Thank you so much for your interest in participating in the 17th Annual Hawaiʻi STEM Conference (HSC) as a presenter! HSC is one of the largest annual STEM education events in Hawaiʻi, with hundreds of student and teacher participants attending each year to engage in hands-on STEM activities led by STEM experts like you. HSC is organized and presented by STEMworks, a program of Maui Economic Development Board.

HSC 2026 will take place on April 15-16 at the Sheraton Waikīkī in Honolulu. The theme for HSC 2026 is "Navigating Change." 

STEMworks is currently seeking proposals from presenters for both student and teachers professional development (PD) sessions. These one hour PD sessions are meant to provide engaging learning experiences that increase students’ interest in STEM careers, improve students’ and teachers' STEM skills and knowledge, give both students and teachers a chance to form relationships with industry professionals, and connect STEM topics to issues relevant to Hawaiʻi communities. 

PD sessions should be designed to target one of the following four audiences: middle school students, high school students, elementary school teachers, or middle and high school teachers. Session size will range from 10-20 participants. Each student/teacher participant will have the opportunity to participate in 3-4 PD sessions during HSC. 

Session presenters should have industry or academic experience and expertise related to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). Presenters are strongly encouraged to design sessions that connect STEM topics to real-world issues as well as local culture and entrepreneurship and that provide as much time as possible for hands-on activities. For teacher sessions, presenters should clarify how the session activities can be implemented in a classroom setting.

For presenters planning to work with co-presenters, you will need to submit details for all presenters using this form. Please be prepared to write in information about your colleagues, including their email, phone number, short bio, and professional details. 

If you participated in HCF in 2024 or 2025, you should already have a Whova account. For new speakers, you will need to create a Whova account. This will allow you to review your submission, and if you are confirmed as a speaker, your Whova account will give you access to the HCF 2026 agenda and other details, all of which will be made available through the Whova app.

Please submit proposals by 11:59 pm on January 31, 2026. This form will only allow you to submit one proposal. If you are interested in offering two or more different sessions during HSC or have any other questions or concerns, please contact hannah@medb.org. 

Thanks again so much for your interest in being a session presenter. HSC would not be possible without you!