The Network of STEM Education Centers (NSEC) is seeking proposals for presentations, panels, workshops, and roundtables for the NSEC 2019 National Conference.

You can still submit a poster abstract by April 28, 2019. The deadline for submission of all other proposal types has closed.

Submit your Proposals Here »

Proposals will be reviewed by a committee, and preference will be given to those proposals that incorporate the theme of the conference or one of these areas of high interest to the community:

1. Theme of the Conference - Inclusive Education: How is your center or program helping build more inclusive environments?
2. Retention and Success: How is your center or program driving retention and success of students? What measures do you use?
3. Improving the Quality of Education: How is your center or program training, promoting, partnering with, and/or evaluating faculty teaching and shaping learning outcomes for STEM majors including future STEM teachers and/or the use of technology?
4. Broadening Participation: How is your center or program expanding access to and success in STEM education for students from underrepresented groups?
5. Assessment: In what way(s) is your center or program evaluating student learning and/or driving assessment to support STEM education improvements?
6. Research: In what way(s) is your center or program contributing to discipline-based education research (DBER), research on organizational change, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL).
7. Partnerships Beyond the University: How is your institution, center or program partnering with K-12 schools, 2 and 4-year colleges and universities, state networks, and/or industry to improve STEM education including teacher preparation?
8. Engaging Faculty: How is your center or program effectively engaging faculty to improve STEM undergraduate education?
9. Institutional Change: How is your center or program effectively leading institution-wide or college-wide improvement of undergraduate STEM education? How are you engaging senior university leadership?
10. Managing a Center: Budgeting, funding, management, planning, portfolio of programs, assessment, staff/faculty recruitment and retention, communications, and other matters related to running a center.

Proposal Types

See the Conference Agenda from 2018 »

Concurrent Session Presentation Guidelines (45 minutes)

Eight to twelve presentations will be selected for inclusion in the program. These sessions will accommodate audiovisual presentations.

• Proposals should be 500 words (or less) and should provide examples of promising models of STEM undergraduate education improvement that can be supported with evidence of success. In the proposal, include a description of the format of the session and the learning goals for the audience.
• Please include a 150-word (or less) abstract to be included in the program.
• Each selected presentation will have 30 minutes total, including 20 minutes of presentation and 10 minutes of discussion, questions, and audience engagement.
• Audience engagement and sufficient Q&A time are strongly recommended.

Panel Presentation Guidelines (60 minutes)

Proposals for panel sessions will be accepted, but inclusion will depend on the timing of the program. These sessions will accommodate audiovisual presentations.

• As for individual presentations, proposals should be 500 words (or less) and should provide examples of promising models of STEM undergraduate education improvement that can be supported with evidence of success, but should also describe why the examples from each presenter go together as a set. In the proposal, include a description of the format of the session and the learning goals for the audience.
• Please include a 150-word (or less) abstract to be included in the program.
• Panels may include up to 4 presenters.
• Each selected proposal will have 60 minutes for presentation and Q&A. The default will be 40 minutes total of presentation and 20 minutes of discussion, questions, and audience engagement.
• Audience engagement and sufficient Q & A time are strongly recommended.

Workshop Proposal Guidelines (2 hours)

One or two workshops may be included in the program.

• We are open to any topic related to the strands listed above.
• Workshops are 120 minutes and are intended to provide in-depth and specific information on a successful program or practice.
• Workshop proposals must include a 500-word (or less) description of workshop goals, activities, and intended outcome(s).
• Please include a 150-word (or less) abstract to be included in the program.

Roundtable Proposal Guidelines (30 minutes)

Roundtables are an opportunity for an informal discussion with colleagues about a promising practice or model at your institution. Roundtables do not include audiovisual support.

• Roundtable topics may address any issue related to centers or programs working in STEM undergraduate education, including STEM teacher preparation and connection of the undergraduate experience with K12, community efforts, and broader impacts in STEM.
• Roundtable sessions will be 30 minutes each.
• Please include a 150-word (or less) abstract about the promising practice or model at your institution that you want to discuss.

Rapid Talks

We have a plenary session where we will highlight 5 selected promising/effective practices in improving undergraduate STEM education. If you have a program or practice that is leading to success for your center or institution, this is your chance to share that practice with other center directors.

• Rapid Talk abstracts should be 150 words (or less) and describe the promising/effective practice you want to highlight.
• To be eligible for this session, you will also have to complete a separate form in addition to the abstract submission. The STEM Education Innovation Database form » at NSEC will gather detailed information about the program which will become a part of the public NSEC website collection.

Poster

All attendees are invited to bring a poster on a topic relevant to one of the strands listed above.

• Poster abstracts must be 150 words (or less) and describe the content that will be presented on the poster.
• Poster abstracts will be accepted until April 28, 2019.

Special Interest Group/Birds of a Feather

We anticipate at least one session with member generated topics of interest. This is the place to discuss STEM education, engaging administration, potential collaborative research proposals, or to convene non-R1 institutions, or Minority Serving Institutions. You can tell us your suggested topics or grouping regardless of whether or not you are submitting any other kind of proposal.