Bridging the Gap 2024 Schedule 2024

8:30 a.m.

Check-In/Breakfast

9:00 a.m.

for All Audiences
Auditorium
Welcome & Introduction
Suzanne Wilkison – NCABR

9:10 a.m.

Opening Keynote

for All Audiences
Auditorium
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: AI in Education and What All Educators Need to Know
Vera Cubero
Emerging Technologies Consultant
Office of Digital Teaching and Learning
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

10:20 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for All Audiences
Dogwood Room
TechSpace
Navigating AI in Education: A Deep Dive into North Carolina’s AI Guidelines for Responsible AI Implementation
Vera Cubero – North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

for Middle School Audiences 
Congressional Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Plant the Moon Challenge: STEAM Skills Through Collaborative Project-Based Learning
Christine Sudzina Schut – Culbreth Middle School
Jobi Cook – NASA/NC Space Grant

for Elementary School Audiences 
Board Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Humans vs. Nature: Integrating STEM Through the Engineering Design Process
Leah Bug – The Engineering Place

for High School Audiences 
Auditorium
STEM for All
Advancing Environmental Justice (EJ) Through Historical Reflections of Warren County, N.C.
Kelly Witter – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
AJ Blackburn – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Ainsley Pollock – EPA Summer Intern and Duke University Student
Stephen Fletcher – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library
Bill Kearny – Warren County Environmental Action Team

for High School Audiences 
Jordan Room
STEM for All
LUMENS: An Agriculture and Technology Inclusion Initiative
Robert Cobb Jr. – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Paula Faulkner – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

11:10 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for All Audiences
Dogwood Room
Teacher Delight
Teachers: The Real Engine of Workforce Success
Vance Kite – Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership
Carrie Horton – Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership

for Elementary School Audiences 
Congressional Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
The Science House Presents: Shifting to Modeling and Other SEPs for Elementary
Marsha Sirkin – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Michelle Taylor Benigno – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Jason Carter – The Science House at North Carolina State University

for Middle School Audiences  for High School Audiences 
Auditorium
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
The Science House Presents: Drone Soccer
Alonzo Alexander – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Jason Painter – The Science House at North Carolina State University

for High School Audiences 
Jordan Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Hacking Hysteria: Effective Cross-Curricular PBL in AP Courses
Cassandra McClellan – Wake County Public Schools
MK Baker – Wake County Public Schools

12:00 p.m.

Lunch & Exhibitor Showcase

1:00 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for High School Audiences 
Dogwood Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Strategies to Encourage Students to Write and Talk about Science
Emma Refvem – Durham Public Schools

for Middle School Audiences 
Congressional Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
The Science House Presents: Shifting to Modeling and the SEPs in Middle School
Jason Carter – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Michelle Taylor Benigno – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Marsha Sirkin – The Science House at North Carolina State University

for High School Audiences 
Board Room
TechSpace
Ensuring Students Acquire Critical Math Skills for the Rigors of STEM Vocations and Higher Education in a Digital World
Ida L. J. Pittman – Guilford County Schools

for Middle School Audiences  for High School Audiences 
Auditorium
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
The Science House Presents: Real Teaching with Real Data
Taryn Shelton – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Jason Painter – The Science House at North Carolina State University

for All Audiences
Jordan Room
Teacher Delight
STEM Leadership in the Classroom and Beyond
Alisa Wickliff – University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Pat Shane – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Brad Rhew – Guilford County Schools

1:50 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for High School Audiences 
Dogwood Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Big Lessons from a Little Worm: How to Use C. elegans in the Lab
Kim Monahan – North Carolina School of Science and Math

for Middle School Audiences 
Congressional Room
Industry Connections
Five Practical Strategies for AI-Fueled Transdisciplinary Learning in STEM
Moni Singh – STEM For Kids

for Elementary School Audiences 
Board Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Cultivating Knowledge: Integrating Ag in the Classroom
Lindsey Stalls – Pitt County Schools
Taylor Dougherty – Pitt County Schools

