ACESA
Arizona Council of Engineering and Scientific Associations
2024 GCOI Teacher of the Year
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Congratulations to Michelle Landreville of the Paradise Valley High School, CREST program in Phoenix, as the 2024 Teacher of the Year for the Governor's Celebration of Innovation! 

Michelle is joined by other Teacher and Future Innovator of the Year award recipients. Click here to see the full list!

Arizona's Teacher of the Year has been honored annually for many years. Click here for a description of a successful Teacher of the Year

Follow this link to see previous
GCOI winners and runners-up.

Arizona STEM Calendar

Scroll down for the quick view of what's happening in Arizona STEM!

...or jump to the Happenings page!

INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING ACESA?

ACESA IS A NON-PROFIT ASSOCIATION THAT PROMOTES STEM AND INNOVATION THROUGH LOCAL SCHOOL, MUSEUM AND CIVIC EVENTS.

STEM/CTE AROUND TOWN
GCOI Teachers of the Year and Future Innovators of the Year

All GCOI Teacher-of-the-Year and Future-Innovator-of-the-Year award recipients are listed here.

More info
GCOI's Arizona Teacher of the Year

Governor's Celebration of Innovation

Honoring a Teacher of the Year (AzTOY) has been part of the Arizona landscape for many years, and in the early 2000's the Arizona Technology Council under the leadership of Steve Zylstra, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority headed by Sandra Watson, incorporated this award program into their annual technology awards showcase. The Teacher of the Year award winners represent the best of the best of Arizona educators in STEM and CTE curriculum.

2024 entry information.

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What I've learned about those who succeeded
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Infographics for free distribution

Here are some posters and graphics that help tell about science, engineering and careers, royalty free.

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Question: What do you wish you had known before becoming an engineer?

Recently, in an on-line forum, a high school teacher asked a simple question. Here are some of the answers from working engineers, and some of the top answers:

  • Engineering is worth nothing if the designer/engineer can’t communicate to their clients/users why their product matters.
  • Engineering is not all calculations. More often than not, my days are spent reading multiple code provisions.
  • Not every engineer needs to do high-level math.
  • I'd teach the art of answering questions that aren't designed to be solved. 99% of everything I was asked in high school and 90% of college were questions that led you to the answer.
  • Engineering is odd field in that it's so broad you can't really say what it is that they do.

An infographic about what electrical engineers do is available here.

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Engineering Is Big In AZ!!

The Phoenix Business Journal has compiled some statistics on the local Engineering economy.

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STEM or CTE? What's the difference?

What is STEM? What is CTE? What do these acronym’s stand for? What method(s) are involved in the utilization of and/or application of these concepts?

In today's educational environment, STEM and CTE are sometimes treated as separate disciplines, but underneath there are many similarities. How do we apply these “tools” to educational needs and our everyday environment?

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Volunteer Openings at ACESA

ACESA is expanding and there are volunteer opportunities available right now! All of the three primary projects at ACESA are looking for volunteers.

If you would like to take on some of the planning and execution, or just ask questions, please contact an ACESA board member. You may have seen the ACESA show booth at many of the street fairs and STEM events around the Valley. This year we would like to expand to include the technical societies and associations that are available to our professional colleagues.

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STEM Careers in the U.S. Military

To learn more, click here how we use STEM in the military today!

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Volunteer opportunities at Az Science Lab
The Arizona Science Lab (ASL) offers STEM workshops for student classes in grades 4-8. These are four-hour, project-based workshops taught by expert volunteer engineers and scientists. It is an exciting science field trip for Arizona students!
Volunteers are needed on a regular basis.
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Membership in ACESA

Membership in ACESA is a way for your society, association or organization to pool resources with like-minded technology groups. ACESA acts as a clearinghouse of information on technical events and award programs for excellence in science and mathematics. If any of these activities interest your organization, you will benefit by membership in ACESA.

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For Professional Associations

The 1957 mission of ACESA was to support, promote and coordinate programs and activities of the engineering and scientific associations within the State of Arizona through facilitated communication and leadership support.

Although times and technology have altered the way things can be done, that mission has remained unchanged for these 60 years.

