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STEMvisions Blog

Other Science
30
Apr

January & February in Review

By Johnny McInerney

PA INTERMEDIATE! SSEC Unit Director Dr. Carol O’Donnell gave a speech to Pennsylvania intermediate teaching units on the Smithsonian Science Education Center’s Gallup Report on Educating for Sustainably Development. The speech also highlighted how the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals program aligns with PA Science Technology Engineering, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability (STEELS) standards.

a landscape of Pittsburgh covered in snow

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Education
14
Apr

A Triangulation Approach in Environmental Science Education

By Guest Author

Written by Kristine Novero McCaslin

Engaging lesson plans, assessment questions, hands-on activities, and lab experiments. These are the key components I consider when planning science lessons. But as I have evolved as a science teacher, I realized that culture is also an integral component in helping us understand and connect to the world around us. 

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Science
17
Dec

September & October in Review

By Johnny McInerney

Federal Science Agencies Release the Nation’s Climate Literacy Guide 

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Science
04
Oct

Latino Scientists and the Dinosaur Extinction Mystery

By Addy Allred

Without scientists from Latin America, we would still be in the dark about why and how the dinosaurs were pushed to extinction.

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Education
17
Sep

July & August in Review

By Johnny McInerney

Sustainability Education at the Smithsonian National Education Summit! Dr. Carol O’Donnell, along with her collaborators Frank Niepold (NOAA) and Anita Krishnamurthi (Afterschool Alliance) held a session during the Smithsonian National Education Summit titled Educating for Sustainable Development: Teachers’ Perspectives.

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Science
29
Jul

What Makes a Runner Fast?

By Sarah Glassman, PhD

A Smithsonian educator explains what it takes for athletes to win foot races in record time at the Olympics and on tracks around the world.

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Education
11
Jul

May & June in Review

By Johnny McInerney

Tales from the Himalayas: The Smithsonian Science Education Center hosted the Smithsonian Women’s Committee, which featured a presentation from former National Geographic photographer Anne Keiser. Anne shared the fascinating story of her personal relationship with Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first to summit Everest along with his climbing partner, Tenzing. Anne detailed how, after the historic summiting, Hilliary pledged his fame and years of his life to supporting the Sherpa population, without whom modern Everest expeditions would be impossible.

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Education
02
May

March & April in Review

By Johnny McInerney

Oak Ridge Associated Universities: Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) Dr. Carol O’Donnell attended the annual meeting with Oak Ridge Associated Universities in Knoxville, TN. Her panel comments and talk drew on the Smithsonian-Gallup survey data “Educating for Sustainable Development: Perspectives of U.S. and Global Educators” and the work of the “Smithsonian Science for Global Goals” project to advance students future-ready skills and knowledge.

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Education
21
Mar

January & February in Review

By Johnny McInerney

Colgate University visits the Smithsonian: On January 17th 30 undergraduate students traveled to the Smithsonian with their professor Dr. Karen Harpp of the Earth & Environmental Geosciences Department of Colgate University. The students spent the morning at the Smithsonian Science Education Center discussing climate education. Dr. Carol O'Donnell presented to students after presentations by Pierre Comizzolli and Ashley Naranjo.

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Education
12
Feb

Adapting to Change: Benefits of Inquiry-Based Science Education for Students and Teachers

By Ariel Waldman & Katie Gainsback

In October of 2019, the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) was awarded an early-phase Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. We were excited to begin our project providing Smithsonian Science for the Classroom curriculum and professional development to teachers. How could we have predicted that mere months later a global pandemic would wreak havoc on classroom learning worldwide?  

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Science
03
Jan

Fall in Review

By Johnny McInerney

Smithsonian Science Education Center attended Climate Week in New York City with representatives from Smithsonian including SERC, STRI, SSEC, and NMNH.

During the week’s events, the Smithsonian Science Education Center brought K-12 sustainable development education to a global stage and joined the discussion on advancing the Global Goals. Some of the events included:

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Science
08
Sep

July & August In Review

By Johnny McInerney

Integrating Climate Literacy into Your Classroom – On July 19, 2023, the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) co-hosted two in-person sessions at AIB for th 2023 Smithsonian National Educational Summit under the “Life on a Sustainable Planet” conference stand. To begin, Dr. Carol O’Donnell moderated a Deep Dive panel focused on Addressing Climate Literacy in L-12 Schools, featuring panelists Dr.

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Science
28
Aug

Are You Ready for the Solar Eclipse “Double-Header?”

By Dennis Schatz & Andrew Fraknoi

The next year offers the highly unusual opportunity to see two eclipses of the Sun in North America – a solar eclipse “Double Header.” An annular (ring of fire) eclipse occurs on October 14, 2023, followed by a total eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Annular Eclipse Photo of the sun in an orange sky

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Education
24
Aug

Innovation, Sustainability, and Inclusion in the Classroom: SSEC's Resource Kit for the New School Year

By Olivia Federici

Start the school year with free  sustainability-minded, innovative, and inclusive K-12 educational resources from the Smithsonian Science Education Center, our fellow Smithsonian Institutions, and STEM agencies from across the federal government.

