Virtual Events and Webinars

Virtual Events and Webinars

Scheduled and Recent Events

Graduate Student Career Steps Webinar Series #12

Friday, June 26, 2026 
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET

Navigating the transition from graduate studies to a fulfilling career can feel overwhelming. With countless possibilities - academia, industry, government, non-profits, and beyond - graduate students often find themselves uncertain about which path to pursue or how to begin.

The Graduate Student Committee recognizes this challenge and is proud to organize the Career Steps Webinar Series, an engaging, monthly webinar series designed to illuminate multiple career trajectories, offer practical guidance, and foster meaningful connections within the NARST community.

This webinar series features accomplished PhDs and seasoned NARST members who have traversed the journey you are beginning. By sharing their personal stories - complete with challenges, pivotal moments, and unexpected opportunities - our speakers bring to life the myriad routes to career success.

More than mere inspiration, these sessions provide concrete strategies, resources, and networks you can leverage as you craft your own path. After all, one meaningful connection can be the spark that redefines your career trajectory.

Meet Your Speaker: Dr. Xiaoming Zhai Associate Professor of Science Education & Artificial Intelligence, The University of Georgia

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/Career-Steps-Series12 

NARST Membership Writing Retreat

Friday, July 10, 2026

5 am to 7 am ET
11 am to 1 pm ET

Join us for a Writing Retreat organized by the NARST Membership Committee!

This will be a 2-hour virtual event where members come together to write in community on writing projects as a virtual kick-off for the 2027 Conference proposals. The Writing Retreat is a collective space where members write and support each other.

You select the time to attend, 5 am ET or 11 am ET - or both. The Zoom link is the same for both sessions. Attend when you can.

Hosted by the NARST Membership Committee

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/Membership_Committee_Writing_Retreat

Finding Alternative Paths Past the PhD

Monday, July 13, 2026
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm ET

Learn more about NARST’s EXPAND RIG: Exploring Professional Avenues in Science Education in Nontraditional Domains.

This session is designed to bring together members of the NARST community who are interested in, or currently pursuing, research careers beyond traditional academic settings. As the landscape of science education continues to evolve, there is growing recognition that meaningful research and impact occur across a wide range of professional contexts, not only within four-year institutions. At the same time, many doctoral programs continue to prioritize preparation for tenure-track roles, often leaving alternative research pathways underexplored and under supported.

This webinar will highlight the increasing interest in non-traditional PhD pathways that center research, knowledge sharing, and community impact in various educational settings. We aim to spark dialogue, surface emerging career trajectories, and connect individuals to reimagine what it means to be a STEM/science education researcher.

Hosted by: NARST EXPAND RIG

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/EXPAND_RIG-Alternative_Paths

Writing Strong AI Proposals for NARST: Lessons from the RAISE RIG Awards

Tuesday, July 14, 2026
9:00 am – 10:00 am ET

Join NARST’s RAISE RIG (Research in AI-Involved Science Education) for its inaugural virtual event — the first in a planned quarterly series.

Two recent RAISE RIG Award winners will present the work that earned them recognition, giving a concrete picture of strong AI-in-science-education research. The RIG's founding chairs, who built the award selection process, then unpack what distinguishes a strong submission. If you are planning a NARST proposal on AI, this session is built to help you write a better one.

Meet Your Speakers: 

Gyeonggeon Lee, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (RAISE RIG Co-Chair) 
Marcus Kubsch, Umeå University, Sweden (RAISE RIG Co-Chair) 
Xiaoming Zhai, University of Georgia, USA (Founding RAISE RIG Chair) 
Kent J. Crippen, University of Florida, USA (Founding RAISE RIG Co-Chair) 
Jongchan Park, University of Georgia, USA (Award Winner) 
Paul Martin, University of Giessen, Germany (Award Winner)

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/Writing_Strong_AI-Prompts_for_NARST

Graduate Student Career Steps Webinar Series #13

Friday, July 31, 2026
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET

Navigating the transition from graduate studies to a fulfilling career can feel overwhelming. With countless possibilities - academia, industry, government, non-profits, and beyond - graduate students often find themselves uncertain about which path to pursue or how to begin. The Graduate Student Committee recognizes this challenge and organizes the Career Steps Webinar Series, an engaging, monthly webinar series designed to illuminate multiple career trajectories, offer practical guidance, and foster meaningful connections within the NARST community.

This webinar series features accomplished PhDs and seasoned NARST members who have traversed the journey you are beginning. By sharing their personal stories - complete with challenges, pivotal moments, and unexpected opportunities - our speakers bring to life the myriad routes to career success. More than mere inspiration, these sessions provide concrete strategies, resources, and networks you can leverage as you craft your own path. After all, one meaningful connection can be the spark that redefines your career trajectory.

Meet Your Speaker:
Dr. Shakhnoza Kayumova, Professor of STEM Education and Teacher Development, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth & Director of the Kaput Center for Research and Innovation in STEM Education

Registration Link: https://members.narst.org/event/Grad_Student_Career_Steps_13