Congratulations to the eight student teams from the United States and Canada recently named national winners of the 26th annual Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competition. From innovative disease prevention to artificial intelligence support for farmers, the pioneering ideas developed by this year's winning teams seek to solve challenges the world might face in the next 20 years. Read the press release.

NSTA appreciates how much time and creativity you put into your work as a science teacher. You do it all, while dealing with shrinking budgets and limited access to resources. To show our appreciation anyone who signs up for a regular NSTA membership through May 31 will receive a free #ThankAScienceTeacher t-shirt. Use the promo code MAY18 at checkout to receive your t-shirt.

Science teachers can influence more than just a child's imagination. They can set them on a path that extends well past college. Learn how one 6th grade science teacher influenced NSTA executive director David Evans to be the person he is today.

The 7th Annual STEM Forum & Expo, hosted by NSTA, will be July 11-13 in Philadelphia and we look forward to seeing you there. This is the place to be if you're an educator or organization seeking to learn more about STEM education, associated outreach programs, partnerships, schools, and curricula.

 

Register before May 11 to take advantage of earlybird discounts!

In a new study, published in Environmental Communication, researchers examined more than 15,000 pages from 16 of the leading physics, biology, and chemistry undergraduate textbooks and made a surprising discovery. They found that less than 4% of pages were devoted toward discussing climate change. Read the article featured in Science Daily and check out the Education News Roundup for a selection of the week's other top education news stories.

The virtual, interactive 2018 STEM for All Video Showcase will feature approximately 200 videos of federally funded projects aimed at improving STEM and computer science in formal and informal environments. Videos span the range of innovation in elementary school to graduate education. Many address broadening participation and increasing access to high quality STEM experiences. You can find out more information on the event at http://stemforall2018.videohall.com.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2018–19 Next Generation STEM Teaching Project (NGSTP), a program sponsored by the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP). K-12 teachers, who are interested in enriching their professional learning experiences and receiving funding for a classroom project, are encouraged to apply. Applications are due June 1. For more information about the program or to apply, click here.

It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and NSTA wants to say "Thank You" for all that you do! Download this free e-book featuring fresh new teaching strategies from our latest books.

Last week, President Trump thanked the nation's top educators—including NSTA members Chasity Collier and Cara Pekarkcik—for their dedication to education and their students in a short speech at the White House. The teachers all received their state's highest honor, State Teacher of the Year, in 2018. The National Teacher of the Year, Mandy Manning from Washington state, also spoke. Learn more about the winners here.

Join Picture-Perfect Science authors Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan for a workshop. Coming soon to Lancaster, Pennsylvania (June 12–13); Cincinnati, Ohio (June 19–20); Blue Springs, Missouri (June 26–27); and Tempe, Arizona (October 9–10). Register today!

As any science teacher knows, lab science plays an integral role in science instruction. Yet many labs are underfunded, with poor (or no) resources. How is the science lab in your school? Good or bad, let us know by taking this one question survey, and watch for results in future issues of NSTA Express.

Teachers in several states are taking to the picket lines and advocating for higher pay and more funding for their schools and classrooms. Not had time to catch up on all the headlines? Here's a brief overview and some great articles on the events in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Colorado and Arizona.