The 2025 State of Black Health Conference: A Gathering, Call to Action, and Movement

By: Nisaa Kirtman, Alex Gurn, Ayesha Boyce, Michelle Rosenthal, and LaShaune Johnson Photo by Nisaa Kirtman, Day 1 of the State of Black Health Conference  “I left feeling affirmed, connected, and refueled. This was more than a conference—it was a movement.” – Conference Participant That sentiment, voiced by one attendee, captures the essence of the […]

Reflecting on the ASTC and NIH SciEd 2025 annual conferences: Part 2

Part 2: Community-building tips for meeting organizers and participants By Kristin Bass, PhD, Director of Research Development Two of my professional highlights this fall were attending the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) annual conference in San Francisco, and the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) SciEd meeting for PreK-12 science education projects, held virtually. […]

Reflecting on the ASTC and NIH SciEd 2025 annual conferences: Part 1

Part 1: Finding funding, strengthening skills By Kristin Bass, PhD, Director of Research Development, Rockman et al Cooperative I had the good fortune to participate in two outstanding national science education meetings this fall: the annual conference for the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) which took place in San Francisco, and SciEd, the […]

American Evaluation Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group: Discussions, practices, and models centered around anti-oppression in the evaluation community

For the past three years, Nisaa Kirtman has served as Co-Chair for the American Evaluation Association DEI Working Group (WG) comprised of 17 members of AEA with expertise in evaluation approaches centered around justice, liberation, and equity. The WG focused on (including, not limited to) “DEI principles,” advocating for a general statement in all organizational […]