Registration is now open for the 2025 Smithsonian National Education Summit (July 15–17, 2025). Offered both virtually and in person in Washington, D.C., this free multi‑day event will unite leading voices in education under the theme Together We Thrive: One Nation, Indivisible. More than 40 sessions will equip you with classroom‑ready ideas as we prepare for the United States’ Semiquincentennial in 2026.
Register today and join the Smithsonian Science Education Center for two special sessions!
Building and Sustaining Successful Professional Learning Communities (Online)
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | 3:00 PM – 3:50 PM ET
The Smithsonian Science Education Center recently released “Building and Maintaining Successful Professional Learning Communities: A Toolkit for Evolving Emergent, Transdisciplinary Communities of Practice,” which is designed to facilitate the conception and implementation of successful PLCs. PLCs are an integral approach for educators to engage in meaningful conversation and exchange of ideas to help navigate a shared future for education. This guidebook is designed to help generate successful professional learning communities (PLCs) by providing a set of steps that people may wish to consider when developing, recruiting for, and facilitating PLCs, helping them to commit to, and carry out their goals for a shared future In this session, participants will learn about the guidebook and how to use it. They will then hear from the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network about how they have used the guidebook to engage teachers, and help them to commit to more authentic STEM experiences in their classrooms. Finally, they will explore ways that they may want to use it in their own communities and in their own work.
Speakers:
- Katherine Blanchard, Smithsonian Science Education Center
- Amy D'Amico, Smithsonian Science Education Center
- Brandi Stroecker, Tennessee STEM Innovation Network
- Victoria Brennan, School of Education, Liverpool John Moores University (UK)
The Future of STEM: Inspiring the Next Generation (Online)
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 1:50 PM ET
Educators will hear inspiring STEM stories from industry experts and leave with an understanding of the importance of mentorship in science, reinforcing that science is for everyone. Additionally, the session will highlight ways to use a free eBook series developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center in the classroom. The series explores Women in STEM—past, present, and future.
Speakers:
- Amy D'Amico, Smithsonian Science Education Center
- Margherita Eastman, Aerospace Corporation
- Sofia Alemar, Kenvue
- Donna Ballentine, Johnson & Johnson
Explore the agenda and register for the Summit here!