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U495M·SUNDAY WORKSHOP: Finding and Developing True Personal Stories in STEM
Workshop Sponsored Workshops
Sun. June 23, 2024 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
C125, Oregon Convention Center
Session Description

Free ticketed event
Attendees will learn about the craft of storytelling and the significance of narratives and how to identify aspects of their personal journey to create stories related to science. Engaging in both individual and group activities, participants will work on developing distinct "events," "consequences," and "characters," and will ultimately leave with at least one potential story idea. The workshop will provide guidance on effective beginnings and endings for live stories, and participants will have the chance to share their stories and story pitches with others, time permitting.

This workshop combines elements of the personal storytelling curricula we deploy in undergraduate engineering classrooms, a targeted review of the science of storytelling in engineering contexts, and discussions of how storytelling activities can be deployed in other contexts. The overall structure of the workshop is as follows:

The Story Collider – Intro, Expectations, Norms
– Events: Activities focused on finding pivotal moments writers can structure stories around. We will workshop a story draft around one of these ideas today.
– Consequences: What are the stakes in your story, and how can we share them in a way that your audience will care as much as you did?
– Characters: Who is science, and who were you at the time of your story?
– Break

Putting it together
– Narrative arc: How can we think about the flow of a story from beginning to end, and how can we use this to structure our stories?
– Narrative breakouts: Story pitches
– Launchings and landings: What are best practices for starting and finishing stories?
– Characters: We revisit your character in the context of your event.
– Break

Results from Boise State University
– Research context
– Quantitative findings
– Interviews and content correlations: A Discussion

Speakers
  1. Dr. Krishna Pakala
    Boise State University

    Krishna Pakala, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at Boise State University (Boise, Idaho). He was the Director for the Industrial Assessment Center at Boise State University. He served as the Faculty in Residence for the Engineering and Innovation Living Learning Community (2014 - 2021). He was the inaugural Faculty Associate for Mobile Learning and the Faculty Associate for Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning. He was the recipient of the Foundation Excellence Award, David S. Taylor Service to Students Award and Golden Apple Award from Boise State University. He was also the recipient of 2023 National Outstanding Teacher Award, ASEE PNW Outstanding Teaching Award, ASEE Mechanical Engineering division’s Outstanding New Educator Award and several course design awards. He serves as the campus representative and was the past-Chair for the ASEE PNW Section. His academic research interests include innovative teaching and learning strategies, use of emerging technologies, and mobile teaching and learning strategies.

  2. Eric Jankowski
    Boise State University

    Dr. Eric Jankowski is an Associate Professor in the Micron School of Materials Science & Engineering at Boise State University. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan, was a Director's Fellow at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and is an NSF CAREER and ASEE Young Pacesetter awardee. In addition to advancing scientific software and training around molecular simulations for organic materials through his research programs, he serves as Board President for The Story Collider. Their curricular collaboration was recognized this year with a Silver Medal for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity partnerships by the Anthem Awards.

  3. Anne Hamby

    Anne Hamby, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing in the College of Business at Boise State University (Boise, Idaho). Her research focus is in the area of consumer psychology. Specifically, she studies how emotional and structural aspects of stories engage their audiences, and how engagement in stories influence beliefs and behavior in a consumer-related context. She is also interested in issues related to consumer well-being and examines the psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence risky consumption practices and prosocial behavior. She received the College of Business and Economics Advisory Council Research Excellence award in 2023, and is the College of Business and Economics Distinguished Research Professor for 2023-2025. Her work has been published in top-tier journals such as the Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, and Journal of Consumer Psychology. She is an Associate Editor at the Journal of Advertising.

  4. Dr. Sara Hagenah

    Sara Hagenah, PhD, is an Associate Professor of in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies at Boise State University. Her research is deeply engaged with informal and formal P-20 school-community partnerships and aims to collaboratively advance equitable science teaching and learning. She has expertise in designing P-20 STEM curriculum, identity research, and qualitative research methodologies. She designs, leads, and studies job-embedded professional development that focuses on rigorous and responsive teaching and learning opportunities.

  5. Brooke Ward
    Boise State University

    Brooke Ward is a doctoral student at Boise State University.