Northwestern College education professor presents at STEM conference

Dr. Derek Brower, assistant professor of education at Northwestern College, recently co-presented at the fifth annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Forum & Expo at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

In collaboration with Jeff Weld, executive director for STEM in the state of Iowa, Brower presented “STEM P3: A Statewide Programs/Policy Partnership to Advance PreK-12 STEM Education.” Their presentation called for a systematic solution to integrating classroom, community and capital activities when facilitating a STEM culture.

The three-day conference was sponsored by the National Science Teacher Association and aimed at equipping educators with the professional development tools to enable their students to stay globally competitive in terms of innovation. Speakers, sessions and workshops provided participants with new ways to stimulate student interest in STEM fields, begin or enhance STEM strategies within school districts, and provide opportunities for networking between colleagues around the world through face-to-face and digital interactions.

Before joining Northwestern’s faculty, Brower taught secondary science for 12 years at schools in Iowa, Botswana, the Marshall Islands and Thailand. A graduate of Northwestern with a major in philosophy, he earned a second bachelor’s degree in science education and a master’s degree in technology education from Western Washington University. He also holds a doctorate in education from Montana State University.