The annual Leadership Summit brings together current and aspiring administrators and heads of school in STEM education to share best practices and collaborate with other STEM professionals. Throughout the Summit, you and your peers will discuss key issues impacting STEM schools today and tomorrow.

2023 Leadership Summit:
Social Responsibility in STEM

Key Information & Registration

Join other current and aspiring administrators and heads of school for the annual NCSSS Leadership Summit, Thursday, January 19 – Saturday, January 21, 2023 on the campus of UNLV in Las Vegas. You will engage with like-minded individuals on the topic of Social Responsibility in STEM and take away ideas you can immediately implement in your schools and your classrooms. 

Friday morning’s sessions will discuss Ethics in STEM, while the afternoon session will tackle STEM’s Role in Local and Global Environmental Issues. On Saturday, attendees will discuss NCSSS STEM implications for STEM’s role in ethics and local and global environmental issues.

Attendees will be guided by questions such as:

• How do we cultivate future STEM leaders who use Science, Technology, Engineering and Math responsibly and ethically to benefit society and the environment?
• How do we create a context for our students to think globally and locally on key STEM issues?

Keynote Speakers

David James, University of Nevada

David E. (Dave) James earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering Science at the California Institute of Technology in 1989 and is currently an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).   Since starting at UNLV in 1990 he has served as Department Chair for Civil and Environmental Engineering and as Associate Vice Provost for Academic Programs. He is currently the Director of UNLV Solar and Renewable Academic Programs.

He previously served as Western Regional representative on the Board of Directors of the National Society of Professional Engineers and is a Fellow of the Society. He is a licensed Civil Engineer in the State of Nevada.

Dave teaches civil engineering design and graduate research methods. His research areas of interest are in water quality and dust emissions. He has previously taught the department’s engineering ethics course for undergraduates, and since 2015 has been serving as a faculty panelist on the College of Engineering’s graduate Research Ethics workshop, which is offered jointly by faculty from Engineering, UNLV Libraries and the UNLV Boyd School of Law.

Dr. Alison Sloat, University of Nevada

Dr. Alison Sloat, Associate Professor-in-Residence, teaches First Year Seminar, Second Year Seminar, geoscience courses, and summer STEM camps in the College of Sciences that focus on climate change problems and solutions. Dr. Sloat created Rebel Science Camp in 2017, a hands-on science outreach program that has encouraged over 2,000 5th graders from Title I CCSD schools to attend college and pursue careers in STEM fields. In 2022, she created the STEM Teacher Development Academy and the Resident Scientists-in-Schools program that teaches over 1,100 students and teachers about climate change issues and solutions in the community. Dr. Sloat received her B.S. and M.S. in Geology at California State University San Bernardino and her Ph.D. in Geosciences at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Having served as a UNLV Faculty Development Fellow and as a UNLV President’s Fellow, her honors include the 2019 UNLV Distinguished Teaching Award, the 2018-2023 Distinguished Contributor at the UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo, and the 2017 and 2022 UNLV CSUN Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.

The summit offered great opportunities for discussion with other school leaders. It was reassuring to see that so many similar schools are experiencing the same issues and being able to both empathize and problem solve together was an invaluable resource.

–2020 Leadership Summit Attendee

Leadership Summit Sponsor

Schedule

Thursday, January 19
5:00 PM Buses depart from hotel to UNLV
5:30 PM Welcome Reception at UNLV
6:30 PM Buses depart from UNLV to hotel

Friday, January 20
7:30 AM Breakfast on own at the hotel
8:30 AM Bus leaves hotel for UNLV
9:00 AM Introductions and Leadership Summit Kick-off
9:30 AM Ethics in STEM Keynote
10:00 AM Session 1: Ethics in STEM (Whole group & breakouts)
12:00 PM Lunch and UNLV Tours
2:00 PM Local and Global Environmental Issues Keynote
2:30 PM Session 2: STEM’s Role in Local and Global Environmental Issues (Whole group & breakouts)
4:00 PM Debrief & Wrap Up
4:30 PM Bus departs for hotel
5:30 PM Evening information coming soon!

Saturday, January 21
9:00 AM Morning Welcome at the hotel
9:15 AM NCSSS Member Survey Results
10:30 AM Implications for STEM educators: How do we maintain a working knowledge of these areas and bring it back to our classrooms?
11:30 AM Leadership Summit Closing
12:00 – 4:00 PM Optional Tour of the Hoover Dam (registration info here)

Registration & Payment

Register now by filling out the form below:

Please pay by clicking the appropriate button below:

Member Rate – $195

Non-Member Rate – $295

Hotel Reservations

The Leadership Summit hotel has been renamed as of December 15. It is now The Horseshoe (formerly Bally’s Las Vegas), located at 3645 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109.

The room rate is $119/night, and is available 3 days prior to the event and 3 days after the event, based on availability.

The hotel reservation deadline has been extended to January 10, 2023.