Next-Gen STEM: Engaging Minds, Empowering Futures
Session Information | |
[1] Bring Architecture to Life: Teaching with Autodesk Revit Mr. Dylan Hardison Sci-Tech 230 | Curious how to get students excited about architecture, engineering, and construction careers? This hands-on session shows you how to integrate Autodesk Revit—a leading 3D design tool—into your classroom, even with no prior experience. You’ll walk away with ready-to-use lesson modules, grading tips, and a live demo that brings building design to life. Plus, learn common classroom challenges (and how to avoid them) while exploring a 3D model of a real house. Inspire future AEC professionals—starting now. |
[2] Cybersecurity in Action: Hands-On Hacking Labs for the Classroom Mr. Joseph Jeansonne Sci-Tech 242 | Want to energize your students with real-world cybersecurity skills? In this session, you'll complete three hands-on labs—online password cracking, behavioral biometrics, and a keylogger malware demo. Walk away with ready-to-use activities that bring digital defense to life and show students how hackers think (and how to stop them). |
[3] Kool Aid Chromatography: Make Chemistry Colorful and Fun Mr. Chris Cone Sci-Tech 339 | Why is Grape Kool-Aid® purple? In this engaging hands-on activity, you'll separate the red and blue dyes using column chromatography—a real-world lab technique used by scientists to analyze mixtures. Perfect for the classroom, this demo shows how to turn an everyday item into a powerful teaching tool for chemistry, critical thinking, and the scientific method. |
[4] Super Builders: Design Storm-Resistant Homes Dr. Carol Massara Sci-Tech High Bay 2 | Bring engineering to life as students explore how to build homes that stand up to hurricanes and tornadoes. In this interactive session, you’ll dive into wind loads, roof anchoring, and structural bracing— then test your design using a hurricane simulator and wind tunnel. This hands-on experience connects physics, design thinking, and real-world problem solving. |
[5] Using Math in Industry: Solving Real-World Problems with Quantitative Skills Dr. Merwan Mehta Sci-Tech 342 | Explore how foundational math fuels real-world problem solving through the lens of Operational Excellence (OpEx) and Lean Six Sigma. This session introduces practical tools like value-added time, lead time, percent improvement, and Activity Efficiency (AE)—a method developed by the speaker—to evaluate and improve processes. It concludes with a powerful look at how intuitive approaches to concepts like the Pythagorean Theorem can make math more engaging and meaningful for students, helping to build future STEM talent. |
[7] TinkerCad: 3D Design, Circuits & Animations—Made for the Classroom Mr. Josh Pitzer Sci-Tech 231 | Discover how TinkerCad empowers students to create 3D models, build circuits, and animate designs—all in a free, browser-based platform built with teachers in mind. With classroom monitoring, Google Classroom integration, and prebuilt lesson plans, this tool makes it easy to bring STEM creativity into any grade level. |
[8] Don’t Be Afraid of the Big Bad Arduino Mr. Bill McClung Sci-Tech 144A | Curious about microcontrollers but not sure where to start? In this beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll explore the power of the Arduino—an affordable tool driving innovation in classrooms, makerspaces, and industry. Learn to build simple circuits, write basic code, and discover how Arduino connects to real-world applications like data collection and automation. You’ll leave with resources, project ideas, and the know-how to introduce Arduino into your classroom with confidence. |
[9] ECU Center for STEM Education – Explore the Possibilities in our “STEM Playground” Dr. Catherine Schwartz, Mrs. Ann McClung, and Mrs. Kelly Williamson Sci-Tech 144B | Discover tools, kits, and classroom-ready resources in our hands-on “STEM Playground”! This session introduces the Center’s Lending Library and showcases STEM materials you can borrow to enhance student learning—no budget required. |
[10] Building Structures with Spaghetti Noodles Mr. Jeff Foeller | Challenge your students’ creativity and engineering skills! Learn how to guide them through building the tallest noodle towers or strongest bridges using spaghetti, marshmallows, and hot glue in these scalable, low-cost STEM activities. |
Sci-Tech 151 | |
[11] 3D Printing and Programming: From Imagination to Innovation Ms. Amy Frank, Mr. Heath Faircloth, Mr. Alec Lozano | 3D Printing Turn student ideas into real-world creations! Use CAD tools like Fusion 360 and SolidWorks to design parts, then print them with slicers like MakerBot and Prusa. Great for introducing design thinking and engineering. |
Sci-Tech High Bay 1 | Programming Make coding fun with Scratch, a beginner-friendly language that teaches loops, logic, and variables. Then connect those skills to advanced languages like Python, JavaScript, and C++ for robotics and real-world applications. |
This year, we took a creative leap forward by using ChatGPT to craft the descriptions for all our STEM conference sessions. Using the prompt:
"Write a sessiondescription for each of these sessions focused on how the material is applicable to our K–12 STEM educators. Include engaging and energetic descriptions of each session. Keep the descriptionsshort."
—ChatGPT helped us reimagine how we communicate the value of each workshop. The results? Clearer, more compelling descriptions that highlight the hands-on, real-world relevance of each session, while energizing educators about what they’ll experience.
But it doesn’t stop there. ChatGPT isn’t just a planning tool—it’s a classroom tool. Educators can use it to help students write creative science summaries, develop project overviews, or pitch ideas in ways that resonate with their peers. Whether explaining a concept or designing a product, students can use AI to refine their message and build confidence in communicating their ideas.
One of the most powerful benefits of using AI like ChatGPT is its ability to help educators tap into what truly engages their audience—students. By experimenting with tone, voice, and opening hooks, teachers can create content that speaks to what students find interesting, relevant, and exciting. A well-crafted hook can turn a standard lesson into an irresistible challenge or real-world mystery to solve.
Here are two simple prompts educators can try with ChatGPT:
This experiment has shown us just how powerful AI can be in education —not to replace creativity, but to
amplify it and better reach the learners in front of us. (And guess what, ChatGPT wrote this too.)