• NSTA Names Center for Science Education in Honor of Senator John Glenn
• ExploraVision Makes Its 17th Call for Great Student Ideas
• Regional Conferences on Target to Inform and Entertain
• Share Your Good Ideas
• Lab Out Loud Podcast Returns to the "Airwaves"
• Are You Retired But Want to Stay Active in Science Education?

NSTA Names Center for Science Education in Honor of Senator John Glenn

On Wednesday, September 17, NSTA announced that its Center for Science Education will be named the John Glenn Center for Science Education to recognize Senator Glenn’s lifelong dedication and commitment to science education. The formal announcement was made during a Capitol Hill reception presenting the 2008 Center for Science Education Champion Awards to Senator Glenn and two champions of science education in the U.S. House of Representatives—Congressman Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Congressman Rush Holt (D-NJ).

• Read more about the 2008 CSE Champion Awards and the John Glenn Center for Science Education
• View photos from the Capitol Hill reception
• Read more about NSTA’s Center for Science Education Campaign

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ExploraVision Makes Its 17th Call for Great Student Ideas

The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards program, one of the world’s largest K–12 science and technology competitions, is now accepting entries for its 2009 competition. Now in its 17th year, ExploraVision has provided an opportunity for students to envision a better future while providing educators with a valuable tool for helping motivate their students to excel in science. Up to $240,000 in savings bonds will be awarded this year to students whose innovative ideas combine imagination with the tools of science. ExploraVision, sponsored by Toshiba and administered by NSTA, challenges teams of two to four students in the United States and Canada to research scientific principles and current technologies as the basis for designing innovative technologies that could exist in 20 years. The deadline for the competition is January 28, 2009. For more information or an application, visit www.exploravision.org or e-mail exploravision@nsta.org.

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Regional Conferences on Target to Inform and Entertain

NSTA’s three regional conferences on science education this fall are on target to inspire science teachers to pursue their dreams. Consider attending one in your area—Charlotte, Oct. 30–Nov. 1; Portland, Nov. 20–22; or Cincinnati, Dec. 4–6. Take advantage of early registration to save as much as $109. Portland’s deadline is Oct. 10 and Cincinnati’s deadline is Oct. 31.

The Cincinnati conference has a fantastic schedule planned. Have a look.

• Keynote speaker Homer Hickam will present “Adventure, Rocket Ships, Lighthouses, and the Dreams of Boys.” His bestseller Rocket Boys was the foundation for the film, October Sky, based on his own inspiring story of growing up in a West Virginia coal mining town with a big heart and a big dream.
• Elementary Science Day ($15 ticketed event). Just for K–6 teachers, this all day program features author Jerry Pallotta, an inquiry expo, breakout sessions on formative assessment, literature in the science class and more. Lunch included.
• Learning the "Game" of Formulating and Testing Hypotheses and Models—for middle to college teachers.
• Index of Refraction—Middle to high school teachers will use a laser pointer to investigate the index of refraction. Participants will receive free PhysicsQuest kits for their classroom.
• Hop into Mathematics and Science Connections—for middle to high school: inquiry-based projects exploring data collection, geometry concepts, and science adaptations.
• Exploring Wind Energy ($8 ticketed event)—a full afternoon of learning about wind energy with hands on activities with an inquiry approach-building wind turbines, designing blades, conducting tests, measuring output, building an anemometer and weathervane, and more.
• Historically, teachers tell us they enjoy the Exhibit Hall the most. Learn about new products from 150 top companies and take home their giveaways.
• Keep in mind, you can earn one graduate credit for attending 12 hours of programs at the conference.

Visit www.nsta.org for more information and to register.

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Submit a session proposal for NSTA’s 2009–2010 conferences. Our 2009 area conferences include Minneapolis, MN (October 29–31), Fort Lauderdale, FL (November 12–14), and Phoenix, AZ (December 3–5). In 2010 NSTA will hold its national conference in Philadelphia, PA (March 18–21). Deadlines for submissions are January 15, 2009, for the 2009 area conferences and April 15, 2009, for the Philadelphia National Conference. For more information, visit www.nsta.org/conferences.

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Lab Out Loud will be kicking off its second season of podcasting on September 22 with guest Sir Harold Kroto, winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, who will discuss the role of technology in science education.

Lab Out Loud is a biweekly podcast produced by Dale Basler and Brian Bartel with support from NSTA. The show discusses science news and science education with leading scientists, researchers, science writers, and other important figures in the field.

Visit Lab Out Loud's new home at www.LabOutLoud.com, where you can find links to all past episodes, along with show notes to learn more about each topic discussed. In between episodes, the hosts of Lab Out Loud are blogging at the new site too. Join them to discuss all things related to science education at www.LabOutLoud.com.

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Are You Retired But Want to Stay Active in Science Education?

Age is just a number, and the science education community values the wisdom and experience of retired teachers. Our retired members remain active in their communities through mentoring at their former schools, consulting with curriculum and instruction professionals, and advocating at the local and state levels on behalf of science education improvement and innovation for all. Get in on the conversation!

All you have to do is click to www.nsta.org, select the member services tab, and then select “update your contact info.” There, you will log on with your last name and member ID (or e-mail address and password, if you’ve set that up), and then click “submit.” Your ID number can be found on the mailing label of the journal you receive. On the next screen, you will see your profile. If you scroll down toward the bottom of the screen, you will see the names of the various lists—check the box for the Retired List. That’s all there is to it!

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And Don’t Forget…

Visit our member services web page to ensure that NSTA has your current contact information.

Visit the NSTA Science Store for an outstanding array of bestselling books and teaching resources. Receive 30% off the price of the September featured book, Science for English Language Learners: K–12 Classroom Strategies.

NSTA is offering more Web Seminars through the autumn months. Visit the website for more information about these upcoming professional development opportunities.