February 2015
 
 

Upcoming Events

    

 

February 17

 Statewide Forum for Iowa Women and Girls
Will present, SHE Matters: 2015 Issues and Action Report

   

 

February 19 

 STEM Day at the Capitol

All Day 

Des Moines 

March 22

Tama County Family STEM Festival 

Tama

 

 

March 30

State STEM Conference   

 Des Moines 

 

 

April 18

Dubuque Family   

STEM Festival  

Dubuque

 

 

April 30 

Northeast Iowa Family STEM Festival   

Calmar 

 

 

May 20-23

Minneapolis, MN 

  

 

 July 2015 

Iowa's Geological Resources Workshop for Teachers 

(Applications due February 2)  

 

 

Have an event coming up? Submit it here!  
 
 
 
Northeast Iowa 
 Regional STEM Hub
 Advisory Board


 Jane Bradley
 Hawkeye Community  College

 James Brown, Jr.
 John Deere

 Kelly Cooper
 Dubuque Area
Labor & Management

Steve Demuth
Mayo Clinic

 Lisa Digman
 Northeast Iowa Community College

 Scott Fortune
 Northeast Iowa
Tool & Die and Innovations

 Scott Greenhalgh
 University of
Northern Iowa

 Chad Heinzel
 University of
Northern Iowa

Ellen Heuer
 Bay Valley Foods

 Mason Kuhn
 Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District

 Jason Martin-Hiner
 Keystone Area
Education Agency

Marcia Powell
Iowa Online Learning

 Michelle Temeyer
 Black Hawk County Extension and Outreach

 Norma Thiese
 Keystone Area
Education Agency

 Mark Wagner
 National Mississippi River  Museum & Aquarium


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The Northeast Iowa Regional STEM Hub, located on the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) campus, believes that it is important to bring our community together to advance the STEM movement that is transforming the nation.

In This Newsletter;
  
scale-up2015-2016 Scale-Up Programs Announced  
 
Iowa's Scale-U  p initiative will now offer 14 programs that range from building robots and wind turbines to virtual reality, agricultural science, STEM career awareness and more. The  new additions to last year's menu of 10 exemplary options for teachers will expand the elementary mathematics, engineering and computer science offerings.  

The following programs have been approved for 2015-2016:
  • A World In Motion (AWIM)
  • Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education  (CASE)
  • Defined STEM
  • Engineering is Elementary in Iowa (EiE)
  • FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC)
  • HyperStream and VREP
  • KidWind: Wind Power and Renewable Energy
  • PLTW: Computer Science and Software Engineering
  • PLTW: Principles of Engineering
  • PLTW: Gateway
  • PLTW: Launch
  • Pint Size Science: 1 and 2
  • Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math
  • National STEM League: Ten80
Schools (public and nonpublic), after-school programs and other active learning communities serving students in grades preK-12 can apply for these Scale-Up Programs between Monday, January 26, 2015 through Monday, March 9, 2015.

Information about each program, as well as the application, can be found on our website.  

 

 

   
  
festivalFamily STEM Festivals - Exhibitors Wanted   

 

The Northeast Iowa Regional STEM Hub will host three family STEM festivals this spring. If you would like the opportunity to exhibit and share with K-12 students and their families the possibilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, please register to exhibit at one or all three STEM festivals by clicking on the links below.

 

 

Sunday, March 22
1 PM - 4 PM
Saturday, April 18
10 AM - 2 PM
Thursday, April 30
4 PM - 7 PM

 

 

The goal of these festivals is to promote, inspire and engage youth in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and to introduce children and parents to careers in STEM.

 

To learn more, please visit our website or contact Stefani Keller at [email protected]

  

 

  
conference
STEM Career Conference for Counselors & Teachers
   

These conferences are free and there are substitute reimbursements available for the first 20 classroom science, math, agriculture, technology, or other STEM area teachers who register for each.  The day will include opportunities to tour college/university facilities; networking with colleagues, faculty, and local business professionals; breakout sessions with ACT and the Iowa Agricultural Literacy Foundation; and a mini career fair.

Learn more and register for the conference that works for you:
http://www.uni.edu/chas/outreach/stem-resources/career-conferences

STEM Career Conference Locations and Dates

  • University of Northern Iowa
    • Monday, February 23 from 8:30am - 3:00pm

  • Indian Hills Community College
    •  Monday, March 2 from 8:30am - 3:00pm
  • Scott Community College
    • Monday, March 9 from 8:30am - 3:00pm
  • Iowa Lakes Community College
    • Tuesday, March 31 from 8:30am - 3:00pm
  • Kirkwood Community College
    • Monday, April 20 from 8:30am - 3:00pm
This series of STEM Career Conference is sponsored by the Iowa Farm Bureau, the University of Northern Iowa and each host institution.

 

  
councilSTEM Council Votes to Renew all Six Regional STEM Hub Institutions

The executive committee of the Iowa Governor's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory  Council voted at their Dec.  9 meeting to renew hub partnerships with all six of its current regional STEM hub institutions for another three-year term beginning next summer. 

In July 2012, these six institutions of higher education competed for a three-year agreement to serve as regional hubs for the STEM Council Network: 
  • Northwest Region: Iowa Lakes Community College;
  • North Central Region: Iowa State University;
  • Northeast Region: University of Northern Iowa;
  • Southwest Region: Southwest Iowa Community College;
  • South Central Region: Drake University; and 
  • Southeast Region: University of Iowa/Kirkwood Community College.
In making their determination to renew, the executive committee reviewed performance reports of each institution and invited representatives to comment on strengths and opportunities for growth moving forward. The executive director of the STEM Council observed that each campus has taken on a leadership contribution for the entire state network, aligned with missions and unique expertise and capacities.

"Iowa's system of STEM regions operating through the six hubs allows us to deliver outstanding STEM opportunities to children throughout Iowa," said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, co-chair of the STEM Council. "Each institution has exceeded our hopes and expectations regarding support for our regional STEM managers. We are grateful to the professionals on each campus who make this system work."

"The great work being done in STEM across Iowa is really the result of local partnerships forged through our network of hub institutions and regional managers," said Vermeer CEO Mary Andringa, co-chair of the STEM Council. "There is a can-do, collaborative spirit among these seven colleges and universities that serve as a model for local schools, businesses and other organizations. We're delighted that they are willing to continue on in their vital roles."  

  
code1Code. Org Training for K-5 Teachers

Dr. Ben Schafer of the Department of Computer Science at the  University of Northern Iowa is joining with Code.org to offer free, one-day workshops for educators interested in teaching the Code.org computer science curriculum. The workshops are open to the public.  Seating is limited and workshops may be cancelled if minimum enrollment is not met.  Please sign up in advance so that we can plan appropriately.
 

(There is still space available for the workshop scheduled on Thursday, February 26 at the NICC in Calmar.) 
 
  
Creating STEM Connections 

The Hub is 
guided by the Governor's STEM Advisory Council and is dedicated to creating greater student achievement in STEM subjects and a stronger STEM workforce.

Thank you for joining us in advancing STEM education in Iowa. If you would like to contribute to this newsletter, send an email to [email protected]
 
Sincerely,
Jeff Beneke 
NE Iowa STEM Hub