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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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...
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.
Description: Today, educators are using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to help
Operationalizing Sustainable Development: Local Strategies
On April 18th Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) Director, Dr. Carol O’Donnell, served on a panel for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s virtual workshop, Operationalizing Sustainable Development: Local Strategies. The panel was chaired by Dr. William Colglazier and focused on Education and Capacity Building. Dr. O’Donnell’s remarks:
Info STEM "La Educación STEM"
Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) Direcor, Carol O’Donnell, is featured in an informational video on STEM Education.
American University in Beirut & Smithsonian Science Education Center
LA USD
On June 4th SSEC Director, Carol O’Donnell, provided the keynote address at the Leading Young Minds Follow-Up Meeting hosted by the Los Angeles United School District (LAUSD). LAUSD attended SSEC’s Strategic Planning Institute (SPI) in person in 2018 and then held their own SPI in LA in 2019. O’Donnell’s keynote sought to help school district attendees consider equity in their Action Plans. Over 39 teachers representing 20 schools in LAUSD attended this virtual event.
NASEM BOSE
STEM MENA
On March 17th SSEC Director, Carol O’Donnell, gave a talk at the STEM MENA conference. 80 attendees attended her presentation, which can be viewed here: Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals to Teach Inquiry-based STEM Education in a Post-Pandemic World
World Education Summit
Gen Z: The Conscious Generation
On December 1st, SSEC Director Carol O’Donnell was an invited panelist for the Bloomberg Sustainable Business Briefing “Gen Z: The Conscious Generation.” Led by a Bloomberg journalist discussing how to educate, inform, and support the workforce of the future, the panel examined how companies and Gen Z can connect to build a more sustainable working world of the future.
