 |
We expect registration to open in early April. In the meantime, explore our keynote and theme information, book your stay and get excited!!
| Conference Theme Environmental education is an essential tool in preparing today's learners for the world they will encounter following graduation. The career landscape is changing rapidly. Leaders will need to be prepared to balance constantly evolving technological progress with a sound ecological foundation. From Pre-K to grad school, EE can show them how. Registration Coming Soon |
Presenter sessions and field trips will focus on five tracks that will complement our conference setting in the heart of Ball State's campus!
Schoolyard to Stewardship - The EE Pathway to Green Careers: An exploration of environmental education at every level of learning, from pre-K to university, that demonstrates how each phase of learning can prepare students for the careers of the 21st century.
Green Futures - Where the EE Path Can Lead: What are those careers, anyway?? This panel discussion will feature current professionals in a variety of environmental and sustainability fields. Presenters will share about their work, how it's likely to evolve in the coming years, and how environmental education during their school days played a role in preparing them for the field and building their interest in it.
Mutualism - Building Community Connections for a Sustainable Future: Strategic partnerships are key to excellent EE programming. Hear from program leaders about how building relationships between schools, community organizations, businesses and government leaders has led to robust learning experiences.
Growing Green - Outdoor Learning through Agriculture: Food can be a great way to introduce a variety of sustainability topics and school gardens are a frequent starting point for outdoor learning. This strand will dig deeper (no pun intended!) into the methods and opportunities for using food and agriculture as the foundation for EE programming.
Together We Fly - Birds, Bats & Bugs: We just couldn't help developing a technical strand based on this favorite Ball State slogan! From telemetry and mist netting to community engagement and citizen science, you'll get a chance to experience hands-on learning activities focused on all of our winged friends.
Watch here for the full conference schedule and booklet.
Keynote "The Role of Story Telling for Environmental Education" Dr. Tom McConnell Professor of Science Education Ball State University Department of Biology |
Dr. McConnell's teaching focuses on preparing science teachers at all grade levels, including teacher professional development. He incorporates his passion for our living world into his work with scholars to develop children’s books and digital teaching resources that promote conservation and interest in science careers. These works include the Conservation Tales book series, and a growing collecting of online video-based stories.
From snorkeling at Looe Key and filming in the crab lab at Mote Marine in Florida to filming in 360˚ format in the canopy at Kakum National Forest in Ghana, Dr. McConnell will bring a wealth of experiences to the keynote podium as he shares his own tales of travel, teaching, and using tech to tell the stories of conservation initiatives around the world.
|
|
|
Pre-Conference Workshop & Field Trips We're still working out the details for this space, so check back soon! |
Venue & Lodging Thank you to Ball State University for providing an amazing venue for this year's conference! With over a century of history in providing teacher education and preparing graduates to launch into careers, BSU's campus will provide the perfect setting for a conference focused on EE's vital role on the pathway to a green future. |
Conference events will take place in BSU's Cooper Science building and Environmental Education Center. Attendees can enjoy a stroll through Christie Woods, explore the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse, and may even get a private screening in the Charles W. Brown Planetarium! Dinners will be hosted in the Pittenger Student Center and boxed lunches will be provided at the Cooper Science building on Friday and Saturday. Breakfast will be on your own this year, but the hotel we have reserved offers a free hot breakfast starting at 6:00 AM each day.
Rooms are available to reserve at a special rate at the Muncie Hampton Inn using the conference code EEA. Book your room by October 16th to receive our discounted room rate. You can reserve your room online at using our dedicated Booking Link or by calling 765-288-8500. The hotel is about a 10 minute drive from the conference venue, so we encourage carpooling when possible. Conference attendees can use this sheet to coordinate with others interested in sharing lodging or carpooling for the weekend. It is up to conference attendees to use the information on the form to coordinate with one another directly.
Camping options in the area include Mounds State Park, Big Oak Campground, and Prairie Creek Reservoir.
Student Programming Network with current EE professionals. Meet students from schools around the state. Build your resume by presenting your original research. |
Get paired with a mentor for the weekend... and beyond! Students and early-career professionals can request to be paired with a professional whose work experience aligns with your interests. We'll provide time during the conference for mentors and mentees to get to know one another, and guidance for continuing your engagement beyond the weekend together.
Present your work in a student poster session. Students can share their projects and research with a professional audience through EEAI's poster session, held alongside the silent auction on Saturday night. Participants are invited to display a poster no larger than 36 x 48 inches that details a current research project, student-led program, internship, field study or other initiative related to Environmental Education. Students should be prepared to give a brief overview of their work and respond to questions posed by other conference attendees. Indicate on your registration form that you'd like to participate. Please note that formats other than posters, including digital presentations, cannot be supported.
Attend the Green Futures panel discussion to hear from current sustainability professionals and how a foundation of environmental education can prepare you for a variety of career opportunities.
Interested in helping to plan student-centered programming at this year's conference? Contact Megan Sharp at resourcecoordinator@eeai.org.
The Fun Stuff Our annual conference isn't JUST about learning. We have a lot of fun when we get together, too! |
Join in on long-standing EEAI conference traditions and help us establish some new ones!
Campfire Socials & EEAI's Songwriting Contest/Talent Showcase: The annual talent contest is a conference favorite. Attendees can put their talents on display - singing, poetry, dancing, harmonica playing - whatever your talent is, we want to experience it! An environmental themed presentation is sure to take top accolades, with bonus points awarded if your performance complements the conference theme. We'll have exclusive access to the Clifty Inn campfire circle - the perfect place to lead the group in a singalong or share a spooky ghost story.
EEAI Awards: Each year, EEAI honors outstanding educators for their service to the field of environmental education in Indiana. Do you know of an educator you'd like to nominate? Visit our awards page to learn more about each of the honors.
Silent Auction: The auction will take place in person on Saturday afternoon and evening. Items need to be dropped off at the registration table no later than 11 AM on Saturday, so we have time to organize the auction before that evening's events.
Free Table: Mugs, curriculum, books, magazine, posters, and more. Bring something to share and take something home!
We're looking for 2026 Conference Sponsors! EEAI sponsors and partners help to make our conference a success. If your organization or business would like to support the 2026 conference, please contact Megan at resourcecoordinator@eeai.org. |