The Southeastern Regional Noyce Conference presents a unique opportunity to bring together pre-service and in-service science and mathematics teachers, university faculty from a variety of related fields involved in STEM support, and members of the technology business community in Greenville, South Carolina. This combination of participants leads to an exchange of ideas and a creation of synergistic relationships. Participants from over 40 projects in eight states are invited to attend a three-day conference that provides guest speakers, concurrent breakout sessions, opportunities to tour local technology businesses, opportunities to experiment with virtual worlds and on-site simulators, and most importantly, the opportunity to meet other members of the Noyce community. The Southeastern Regional Conferences, hosted by Clemson University, encourage collaboration and an exchange of ideas and best practices for Noyce Scholars and related personnel. The conferences bring together like-minded individuals and present them with opportunities to interact and to have experiences that help them in their own classrooms. At the Southeastern Conference, best practices, teaching resources, connections with supportive industries, and exposure to cutting edge technologies in immersive technology benefit pre-service and in-service Teacher/Scholars as well as their project faculty/PIs. The sense of community that is created by participation in regional and national NSF conferences is invaluable in strengthening STEM education. Participants leave the conference refreshed and stronger in their commitments to STEM education. They return to their schools able to share information and support with colleagues.
The 2014 Southeast Regional Noyce Conference was held in Greenville, South Carolina, in March. Over 200 attendees from states in the southeast participated. Grants from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, were represented. There were opportuniteis for grant personnel and scholarship/fellowship awardees to present their research and to meet and create new collaborations. There were workshops on science, math, technology, and general teaching topcis such as classroom management. Many workshops focused on best practices in the math and science classroom. Following up on previous attendee comments, an effort was made to balance sessions and provide more workshops for specific science disciplines such as physics, chemistry, earth science, and the life sciences. There were guest speakers from STEM industries, such as Michelin in larger general sessions. Feedback from attendees was extremely positive. The opportunity to interact with others who are participating in similar grant work is very helpful for investigators. Students are able to meet other likeminded individuals and create a support network. Coming together as a group creates enthusiasm for STEM.The regional conferences were a direct result of comments taken from the National NSF Conferences that too few Noyce Scholars were able to attend. The regional conferences are a terrific vehicle to increase energy and visibility for STEMS.