for High School Audiences 
Auditorium
Industry Connections
Biopharmaceutical Industry Awareness: Lessons Learned from NIIMBL bioLOGIC Implementation in N.C.
John Balchunas – National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL)
Gregory Horesovsky – Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School
Nancy Cattrell – Apex Friendship High School
Kelly Ruff – Hickory High School
Kalyani Tawade – Wake Early College High School
Chris Thomas – North Carolina School of Science and Math

for High School Audiences  for Higher Education Audiences 
Jordan Room
Spanning Silos
Cultivating Student Connections Through the Use of Mentoring in STEM Educational Programming
LaTricia Townsend – North Carolina State University
Tameshia Baldwin – North Carolina State University
Micaha Dean Hughes – North Carolina State University
Aaron Arenas – North Carolina State University

2:30 p.m.

Break & Exhibitor Showcase

2:50 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for High School Audiences 
Dogwood Room
Spanning Silos
My Future in Biotech
Courtney Behrle – BioNetwork

for All Audiences
Congressional Room
80-minute session (ending 4:10 p.m.)
Preparing and Teaching the Whole Child
Stress First Aid: Tools for STEM Educators and Students for Managing Stress
Undi Hoffler – North Carolina Central University
Mitchell Heflin – Duke University School of Nursing
Sean Convoy – Duke University School of Nursing

for All Audiences
Board Room
STEM for All
K-16 DEI Leaders Showcase Strategies to Encourage All Learners in STEM
Michelle Ellis – Garinger High School
Jason Carter – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Katy Gash – Garinger High School

for High School Audiences 
Jordan Room
Preparing and Teaching the Whole Child
AI in the Classroom: An Ethical Dilemma
Matt Barker – Davie County High School STEM Center
Tani Caudle – Davie County High School STEM Center

3:30 p.m.

Adjourn

8:30 a.m.

Check-In/Breakfast

9:00 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for High School Audiences
Dogwood Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Using the Engineering Design Process and Hands-On Projects to Teach Teamwork and Resilience
Heather Jones – Campbell University
Kasidy Harper – Campbell University

for Middle School Audiences
Congressional Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Supporting Science and Engineering Practices Implementation in the Middle School Classroom
Melaine Rickard – The Center for Inquiry Based Learning (CIBL)
Rachael Polmanteer – The Center for Inquiry Based Learning (CIBL)
Todd Guentensberger – The Center for Inquiry Based Learning (CIBL)

for High School Audiences
Board Room
Teacher Delight
Branding Your STEM Program on LinkedIn: Creating a STEM Community
Jennifer Caligan – Cabarrus County Schools
Stetson Patton – Cabarrus County Schools/Socially Stetson

for Elementary School Audiences
Auditorium
Teacher Delight
Ready… Set… Science Resources!
Debra Hall – North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Charles Aiken – North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

for High School Audiences
Jordan Room
Preparing and Teaching the Whole Child
Educating the Mind and the Heart – Increase Outcomes Through Relationship
Regina Smith – Kearns Academy of Computer Science

9:40 a.m.

Break & Exhibitor Showcase

10:10 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for High School Audiences
Dogwood Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
The Science House Presents: Shifting to Modeling and Other SEPs for High School
Michelle Taylor Benigno – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Jason Carter – The Science House at North Carolina State University
Marsha Sirkin – The Science House at North Carolina State University

for Elementary School Audiences 
Congressional Room
TechSpace
Empowering Teachers with Computer Science
Joshua Hunter – Wake County Public Schools

for Middle School Audiences
Board Room
STEM 101
Igniting Curiosity: Transforming Science Classrooms into STEM Hubs
Valerie Sellars – Carrboro City Schools

for Elementary School Audiences 
Auditorium
Teacher Delight
Using Formative Assessment Examples in the Classroom
Debra Hall – North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Charles Aiken – North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

for Middle School Audiences
Jordan Room
STEM for All
Can You See Me? An Exploration of Successful Middle School Black Boys in STEM Courses
Obioma Chukwu – Pitt County Schools Early College High School