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Behind the Scenes
24
Jul

Celebrating Disability Pride Month at the Smithsonian Science Education Center: A Conversation with SSEC’s Lead Graphic Designer Sofia Elian

By Sofia Elian & Olivia Federici

July is Disability Pride Month, an opportunity to celebrate people with disabilities, amplify their voices, and advance visibility in their communities. To highlight this important time, hear from the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC)’s lead graphic designer Sofia Elian, who develops illustrations and graphics across multiple platforms for digital projects such as apps, e-books, and games, on navigating this role as someone with an invisible disability.  

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Science
07
Jul

May & June in Review

By Johnny McInerney

2023 Nobel Prize Summit: The Smithsonian Science Education Center conducted a 2- hour session on “Trust in Science” featuring the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project at the 2023 Nobel Prize Summit. This Summit was hosted by the Nobel Foundation and the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and was held May 24-26, 2023, in Washington, DC, both virtually and in-person.

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Science
05
May

March & April In Review

By Johnny McInerney

Carol O'Donnell Delivers a Keynote

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Other Science
05
May

A Sign of Apocalypse

By Alessandro Farruggio

Throughout mankind’s history we have looked to the sky for inspiration, navigation, and guidance in understanding our world. Astronomical phenomena have influenced our creation myths and religions. The magnificent display of a lunar eclipse has impacted cultures and inspired fear throughout mankind's past. The lunar eclipse is one of the most documented astronomical occurrences in history. For thousands of years, civilizations have been observing its red glow and attributing meaning to the sight.

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Other Science
27
Apr

What do the SSEC Global Goals Guides have in common with Paulo Freire’s Empowerment Education?

By Ana Carolina Alves

So often we are told to put students at the center of the learning process and encourage them to be critical thinkers. But what does this mean in practice? Probably every educator has struggled with this aspiration. We know the idea of critical thinking is important, but the question that remains is how can we use education to develop critical thinking skills?

As a Brazilian student, I have a very clear example that I look up to: Paulo Freire. His revolutionary methodology is a useful tool for teachers from around to world who want to contribute to social empowerment     

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Science
03
Mar

January & February in Review

By Johnny McInerney

Sustainability Mindsets Presented at CIES 2023 

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Education
01
Mar

Professional Development in North and South Carolina, vol. 4

The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) launched the Smithsonian Science for North and South Carolina Classrooms program in 2019 with a U.S. Department of Education early phase Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant.

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Other Science
26
Feb

Stories of Women in STEM at the Smithsonian: Shannon Brogdon-Grantham

 

Introducing Shannon Brogdon-Grantham, Photo Conservator at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, A pioneering woman in STEM, Shannon uses science to restore and preserve our past for future generations while enriching our present. 

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Other Science
13
Feb

Stories of Women of Color in STEM: Robin Kumoluyi

To celebrate Black History Month, SSEC is spotlighting remarkable African American women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, beginning with Robin Kumoluyi, microbiologist and Vice President and Chief Quality Officer, Pharmaceuticals at Johnson & Johnson.

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Education
01
Feb

Professional Development in North and South Carolina, vol. 3

The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) launched the Smithsonian Science for North and South Carolina Classrooms program in 2019 with a U.S. Department of Education early phase Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant.

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Education
14
Dec

Smithsonian Science Education Center Director Dr. Carol O'Donnell Delivers Commencement Speech

By Dr. Carol O'Donnell

Smithsonian Science Education Center Director, Dr. Carol O'Donnell, delivered the commencement speech at the University of Pittsburgh December 2022 Graduation. Dr. O'Donnell is at 1983 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh's teacher education program. Details on the graduation can be found here: https://www.education.pitt.edu/student-services/graduation/d...

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Education
06
Dec

A Global Goals Guide: From Start to Finish

By Emily Chen

You may be familiar with the action-focused aim of the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals guides. As explained by Laurie Rosatone, Division Director of Curriculum, Digital Media, and Communications at the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC), the goal is “to have anyone picking up these guides feel like there is something that they want to and can do and that they can act in their local communities around these huge global challenges.”

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Science
30
Nov

Dr. Carol O'Donnell Co-authors a Public Report on Convergence Education

By Dr. Carol O'Donnell

Smithsonian Science Education Center Director Carol O'Donnell co-authored a public report on convergence education. The report is titled Convergence Eduation: A Guide to Transdisciplinary STEM Learning and Teaching on STEM Education and was released by the Interagency Working Group (IWCG) on Convergence Federal Coordination in STEM Subcommittee Committee on STEM Education of the National Science and Technology Council. In the report the IWCG developed  a definition and overarching guidance related to convergence education.

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Other Science
15
Nov

October in Review

By Kate Echevarria

2022 Global Talent Summit

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Other Science
12
Oct

Meet Hyoungsuk Jeon

Hyoungsuk Jeon is an Inventor, Radio Technologies and Research Manager with Ofinno. His curiosity about problem solving and engineering started at a young age with the help of a toy car gifted by his grandfather. As his passions grew, he moved from South Korea to America to pursue more advanced academic and career opportunities that aligned with his goals. Hyoungsuk spoke with the Smithsonian Science Education Center about his engineering career journey.

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Other Science
12
Oct

Meet Nazanin Rastegradoost

Nazanin Rastegradoost is a Wireless Communications Specialist with Ofinno. Nazanin shared how her first experiences with astronomy in Tehran, Iran shaped her outlook on STEM and inevitably led her to pursue a career with Ofinno.

Smithsonian Science Education Center: What was your first memorable experience with STEM?

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