titled “Engaging Students of All Majors with Real and Local Geoscientific Data,” will focus on Earth science education using examples from the Big Bend region.

The day concludes with a powerful keynote from Cody Cly, a Ph.D. candidate in astrophysics at UT San Antonio and a first-generation Diné Navajo scientist. His presentation, “Intercultural Science and Community Science Outreach,” will explore how STEM research can bridge cultural perspectives. Cly works with NASA SCoPE to promote STEM education on the Navajo Nation and beyond.

To learn more and register, visit https://sites.google.com/view/science-of-stem-literacy/home.

For questions, email noyce@sulross.edu.

Photo: Dr. William H. Robertson