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STEM/CTE HAPPENINGS
Saturday
25 Jan 2025
 9:00 AM 
STEMteachersPHX:Forensic Science
More details coming soon.
Saturday
25 Jan 2025
 8:00 AM 
FIRST PALO VERDE - GOODYEAR QUALIFIER
PALO VERDE - GOODYEAR QUALIFIERDate: Jan 25 2025Event: Qualifying Tournament - HybridProgram: FIRST Tech Challenge Trivium Preparatory Academy2001 N Bullard AveGoodyear, AZ 85395...
Saturday
25 Jan 2025
 8:00 AM 
FIRST SAGUARO BLOSSOM - MICROCHIP QUALIFIER
SAGUARO BLOSSOM - MICROCHIP QUALIFIERDate: Jan 25 2025Event: Qualifying Tournament - HybridProgram: FIRST Tech Challenge Microchip, Chandler2355 W. Chandler BlvdChandler, AZ...
Saturday
01 Feb 2025
 8:00 AM 
FIRST PETRIFIED WOOD - PHOENIX QUALIFIER
PETRIFIED WOOD - PHOENIX QUALIFIERDate: Feb 1 2025Event: Qualifying Tournament - HybridProgram: FIRST Tech Challenge Brophy College Preparatory4701 N Central AvePhoenix, AZ 85012...
Saturday
08 Feb 2025
  
HISEF Science Fair Judging
Shannon Prince is looking for volunteers to help judge the Hamilton Science and Engineering Fair (HISEF).  All judging will be online and will happen between February 8th-16th...
More info
 until Sunday, 16 Feb 
Saturday
08 Feb 2025
 8:00 AM 
FIRST COPPER - QUEEN CREEK QUALIFIER
COPPER - QUEEN CREEK QUALIFIERDate: Feb 8 2025Event: Qualifying Tournament - HybridProgram: FIRST Tech Challenge American Leadership Academy23908 S. Hawes Rd.Queen Creek, AZ...
Friday
21 Feb 2025
 8:00 AM 
FIRST ARIZONA CHAMPIONSHIP -- Prescott
Date: Feb 21 - Feb 22 2025Event:Regional Championship Tournament - HybridProgram: FIRST Tech Challenge Embry Riddle Aeronautical University3700 Willow Creek RdPrescott, AZ 86301...
More info
 until Saturday, 22 Feb 
Saturday
22 Feb 2025
 10:00 AM 
Chandler Innovation Fair 2025
Received from Shannon Prince: I wanted to reach out and let you know that the booth registration for CIF is up and running. CIF will be on Saturday February 22nd from 10 am-2pm...
Saturday
22 Feb 2025
 9:00 AM 
STEMteachersPHX:Circuits
STEMteachersPHX is streamlining for 2024-25! Our 4-hour Saturday events will focus on a single theme, with a featured presenter and breakout sessions designed for specific grade bands. ...
Friday
28 Feb 2025
  
Phoenix Zoo: Conservation Science Night
Conservation Science Night:  Save the date! Friday, February 28, 2025 Join us for an exciting evening celebrating the Phoenix Zoo’s conservation efforts! Engage...
Tuesday
04 Mar 2025
 8:00 AM 
2025 SARSEF Regional Fair High School Interviews
High School interviews are in-person for 2025 High School project requirements remain the same as when we began requiring digital project submissions in 2021. This allows the...
Wednesday
19 Mar 2025
 8:00 AM 
FIRST ARIZONA EAST REGIONAL
Date: Mar 19 - Mar 22 2025Event: RegionalProgram: FIRST Robotics Competition Corona Del Sol High School1001 E Knox RdTempe, AZ 85284 USA
More info
 until Saturday, 22 Mar 
Wednesday
26 Mar 2025
  
2025 Az Science and Engineering Fair (AzSEF)
Location - Desert Financial Arena Dates - March 26-28, 2025 Award ceremony: 29th 2025 (possibly at Science Center) If your organization would like to sponsor an award,...
More info
 until Friday, 28 Mar 
Saturday
29 Mar 2025
  
2025 AzSEF Awards Ceremony
Location - Desert Financial Arena Dates - March 26-28, 2025 Award ceremony: 29th 2025 (possibly at Science Center)
Saturday
05 Apr 2025
 9:00 AM 
STEMteachersPHX:Computational Thinking
STEMteachersPHX is streamlining for 2024-25! Our 4-hour Saturday events will focus on a single theme, with a featured presenter and breakout sessions designed for specific grade bands. ...
Wednesday
01 Apr 2026
 7:00 AM 
ISEF in Arizona 2026
Placeholder: ISEF will return to Arizona in 2026! Watch this space as details become available.
Other activities already going on...
stay connected with the ACESA NEWSLETTER

We encourage individual technical professionals, teachers and other members of the academic community, corporate leaders and legislators to subscribe to our newsletter. Be sure to stay connected, and feel free to forward the newsletter to everyone in your organization!

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