The National Future of Education Technology Conference® (FETC®) has announced that Justin Shaifer, founder and executive director of Fascinate, Inc., will deliver the closing keynote for the 40th anniversary event, to take place January 14-17, 2020 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Fla. In Shaifer’s keynote presentation, “Bring STEM to Class: A Practical Guide to Education,” to take place on Friday, January 17, the high-energy 24-year-old will offer practical strategies to engage Generation Z in STEM education.
“We’re thrilled to announce that Justin Shaifer will be the STEM keynote at FETC 2020,” said Dr. Robert M. Avossa, Senior Vice President & Publisher, LRP Publications. “Justin’s keen understanding of how to connect with Generation Z students and get them excited about learning makes him an essential voice in education today. FETC attendees will not only feel energized by his dynamic presentation, but will also take away practical strategies to bring STEM learning to life in schools and classrooms.”
Shaifer created his organization, Fascinate, Inc., to excite underrepresented students about STEM. He is known for his work on the Magic Cool Bus Project, a non-profit that brings a mobile museum with culturally responsive STEM curriculum to students in New York City. Past partners of his organization include Microsoft, MIT Media Lab, and the Children’s Aid Society. He is currently a PhD student at Columbia University, where he is studying the effects of his programs.
Growing up in a single parent home on the south side of Chicago, Ill., Shaifer had little awareness of the potential of a STEM career, but his perspective was opened up when he became a student at Hampton University, eventually graduating with a bachelor’s degree in marine and environmental science with the highest GPA in his department. He now travels the country empowering young students to “embrace their inner nerd” despite their surroundings, and in his tech savvy keynote presentation he’ll walk teachers, administrators, coaches and technology staff through strategies to further this objective. Shaifer’s unique lesson plans and teaching tactics help to inspire learners and make STEM cool at school.
FETC 2020 will be the conference’s 40th anniversary event and will gather the most dynamic and creative education professionals from around the world for an intensive, highly collaborative exploration of new technologies, best practices and pressing issues. The conference will feature an opening keynote from best-selling author Daniel Pink, concurrent sessions presented by leading experts and practitioners from all roles in the education technology community, an Expo Hall filled with the latest and greatest solutions, and a community of thousands eager to network with like-minded peers.
Registration is now open for the 2020 Future of Education Technology Conference. For additional information and to register, visit fetc.org/register or call toll-free 1-800-727-1227. Educators who register before November 1, 2019 will save up to $150 by securing the Super Saver rate.
