Welcome
University Role in Developing STEM
Capacity
Introductions and Overview
Arkansas STEM Vital Statistics
What is the Vision for STEM?
Dr. John Pratte, Dean, College of Science of Mathematics, Arkansas State University
Dr. Suzanne Mitchell, Executive Director, Arkansas STEM Coalition
Dr. Shane Speights, Hospital Administrator and Osteopathic Physician, St. Bernards
Hospital
Dr. Kim Wilbanks, Superintendent, Jonesboro School District
Mr. Brian Johnston, Plant Manager, Nestle, Jonesboro
Mr. Randy Oxford, Principal, Brookland Middle School, Brookland School District
Why is STEM important to
Northeast Arkansas and the state?
Why are STEM partnerships good for school districts and industry?
Who Benefits from STEM
Engagement?
Where are the STEM Resources for schools, teachers, students, parents and community partners?
What are the STEM Skills needed to
Build Capacity for Career and
College Readiness?
What STEM Skills do Employees
Need to Enhance the Success of
Business and Industry in Northeast
Arkansas?
Where are the Informal STEM
Resources for Enhancing STEM
Education
Panel - STEM Resources Abound in Northeast Arkansas
Dr. Cynthia Miller, Director, A-State Delta STEM Center–Panel Moderator
Dr. Julie Grady, Director, A-State Rural STEM Center
Ms. Nancy Hornor, Science Specialist, Great Rivers Education Service Cooperative
Mr. James Lee, Mathematics Specialist, Crowley’s Ridge Educational Service Cooperative
Ms. Sandra Lamberson, Science Specialist, Northeast Education Service Cooperative
Ms. Cindy Merritt, Mathematics Specialist, NorthCentral Education Service Cooperative
Dr. Debra Ingram, Chair, Mathematics and Computer Science
Ms. Jill Clogston, Director, A-State Educational Renewal Zone
Panel – STEM Business Initiatives in Northeast Arkansas
Ms. Stacy Gunderman, Director of Administration, Future Fuel Chemical Company,
Batesville, - Panel Moderator
Mr. Jake Rice, City Water and Lights, Jonesboro
Mr. Eric Fulbright, Nucor-Yamato Steel, Blytheville
Frito-Lay (invited)
Arkansas Rail Company (invited)
Mr. Joe Campbell, Dean, General Education, ASU-Newport
Panel – STEM Learning Outside the School Walls
Dr. Laveta Wills-Hale, Director, Arkansas Out-of-School Network – Panel Moderator
Ms. Kim Shumpert, Executive Director, City Youth, Jonesboro
Ms. Jill Czerwonky, STEM Outreach Coordinator, A-State, Honda Summer Camp
Mr. Rick Fields, Cooperative Extension Service Resources – 4H-STEM
Ms. Kathleen Lawson, Director, Museum of Discovery Network
Mr. Jeff McMullin, Game and Fish Commission (invited)

Lunch
What is the Need for STEM in
Modern Agriculture? How can two- and four-year colleges in Northeast
Arkansas Meet that Need?
Panel – STEM Bridges in Agricultural Business that Promote Economic Development
Dr. Michele Reba, USDA-ARS Research Scientist and Adjunct Faculty, College of Agriculture and Technology – Panel Moderator
Mr. Dennis Haigwood, Producer, Newport
Mr. David Gairhan, Producer, Truman
Mr. Rick Rorex, Riceland Rice, Jonesboro
Dr. Jeff Barnes/Mr. Rick Bormann, Greenway Equipment
Mr. Jason Pitcher, Syngenta Seeds
Dr. Beth Hood, College of Agriculture and Technology
Dr. Peter Larbi, College of Agriculture and Technology
Dr. Larry G. Bennett, Superintendent, Newport School District
Mr. Phillip Poston, Director of Communications, Hytrol Conveyor Company When and How Do We Build
Business-Education STEM
Partnerships?
Now What? The Future of STEM in
Northeast Arkansas
Table Sharing and Discussion of STEM Think Tank Questions
Mr. James Dunivan, Superintendent, Nettleton Schools, Facilitator
Relevance of STEM Education and
Application to Employers and
Economic Development
Mr. Mark Young, President & CEO, Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce
Closing Remarks Walter Burgess, Chair, Arkansas STEM Coalition
Co-sponsored by Arkansas State University, A-State Delta STEM Center, A-State Rural STEM Center, A-State Educational Renewal Zone, College of
Science and Mathematics, Arkansas STEM Coalition, Project Lead the Way, and Hand2Mind.
Jacob Addie, Director, Human
Resources, Lockheed Martin, Camden
Morris Bramlett, Dean, School of
Mathematics and Natural Science,
University of Arkansas at Monticello
Walter Burgess, Vice President of Sales and Engineering, Power Technology, Inc.
Charles Jarrett, Vice President and Chief
Information Officer, Murphy USA
Allison Nicholas, College and University
Relations, Acxiom
Stacey Gundermann, Director of Human
Resources, Future Fuels
Katherine Prewitt, Mid Continent
Independent Systems Operators (MISO)
Collins Andrews, Arkansas Academy of
Computing
Bruce Lazarus, Director, Project Lead the
Way and the STEM Center,
Arkansas Tech University
Sherry Lane, Mathematics Consultant
Ben Rains, Dean, Mathematics and
Science, Pulaski Tech College
Gary Ritter, Director, Office of Education
Policy Group
John Miller, Senior Manager, Dassault
Falcon Jet
Gail McClure, Vice President, Sponsored
Programs, Arkansas Science &
Technology Authority
Michael Nauman, President, Molex
Global Integrated Products Division
Steve Runge, Provost, University of
Central Arkansas
Steve Sparks, Director of Existing
Resources Division, Arkansas Economic
Development Commission
Bill Stovall, Director, Arkansas
Association of Two-Year Colleges
Lee Watson, President, Arkansas
Venture Center
Michelle Snyder, Program Manager-
Science, Arkansas Department of
Education
Lillian Williams, Academic Program
Manager, Arkansas Department of
Higher Education
Cathy Wissehr, Assistant Professor,
University of Arkansas Fayetteville
James Hendren, Computer Science Task
Force, Chair
Sandra Porter, Retired
Jeff Williams, Director, Wilbur Mills
Educational Service Cooperative
Exhibitors:
ABI/PIC Outreach
AdvancED-STEM Standards
A-State Delta STEM Center -
A-State Rural STEM Center – Engineering is Elementary
EverFi – free STEM curriculum
Hand2Mind – STEM curricula
Project Lead the Way-Robotics, Pre-engineering, and Computer Science
Zuni Learning Tree