Dive into water quality science with this hands-on immunoassay activity! Participants will test simulated contaminated water samples to identify mystery pathogens — just like real environmental scientists. Part of NC BioNetwork's Immunoassay Investigations program, this activity offers a compelling, classroom-ready supplement for teaching immunoassays and water pollution concepts.
STEM Outreach Coordinator, Central Region, NC BioNetwork
As a STEM Outreach Coordinator, I focus on the Piedmont region of North Carolina, coordinating and delivering STEM and life science programs to K-12 schools and community colleges. I collaborate with life science industry groups and BioNetwork staff to develop conventions that illuminate... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am EDT Room 14
This session explores how creative nature writing can deepen environmental education for older learners. This interactive session uses sensory journaling, storytelling, and observation activities outdoors to build ecological literacy, creativity, and connection to place. Participants will leave with adaptable, hands-on strategies for classrooms, camps, parks, and community programs.
Join us in exploring the phosphorus cycle and learn about different factors that influence the movement of phosphorus. Using a game format and stations, investigate how phosphorus is used and moved. Learn how surface water, soil characteristics, and farming influence the cycle as well as the role of phosphorus in eutrophication. Participants will receive copies of the game and the lesson plan to use with students.
Discover how one educator’s NCEE certification project morphed into an ongoing field trip experience for 5th grade students at Waxhaw Elementary and a new environmental education course at Wingate University. Participants will gain insights into how strategic partnerships between public school educators, natural resource professionals, and universities can connect students at all levels and create long lasting and impactful programs.
This session will dive into the challenges and opportunities of translating classroom lesson plans to informal contexts. Using the Ready, Set, Resilience curriculum as a case study, we will discuss the successes and obstacles we’ve encountered so far as we reconfigure standards-aligned content to meet the needs of a broader audience in informal EE settings. In particular, we will focus on the role of collaboration with educators and researchers.
The OCEAN FOR ALL Alliance (OFAA) unites 15 ocean education organizations from Ecuador, the Galápagos, Argentina, and South Africa with UNC Wilmington researchers to build a collaborative learning network. Through shared training and participatory evaluation, members implemented a common framework blending ocean literacy, service learning, water safety, and social-emotional development for youth ages 9–17. In 2025, 1,000+ student surveys showed gains across key outcomes. This session shares lessons on building global partnerships and using data to strengthen programs.