11:00 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for All Audiences
Dogwood Room
STEM for All
Cultivating Change: Strategies for Inclusive STEM Leadership
Christine Mitchell – Wilson County Schools
Jennifer Stalls – Pitt County Schools
José Garcia – Greene County Schools

for Middle School Audiences
Congressional Room
Teacher Delight
Using Canva to Diversify Student Learning Activities and Increase Engagement
Kalo Haslem – Dunn Middle School

for Elementary School Audiences
Board Room
TechSpace
Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Elementary Education: Opportunities and Challenges
Natalie Hulbert – North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

for High School Audiences
Auditorium
Spanning Silos
My Data is Cooler than Yours! Using Antarctica Ice Core Data in the Classroom
Abria Vodenichar – Bethany Community School

11:40 a.m.

Lunch & Exhibitor Showcase

12:40 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for All Audiences 
Dogwood Room
Industry Connections
Bridging Classroom Learning with Industry and Community Challenges: A Cohort Approach for Wake County Teachers
Joshua Hunter – Wake County Public Schools

for Middle School Audiences 
Congressional Room
Citizen Science
An All-Girls STEM Exploration into Citizen Science
Denise Johnson – Winston-Salem State University
Joann Thomas LaGuardia – Winston-Salem State University
Kyana Young – Wake Forest University

for Elementary School Audiences 
Board Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Supporting Science and Engineering Practices Implementation in the Elementary Classroom
Rachael Polmanteer – The Center for Inquiry Based Learning (CIBL)
Melaine Rickard – The Center for Inquiry Based Learning (CIBL)
Todd Guentensberger – The Center for Inquiry BasedLearning (CIBL)

for All Audiences 
Auditorium
STEM for All
Practical Strategies for Engaging Multi-Language Learners in STEM
Michelle Ellis – Garinger High School
Katy Gash – Garinger High School

for High School Audiences
Jordan Room
Industry Connections
Aviation Workforce Development Program at ECSU
Kuldeep S. Rawat – Elizabeth City State University

1:30 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for High School Audiences
Dogwood Room
STEM for All
Big Robots = Big Learning
Julia Wagner – FIRST North Carolina

for Middle School Audiences 
Congressional Room
Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Exploring the Engineering Design Process in Advanced Manufacturing Through Hands-On STEM Project-Based Learning
Donald McCoy – North Carolina State University
Anthony Bowser – North Carolina Math/Science Education Network Pre-College Program
Tameshia Baldwin – North Carolina State University

for Elementary School Audiences  for Middle School Audiences 
Board Room
STEM 101
Pathway to Progress: Igniting Minds with K-8 Robotics
Michelle Chadwick – Onslow County Schools
Kelly Dillman – Onslow County Schools

for Middle School Audiences  for High School Audiences
Auditorium
VENDOR SESSION: Hands-On, Minds-On Instructional Practices
Curiosity-Driven Classrooms: Making Learning Student-Led with a Driving Question Board
Mark Picardo – Stile Education

for High School Audiences for Higher Education Audiences 
Jordan Room
STEM for All
North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation STEM Pathways and Research Alliance (NC LSAMP SPRA) at the Forefront of Science and Discovery
Catherine White – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Juanda Johnson – North Carolina Louis Stokes STEM Pathways and Research Alliance
Alisa Taliaferro Russell – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

2:20 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

for All Audiences 
Dogwood Room
Teacher Delight
You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup: Practical Strategies for Leveraging Technology to Prioritize Your Mental Health and Well-Being
Reeshemah Johnson – Fayetteville State University
Kimberly Smith-Burton – Fayetteville State University

for High School Audiences
Congressional Room
TechSpace
AI Empowered Educator
Coral Riley – Pine Lake Preparatory

for High School Audiences
Board Room
TechSpace
You Can Do Everything with Mathematica – Everything
Robert R. Gotwals – North Carolina School of Science and Math

for All Audiences 
Auditorium
Spanning Silos
Partnering Through STEM
Trent Stanforth –  NC BioNetwork

for High School Audiences
Jordan Room
Spanning Silos
Engaging the Other 20%
Mark Case – Southern Guilford High School

3:10 p.m.

Adjourn